Japan Is Developing a Live-Action FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST Movie
For those of you who are fans of Hiromu Arakawa's action-fantasy manga Fullmetal Alchemist, you might be surprised to learn that there’s a live action movie currently in development! According to Crunchy Roll, this movie will be released in 2017.
Fumihiko Sori (Ping Pong, Ashita no Joe) is directing the film, and it will star Hey! Say! JUMP member Ryosuke Yamada (Assassination Classroom) as Edward Elric.
The project will start shooting in Italy in June and will be in production through August of 2016. According to the report, the film will heavily use CGI to "recreate the fantastic elements of the comic, such as Alphonse Elric's armor.”
This news was completely unexpected, but since it was such a popular manga and anime, it was bound to happen one day after the series ended in 2010. I’m surprised it took them so long to do it! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
If you're not familiar with the property, here’s a description of the story:
Imagine a world in which Alchemy is not only possible, but used frequently. Alchemy, though, is a science, and with all sciences there are laws that must be followed. Welcome to the anime, Fullmetal Alchemist. The story begins about two brothers, Alphonse (left) and Edward (right) Elric. Ever since they were young they had practiced the science of alchemy. You follow their journey of being alchemists and their quest to regain that which they have lost.
Their father was a well recognized alchemist, which is probably where their knack for it comes from. However, when they were young their father left, and they remained in the care of their mother. One day their mother died, and in their innocence and ignorance, they attempted what was forbidden, human alchemy.
What happened next, they were obviously not prepared for, and in the aftermath the brothers lost more than just their mother. In the freak accident Alphonse loses his body, and in a moment of panic Edward ties his brother's soul to a piece of armor. Edward himself loses an arm and a leg, a costly reminder of what has happend.
The story begins and details the brother's journey to find a alchemy amplifier so that they may return to their normal bodies.