J.J. Abrams is to develop a live action version of record-breaking Japanese animated blockbuster Your Name.
Directed by Makoto Shinkai, the 2016 movie tells the story of Mitsuha, a high school girl from rural Japan who swaps bodies with Taki, a boy from the country’s capital Tokyo. The duo then must travel across space and time to halt an impending disaster.
After winning accolades at film festivals around the world, Your Name earned $355 million at the worldwide box office to become the most successful animated Japanese film of all time.
Bosses at Paramount Pictures have announced J.J. and Lindsey Weber, Head of Film at his Bad Robot production company, are developing a live action remake with the original film’s producer Genki Kawamura. Arrival screenwriter Eric Heisserer will pen the script.
“Just like in the film it feels like a dream,” Genki says in a press release. “Mr. Abrams and his team have captivated audiences in their masterful reinvention of known properties. And Mitsuha and Taki have found a perfect narrator, Mr. Heisserer, to tell their sci-fi infused love story which gave the film such drive.”
The 51-year-old filmmaker has previously won plaudits for rebooting two of Hollywood’s biggest science-fiction franchises, Star Trek and Star Wars, directing reboots that have won over a generation of new fans.
Although no director or stars are yet attached to the Your Name remake, the Japanese producer says early discussions with J.J. and Lindsey have been positive.
“The meetings so far have been creatively stimulating with fantastic ideas that no doubt will make for a great movie,” he gushes. “I am greatly honored to work with these incredible creators in bringing to audiences the Hollywood live action version of Your Name.”
J.J. is set to be extremely busy over the coming years, as he is also set to direct another Star Wars film, Episode IX, due out in 2019.
