Variety reports that a live-action adaptation of the beloved manga, One Punch Man, is in development at Sony. Venom writers Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner will pen the script. Avi Arad and Ari Arad of Arad Productions, best-known for producing Marvel features and TV shows, will produce. As of writing, the project has no director or cast attached.
One Punch Man is one of the more popular mangas that is currently being published. It’s set in a world overrun by hideous monsters and superheroes who seek to vanquish them. Saitama, the manga’s central hero, has the ability to defeat any opponent in one punch. But with ease over foes comes boredom as he searches for an opponent worthy of his power.
The manga first debuted as a webcomic in 2009 from Japanese artist ONE. Young Jump Next began publishing the series in 2012, which led to increased popularity. Viz Media has been publishing the English language version since 2015. Since then, it has reached over 30 million worldwide sales and received Eisner and Harvey Award nominations. However, many fans know it as the critically acclaimed anime, which wrapped its second season last year. It has also received two video games. One Punch Man: Road to Hero is a mobile game that released last year. One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is a fighting game that released on PS4, Xbox One, and PC earlier this year.
Rosenberg and Pinkner’s assignment isn’t surprising given their positive track record with Sony. Venom earned $856.1 million worldwide, making it a definite financial hit with a sequel on the way. The duo also co-wrote 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, 2019’s Jumanji: The Next Level. Those earned $962.1 million and $796 million worldwide, respectively.
Hollywood’s live-action anime adaptations have never done too well in the past. The most recent, 2017’s Ghost in the Shell, was a critical and financial bomb. One Punch Man would give Sony another franchise. For the sake of the passionate fanbase surrounding the manga and anime, the studio will hopefully churn out another hit.