Gus Van Sant rumoured to be directing Death Note

There have been rumours of an American version of Death Note for years. Until recently Shane Black was attached to the project. But Black, who is best known for writing and directing Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (a personal favourite) and Iron Man 3, has left to direct the new Predator remake and rumours are flying that Gus Van Sant has been tapped to step in. Van Sant is known for directing Good Will Hunting and Milk, both critically acclaimed films that earned him Oscar nominations. While he may seem like a strange choice to adapt a manga into a Hollywood blockbuster, I think he is a perfect fit to maintain the tone of the story.

Death Note ran from 2003 to 2006 and was created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. The story follows a high school student named Light who happens upon a mysterious notebook and soon discovers that he can kill anyone he likes by writing their name within its pages. It has spawned an anime series, videogames, and three live action films in Japan already; now Hollywood is eagerly waiting for their turn to tell the story. So, is Van Sant the man to bring Light to the big screen? With the project having been tied up in production for so long, it’s questionable that even someone with his cinematic acclaim can save it.