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Live-action version of Full Metal Panic anime is headed for the big screen
Mandalay Pictures has acquired theatrical rights to and will develop a big-screen version of Full Metal Panic, a Japanese manga series that blends action, comedy and high school romance, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The property derives from writer Shoji Gatoh's series about a teenage anti-terrorist commando named Sousuke Sagara, who is given the mission to protect a high-school girl with mystical powers.
Panic, which is set in a world almost exclusively without adults, is known for mixing visceral action with wry comedy.
Zac Efron (17 Again) has surfaced in connection with Panic, with the actor holding a conversation on the project.
Born as a serialized novel from Gatoh and the illustrator Shiki Douji, Panic was developed in the early 2000s as a Japanese anime by the Asian firm Kyoto Animation and eventually also yielded a spinoff series.
An English-language version was produced and released in the United States on home video by ADV Films.
By brett at 7:40 AM ON 04/07/09
please don't leave leave them alone i am supporting dragon ball because it was my first anime that i fell in love with
By Liz at 8:19 AM ON 04/07/09
It will either be really good or really horrible.
By Liam at 9:52 AM ON 04/07/09
With Zac Efron it can only be really horrible.
By nia at 12:51 PM ON 04/07/09
@Liam oh come on, he isn't that bad... though... I can't really see him as Sousuke.... MAYBE as Kurz.... I am a little nervous about that
By Okyou at 1:25 PM ON 04/07/09
o god no, they're going to ruin it!
By rootstyle at 1:37 PM ON 04/07/09
Dear god no.
By root-dir at 7:06 PM ON 04/07/09
....how about they fund season 4 instead....
By fmpfan at 11:49 PM ON 04/07/09
If there is a god in heaven they will not let zac effron be sousuke. If he has to be in it he could maybe be Shinji or possibly kurtz, but definitely not souske.
By anime series at 8:47 AM ON 04/08/09
Awesome news as long as they pick there game up we dont want another dragonball evolution on our hands
By lonewolf at 8:49 AM ON 04/08/09
yeah dragonball is not great although it didnt do too badly on its first weekend in asia http://www.animeoxide.com/news/march/dragonball-evolution.html
By Lizzy at 10:51 AM ON 04/08/09
James Franco as kurz Webber (look at him in Pinapple Express)
By Full Metal Panic Live Action at 4:23 PM ON 04/08/09
why zac efron? anyways I do hope they do make a good job and prevent another dbe fiasco
By No Way Jose at 3:41 AM ON 04/09/09
This can't be happening...they're gonna ruin it especially with Zac Efron as Sousuke. How did this happen?
By Kerfirou at 10:43 AM ON 04/11/09
this is really sucks.
another good anime ruined by Hollywood...
By Yay whoo at 8:46 PM ON 04/12/09
I quite frankly don't care if Zac Efron's in it or not, I'd still be willing to see it.
But I swear to God, if they try to have Efron pull off Sousuke, it will not work. I'm interested in who they cast as Gauron.
By EvaFang at 12:25 AM ON 04/14/09
Zac Efron as Souske? Souske is serious and cool...efron....is not. He could be kurz but that's it. But who could play Chidori?
By KjWicked at 3:18 AM ON 04/17/09
I swear...I would fly to any part of the world to attend casting for this...I am in love with this series on a whole other level... >.
By HardGay04 at 6:31 AM ON 04/17/09
This is gonna end up just like Dragonball Devolution: EPIC FAIL!!! Won't som1 tell some sense into these people to stop desecrating Japanese anime/manga???
By DamnedAll at 10:30 PM ON 04/21/09
Noooooo!
they won't do it seriously and another great story will be ruined.
(though I hate the manga, I love the anime, but hollywood? barf!)
By CplGiroro at 4:54 AM ON 04/29/09
Whoever even thought that Zac Effron could pull off being Sousuke should DIE already
By shires at 8:27 PM ON 05/07/09
WTF!!!!! Zac Efron best not be sousuke or i will be so pissed!!1
By stardust005 at 4:59 AM ON 06/13/09
Look, Sousuke is japanese. If Zac Efron plays Sousuke, it will be yet another example of hollywood's blatant disregard for respecting source material and general logic. It is an offence to all people to cast such unsuitable people for a role such as this one. I'm sorry, if this movie comes out it will ruin full metal panic for me forever.
By Ky at 12:36 PM ON 06/26/09
The only way this could ever be any good is if they got the Actual voice actors to play the parts. No one but Chris Paton could ever be Sousuke Sagara.
That and I want to see Luci Christian cosplay as Kaname.
By Arbl at 7:34 PM ON 07/07/09
i hate to break it to you guys, but its going to happen... it does not matter if we want it to or not. and yes, it will suck. if they put someone like peter jackson as director, then i would be happy
By WillR at 11:58 AM ON 07/19/09
I agree that they should probably leave this as an anime.. i also agree they will most likely NOT....same with Dragonball.... they will ruin this.... they are most liekly breaking it out due to the success of transformers.... but Efron is STUPID. they take popular actors and place them in roles they dont belong in to gain outside audiences... cuz theres a good chance that most of the ppl that watch highschool musical wouldnt watch this movie...if efron wasn in it... stupid stupid stupid!!... i think they are better off using not so famous or fresh actors altogether for roles like this....the fans of the anime would still go but agian.. they want the outside ppl that will be drawn to the name... buncha kids... weak. Dragonball movie was TERRIBLE .. for the record.
By sigh at 4:20 PM ON 07/20/09
i dont want fullmetal panic to become live action, its perfect the way it is. and for the love of god please dont let zac be in the moive he'll only make it worse. i'll refuse to go watch it if he's in it. T_T
By rainshadow at 12:02 AM ON 07/28/09
It will only work if they stay true to nationalities. If they are going to Americanize it it would be best if they leave Kaname's storyline out of it. Focus on a single aspect of the story, such as The Wind Blows At Home or something like that.
It's the only way this movie doesn't come across as cheesy, trying to Americanize a Japanese school...
By nemogbr at 8:26 AM ON 08/04/09
Hollywood just loves their "diversity". Changing Asian characters and getting White actors. Such systemic racism from Hollywood must stopped:
Bringing down the house
Speed Racer
Dragonball
(Avatar) The last airbender
King of Fighters.
Now Full Metal Panic.
Good Lord and we have white people accusing us of racism.
Please visit racebending.com
or DRagonball Protest in youtube.
By HellNo at 2:08 AM ON 09/02/09
If that faggot ever played Sousuke I'd likely kill him
By zeromk5 at 8:27 PM ON 10/27/09
LMFAO
ZAC EFRON??!!
WHAT are they THINKING?
By Codename Angel SRT at 6:39 PM ON 11/08/09
I feel that Zac Effron is not suitable for the role of Souske Sagara. He would possibly fit the role of Shinji or even Kurtz but that is also a stretch. I believe that a lot of fans like myself will be extremely disappointed if he were to be cast for Souske.
By Clone at 3:23 AM ON 11/10/09
zach effron?!!? are you kidding me?!!? that will totally ruin the movie!! i dont think id want to see it like that!!! its a comedy, but to put in zach effron!! i dont want to see it! i dont want to even see its movie preview! it would be a miracle if it would succeed with him in it!
The HORROR!
The HORROR!
THE HORROR!
Visit mobile.syfy.com/wire on your mobile device.
Clone:
zach effron?!!? are you kidding me?!!? that will totally ruin the movie!! i dont think id want to see it like that!...More »