While the writer/director Chloé Zhao specializes in intimate human dramas, she also helmed the big studio MCU film Eternals, and now, Deadline reports that Zhao has partnered up with Nicolas Gonda, the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Book of Shadows, to launch the new film studio, Kodansha Studios, which will be adapting Kodansha Manga stories into live-action films. The label is the top Japanese publisher behind such popular books as Akira and Attack on Titan. The production company will aim to create films and show spanning romance, drama, horror and event-level action and fantasy. Kodansha will have international filmmakers and renowned Japanese manga authors collaborate to develop premium adaptations.
Yoshinobu Noma, CEO of Kodansha, stated, “Guided by our corporate mission, ‘Inspire Impossible Stories,’ we are constantly seeking new avenues to deliver the rich, diverse narratives originating from Japan to a global audience. The establishment of Kodansha Studios represents a pivotal moment – and a new chapter – in the relationship between Japanese publishers and Hollywood. This studio is our commitment to accelerating direct partnerships with premier global artists, producers, and partner studios.”
And Zhao would state, “I grew up reading and drawing Manga. I love being a part of the fandoms and I feel a deep sense of belonging with people around the world who share their love for these characters and stories. Kodansha has an unparalleled library of manga and novels cultivated by master storytellers just waiting to be brought to life onscreen. By connecting these brilliant authors with their filmmaker counterparts internationally, we can empower both parties while driving a wave of exceptional storytelling for audiences all over the world.”
In addition to Attack on Titan, Kodansha’s popular titles include Tokyo Revengers, Blue Lock, The Kindaichi Case Files, Initial D, The Seven Deadly Sins and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, and the publisher sold over half a billion copies among them.
Zhao will soon bring us the period piece, Hamnet, which depicts the life and times of Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare. The story takes audiences through a tumultuous tale of shattered realities, loss, and heart-wrenching inspiration behind Shakespeare’s world-famous Hamlet. Zhao also co-wrote the script with Maggie O’Farrell, as well as executive produced the film with names like Sam Mendes and Steven Spielberg on board as producers.
