A young man finds a supernatural notebook and starts killing those who don't deserve to live. That's the premise of Death Note, the American adaptation based on the successful Japanese manga and anime of the same name, which will soon premiere on Netflix.
Death Note is a Japanese manga series that debuted in 2003 in Weekly Shōnen Jump. Written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, the story introduces Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook from a Shinigami (god of death) named Ryuk that grants its user the ability to kill anyone whose name and face they know. The series centers on Light's attempts to create and rule a world "cleaned of evil" as "God" using the notebook, while a detective known as L tries to stop him.
The success of the manga led to an anime by Madhouse that aired in 2006, as well as four Japanese live-action films released over the past few years. This year sees the fifth Death Note film, which is also the first American adaptation, set to premiere on the digital platform Netflix.
In the trailer, Light Turner finds the Death Note, a notebook in which he can write anyone's name and kill them at any time and in any way he wants. It belonged to Ryuk, a shinigami who teaches Light how to use it, and then watches the chaos unfold as the young man decides to take justice into his own hands by killing criminals.
The Death Note trailer also gives a look at L, the introverted detective who embarks on a mission to stop Light, and Mia, who encourages the protagonist to use the notebook. But without a doubt, the best part is Ryuk's appearance, which was respected almost entirely for this new adaptation.
This American version moves the story from Japan to Seattle, where characters like Light Yagami and Misa Amane become Light Turner and Mia Sutton, something that caused controversy among fans for not respecting the original source.
The film features a cast led by Nat Wolff, Margaret Qualley, Keith Stanfield, Paul Nakauchi, Shea Whigham, and Willem Dafoe, among others. Produced by Vertigo Entertainment and directed by Adam Wingard (The Guest, Blair Witch), Death Note will premiere on Netflix on August 25, 2017.
Official site: Death Note
