Though it feels as if Sundance was, in fact, a decade ago, it was only earlier this year, as the pandemic has made 2020 feel never-ending. At that distant film festival that feels like it was a lifetime ago, filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung dazzled audiences with his award-winning feature, “Minari.” And it appears that Chung was able to catch the attention of JJ Abrams, who has signed the filmmaker to one of the most interesting adaptations currently in production.
READ MORE: ‘Minari’: Steven Yeun Holds On In This Exquisite Family Drama [Sundance Review]
According to Deadline, Chung has been brought on to rewrite and direct the live-action adaptation of the massively popular Japanese animated film, “Your Name.” The original anime was released in 2016 and became one of the most popular films ever released in its home country, earning $190 million and making it the second-best showing for a domestic film in Japan’s box office history, behind only “Spirited Away.”
The adaptation has been in development for quite some time already, with early versions of the script being written by “Arrival” scribe Eric Heisserer and then “The Big Sick’s” Emily V. Gordon. Now, Chung will take over and rewrite what is being called a “reimagining.” In the new film, the plot will follow two teens that intermittently switch bodies and must work together to meet and save their worlds.
READ MORE: ‘Minari’ & ‘Boys State’ Triumph With Sundance Film Festival’s Top Prizes
As mentioned, Chung is probably best known for his recent film, “Minari,” which earned Sundance’s Grand Jury and Audience Awards this year and will eventually be released by A24 and Plan B. “Minari” is also one of the features that is earning early buzz as a serious Oscar contender, making Chung one of the most in-demand young directors working today.
It’s unclear when “Your Name” will eventually go into production and be released. Obviously, with the popularity of the original and the horrible American adaptations of Japanese animated properties over the years, there will be a lot of interested folks in seeing how Chung can bring this to live-action.
