Chloe Zhao might just be the secret weapon manga fans didn’t know they needed. The Oscar-winning director behind Eternals is stepping into new territory, teaming up with Japan’s powerhouse publisher Kodansha, the company that gave the world Attack on Titan and Akira. Together, they’re launching Kodansha Studios, a production company built to turn manga into high-quality live-action films that don’t make fans cringe.
The studio, led by Zhao as Chief Creative Officer and Nicolas Gonda as President and COO, plans to bridge Hollywood and Japan in a way that’s never been done before. As Deadline reports, Kodansha Studios “will connect international filmmakers with renowned Japanese manga authors” to create what they’re calling “premium adaptations.” Basically, this is the kind of collaboration we’ve been waiting for — one where the creative voices behind the manga actually get a say in how their stories are told on screen.
For anyone unfamiliar with Kodansha, they’re not some indie outfit working out of a backroom in Tokyo. This is Japan’s largest publisher. It’s the same company responsible for decades of storytelling brilliance, from Ghost in the Shell to Attack on Titan. So, if manga were a music label, Kodansha would be the Beatles.
Zhao’s expressed her excitement about the partnership. “I grew up reading and drawing manga,” she said. “I love being a part of the fandoms and I feel a deep sense of belonging with people around the world who share their love for these characters and stories. Kodansha has an unparalleled library of manga and novels cultivated by master storytellers just waiting to be brought to life onscreen. By connecting these brilliant authors with their filmmaker counterparts internationally, we can empower both parties while driving a wave of exceptional storytelling for audiences all over the world.”
If that sounds a bit like what James Gunn is doing over at DC Studios, that’s because it kind of is. Zhao’s taking on the creative side, much like Gunn, while Gonda handles the business end. Think of him as the Peter Safran to her Gunn. Both filmmakers know what it’s like to bring illustrated worlds to life: Gunn did it with Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, while Zhao gave Marvel its most cosmic and contemplative superhero film to date.
The big question now is whether this new studio can actually pull off what so many have failed to do and make live-action manga that doesn’t feel like a cosplay convention gone wrong.
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