Paramount Pictures and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot have announced that they are teaming up with Toho Co. Ltd to produce a live-action version of the hit Japanese anime feature Your Name, tapping Oscar-nominated screenwriter Eric Heisserer (Arrival) to pen the script.
Created, written, and directed by Makoto Shinkai, Your Name tells the story of a teenage boy and girl from different backgrounds who discover they can swap bodies. They become desperate to cross space and time to find a way to meet and stop an impending disaster.
“We are excited to collaborate with an extremely talented team in Hollywood,” said Yoshishige Shimatani, CEO of Toho Co., Ltd. “And to create with them a live action version of the iconic Japanese film Your Name.”
“Just like in the film it feels like a dream” added producer Genki Kawamura. “Mr. Abrams and his team have captivated audiences in their masterful reinvention of known properties. And Mitsuha and Taki have found a perfect narrator, Mr. Heisserer, to tell their sci-fi infused love story which gave the film such drive. The meetings so far have been creatively stimulating with fantastic ideas that no doubt will make for a great movie. I am greatly honored to work with these incredible creators in bringing to audiences the Hollywood live action version of Your Name.”
Since its release in 2016, Your Name has become the highest-grossing anime film at the worldwide box office with $355 million. It spent a record-breaking 12 weeks in the top spot at the box office in Japan, and is also the highest-grossing Japanese film in China, where it earned over $85 million.