Even though ‘It: Chapter One’ was a visual treat with the shape-shifting terror Pennywise taking on various forms to horrify his intended victims, generally speaking, the movie was rather grounded and straightforward. But its director, Andy Muscietti is about to step into the world of big-budget spectacles with the live-action film adaptation of ‘Attack on Titan’.
The director has officially signed on to helm this manga/anime adaptation for Warner Brothers, with the ‘Harry Potter’/’Fantastic Beasts’ franchise’s David Hayman producing, along with Masi Oka and Andy’s sister Barbara Muschietti. ‘Attack on Titan’ was adapted as a two-part live-action movie in its native Japan in 2015. Andy Muschietti’s name was previously linked to an adaptation of another anime series, ‘Robotech’.
Created by Hajime Isayama, ‘Attack on Titan’ was first published, under the name ‘Shingeki no Kyojin’ in manga form in 2009. The anime version premiered in 2013 and was an instant international smash.
The storyline depicts a world where humans have been forced to live behind huge walls that separate them from gigantic creatures, or Titans, that appeared 100 years in the past, and that eat humans for food. Though the erection of these towering barricades have kept humanity safe for a century, suddenly the Titans begin attacking the cities again, breaching the outer wall and devouring humanity for the first time in ages. The series is known for its often gory sequences of the Titans rending people apart as they consume them, as well as the action sequences.
Deeper than that, ‘Attack on Titan’ has been interpreted as having political overtones, including promoting militarism. Creator Hajime Isayama has received death threats over social media, due to real world political/military events and their influence on ‘Attack on Titan’. In Hong Kong, however, young fans celebrate it, drawing a comparison between the Titans and communist mainland China.
In the meantime, Muschietti is in post-production on ‘It: Chapter Two’ which is due in theaters on September 6, 2019.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
