Netflix Lands ‘My Hero Academia’ Live-Action Movie, Adds ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Writer Joby Harold
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Netflix has landed the highly-anticipated live-action film adaptation of “My Hero Academia” from producer Legendary Entertainment.
News of the live-action “My Hero Academia” movie broke in August 2021 with the announcement that renowned Japanese filmmaker Shinsuke Sato (“Alice in Borderland”) would direct and executive produce the project, which marks his English-language debut. Sato will direct from a screenplay by Joby Harold (“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” “Army of the Dead”), adapted from the globally acclaimed manga property. “My Hero Academia,” written and illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi, is among the most popular manga titles in the world with over 65 million copies in circulation (including digital editions).
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The project is produced by Legendary Entertainment’s Mary Parent and Alex Garcia.
“My Hero Academia” follows superhero fanboy Izuku Midoriya (aka Deku), who was born without a “quirk” — the type of “exceptional ability” 80% of Earth’s population has manifested — therefore crushing his dream of going to U.A. High School, the most prestigious hero training academy, and becoming the next “All Might,” or the greatest hero the world has ever known. But, after a chance encounter with All Might himself, Midoriya vows to work as hard as he can, quirk or no quirk, to become a symbol of peace and a beacon of hope for the world.
The award-winning series has been part of publisher Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump since 2014 and both the manga and the ongoing anime series from Bones Inc. & TOHO Animation are considered among the best of the 2010s. While Netflix is the film’s new home, Toho Co. Ltd. will distribute the film theatrically in Japan.
Harold is a veteran of big-budget genre entertainment — known for his work on “Edge of Tomorrow,” “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” and most recently serving as the head writer and executive producer of the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” limited series for Disney+. Harold also co-wrote the screenplay for Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead,” as well as 2023’s “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and is credited with writing the story for “The Flash.”
Among Harold’s other major credits include “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” “Robin Hood,” and the upcoming Netflix film “Atlas,” starring Jennifer Lopez, which he produced under his Safehouse Pictures banner with his producing partner, Tory Tunnell.
“My Hero Academia” marks Harold’s most recent team-up with Legendary after he and Tunnell partnered with the company to produce a live-action Godzilla series for Apple.
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