International News

Posted: Thu., Apr. 30, 2009, 8:00pm PT

Warner brings 'Death' to bigscreen

Studio acquires rights to Japanese manga series

'Death Note'

The 13-volume manga 'Death Note' is a bestseller in Japan and spawned three films.

Warner Bros. has acquired rights to turn the Japanese manga series "Death Note" into a live-action film.

Studio has hired screenwriters Charley and Vlas Parlapanides to adapt.

Story centers on a college student who accidentally finds a misplaced "death note," infusing him with the power to kill merely by writing anyone's name on the page while picturing the person in his mind.

The 13-volume manga is a bestseller in Japan, and the film will be drawn from the first three installments, written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata for Shueisha Inc.

Warner Bros. Pictures Japan made three Japanese-language "Death Note" films. The new pic will be drawn from the manga, not the previous movies.

Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison will produce with Dan Lin's Lin Pictures and Brian Witten.

The scribes wrote "War of the Gods" for Relativity Media and "Live Bet" for Universal. ends

Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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