Adam Wingard set Jason Eisener loose on Death Note

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

I know next to zero about the manga DEATH NOTE, although the fact that Shane Black was at one time attached to the live action American adaptation of it was a very positive sign for its quality. Black didn’t end up making the film, though. Instead, it ended up in the hands of a filmmaker who is quite interesting in his own right, THE GUEST / YOU’RE NEXT‘s Adam Wingard. Increasing the level of intrigue even more, Wingard brought Jason Eisener along with him, handing the HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN helmer the task of directing second unit on the adaptation.

Starring Nat Wolff, Margaret Qualley, Paul Nakauchi, Shea Wigham, Keith Stanfield, and Willem Dafoe, the film tells the story of 

Light Turner, a student who discovers a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone simply by writing the victim’s name. A cat-and-mouse game ensues when he’s tracked by a reclusive police officer.

I was already on board for DEATH NOTE based solely on the talent involved with bringing it to the screen, but while doing the press rounds for his latest film, the BLAIR WITCH sequel, Wingard dropped a quote that makes me much more excited to see what this project has to offer. Speaking with Collider, Wingard said

We can do whatever we want. That was the cool thing about it, because it’s an anime film. So, technically, it’s a cartoon that you’re bring to life. To me, the thing about anime is that it’s so adult-oriented. I remember going to Suncoast growing up and you see Akira there with the little “Not for Kids” sticker on it. That always made an impact on me. So, doing my first live-action anime thing, to me it was important that you have those adult themes. So, it’s got nudity, it’s got swearing, it’s got a ton of violence. Jason Eisener, who did Hobo with a Shotgun. I brought him on – I’m good friends with him – as second-unit director. There’s basically like three good Jason Eisener short films in there and they’re all very gory. I was able to just turn him loose sometime, and just do some crazy stuff.”

Nudity, swearing, tons of violence, and unleashed Eisener shorts interspersed throughout a Wingard film? I am now officially hyped to watch DEATH NOTE when it hits Netflix sometime in 2017.

Molly Dunsworth in HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN