One of Japan’s highest grossing and most beloved anime films, Your Name, is being brought to life in a new way. The anime film is not only getting a live-action adaptation, but a full reimagining of the story set in the United States.
Eric Heisserer, the original writer of the Your Name live-action reimagining, explained in an interview with Slash Film back in 2018 that the Japanese rights holders made clear to him,
“You have to find the best iteration of that story based on the fact that they want an American live-action version of the film. They stated if they wanted a Japanese live-action version, they would just do it themselves. But they want to see it through the lens of a western viewpoint.”
YOUR NAME CHANGE IN WRITER AND DIRECTOR
In September 2020, Deadline broke the news that writer director Lee Isaac Chung (Minrai, Munyurangabo) will be taking over as director of Paramount, Bad Robot, and Toho Co.’s Your Name, as well as rewriting the upcoming live-action reimagining. The reimagined live-action adaptation of Your Name was originally written by Eric Heisserer, but Chung will be working off the draft written by Emily V. Gordon.
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The live-action adaptation is a reimagined version of the fantasy romance anime tale told through a Western perspective following a Native American girl living in a rural town and a boy from Chicago. The two teenagers become unexpectedly connected when they discover that they are able to magically and periodically swap bodies.
The live-action reimagining was first announced back in 2017. Your Name has gone through changes in writers and directors over the years, but the film is finally moving forward and The Illuminerdi can exclusively reveal the character description for the lead female character in the American based, Your Name reimagining.
LIVE-ACTION YOUR NAME LEAD FEMALE CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
Ava is the lead female character in the upcoming live-action Your Name. They are searching for a Native American woman who is 18 or legal 18 to play 17 years old.
Ava is described as “A meticulous, shy, and at times frantic young woman” Ava endeavors to stay connected to her Native American heritage while at the same time feel like an average teenager. Ava begins to experience dreams that allow her to truly live and see the world, but she feels unable to convey these dreams beyond her own imagination.
Your Name will be produced by J.J. Abrams and Lindsey Webber through Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions along with Genki Kawamura, who produced the original 2016 anime film. The live-action film will be distributed in Japan by Toho Co., who produced and distributed the original anime film, with Paramount Pictures handling distribution in all other territories. Lee Isaac Chung is set to direct and rewrite the live action Your Name.
The original anime film, Your Name, was a major commercial success now the third largest grossing domestic film and fifth highest grossing film of all-time in Japan. The anime film grossed over $358 million worldwide. Your Name, written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, first premiered at the 2016 Anime Expo in Los Angeles, California before debuting theatrically in Japan. The film has earned numerous awards and praise from critics and fans alike.
Are you excited about the Your Name live-action reimagining? What do you think about the Westernized version? Who do you think should play Ava? What elements of the story would you like to stay the same and what would you like changed? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media.
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