Created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, the manga Death Note was first published in Japan in 2003 and has gone on to inspire a ton of adaptations: an anime series, live-action films, novels, video games, a live-action TV series, a musical… and 2017’s Netflix film Death Note, directed by Adam Wingard (The Guest, You’re Next, Godzilla vs. Kong). I have zero familiarity with any Death Note that came before Wingard’s movie, so I went into it with no expectations and ended up being entertained. Fans of the previous versions of the concept, however, weren’t so pleased – and Masi Oka, who produced Wingard’s Death Note and had an acting role in the film, wants those fans to know that their criticisms are being taken into account during the development of Death Note 2.
Asked about Death Note 2 while being interviewed by Screen Rant, Oka said,
All I can say is it’s still in the works. Nothing has been decided either way. I can say that we are listening to the fans and hopefully the fans will be happy with the direction we’re going.”
Netflix is certainly taking their time with this one. Three years have gone by since Death Note 2 was confirmed to be in the works, with Mortal Kombat 2021 writer Greg Russo working on the script. Around that time, Russo said he could see ways to “capture what he loved about the manga” in the sequel.
There’s really wonderful things in that manga, there’s great characters to kind of work with, everyone is going to put their unique spin on that so you’ll never see the exact same. For me, those characters are so integral to the story that I couldn’t see them not intertwined with an adaption.”
Two years have passed since Russo assured fans that Death Note 2 was “definitely alive and in good hands”. So we’re just going to have to keep patiently waiting to see when this thing is going to be ready for production.
Wingard’s film followed
a high school student who comes across a supernatural notebook, realizing it holds within it a great power; if the owner inscribes someone’s name into it while picturing their face, he or she will die. Intoxicated with his new godlike abilities, the young man begins to kill those he deems unworthy of life.
Nat Wolff, Margaret Qualley, Lakeith Stanfield, Paul Nakauchi, Shea Whigham, and Masi Oka starred, with Willem Dafoe providing the voice of the supernatural being Ryuk.