Justin Lin to direct One Punch Man movie for Sony Pictures

It was more than two years ago when it was first announced that Sony Pictures were developing a live-action adaptation of One-Punch Man, the massively popular manga series created by writer/artist One. Deadline has now reported that Justin Lin has signed on to direct the One-Punch Man movie.

One-Punch Man follows “Saitama, a superhero who can defeat any opponent with a single punch but seeks to find a worthy opponent after growing bored by a lack of challenges in his fight against evil.” The manga series originated as a webcomic back in 2009 and later spawned a critically acclaimed anime TV series, a video game for PS4, Xbox One, and PC, as well as a mobile game for Android and iOS. Scott Rosenberg & Jeff Pinkner have penned the script for the One-Punch Man movie, with Justin Lin set to work with them on a rewrite because shooting begins at the end of the year. In addition to directing, Lin will also serve as a producer.

Justin Lin was set to direct Fast X but exited the project merely a week after production began. “With the support of Universal, I have made the difficult decision to step back as director of FAST X, while remaining with the project as a producer,” Justin Lin said in a statement. “Over 10 years and five films, we have been able to shoot the best actors, the best stunts, and the best damn car chases. On a personal note, as the child of Asian immigrants, I am proud of helping to build the most diverse franchise in movie history. I will forever be grateful to the amazing cast, crew and studio for their support, and for welcoming me into the FAST family.” Amid rumours that the real reason behind Lin’s departure was disagreement with Vin Diesel, the studio scrambled to find a replacement and Louis Leterrier (The Transporter) was soon hired to step in.

What are you hoping to see in the One-Punch Man movie?