Legendary Japanese writer and artist, Junji Ito, is back with a manga adaptation of the 2019 film, The Lighthouse. The work will act as a brief summary of the film's plot, and will debut in Japan alongside the film's theatrical release there in July, 2021. Preview pages show arresting visuals that perfectly match the atmosphere of the black and white horror film.
Directed by Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse stars Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as two men in the nineteenth century who become stranded on an island after a storm ravishes the New England coastline. With only each other for company, the two lighthouse keepers slowly lose grip on both reality and sanity as the chances of their rescue become more and more slim. The film's bleak expressionist style, haunting visuals, and deep psychological unrest make it one of the most unique horror films in recent times. At the time of its release in 2019, The Lighthouse was praised for its strong performances, bold aesthetics, and disturbing tension as it crafted a visceral sense of claustrophobia and uncertainty. Coming off of Eggers's success with his 2016 film, The VVitch, The Lighthouse has cemented him as a top new horror director.
A story like The Lighthouse is perfect for Junji Ito's stark drawing style and brand of psychological terror. Based on the preview pages, there is no doubt that Ito's adaptation will help set the tone for the film's desolate and immersive atmosphere. Blending body horror with a plethora of monsters and other fantastical creatures, Ito's work is instantly recognizable in its unflinching depiction of the uncanny. With works such as Gyo, Uzumaki, and Tomie, Ito pushed both horror manga and horror media to new territory, and the success of these spawned adaptations into other mediums.
As the previews show, Ito capitalizes on the film's high contrast cinematography by accentuating the shadows on the characters' faces in his art. Fans of the film be pleased to see that Willem Dafoe's physicality is brought to new life with Ito's line work, and the landscape of the island is cast in a melancholy atmosphere.
Junji Ito and Robert Eggers both excel at crafting a visceral experience from the intangible, making this crossover one to celebrate for fans of the horror genre. The Lighthouse as a film carries an almost literary quality that will make its adaptation onto the page all the more exciting to see. From Junji Ito's vision of The Lighthouse, fans can expect to see Eggers's nightmares take on a whole new effect.