Death Note’s story focusing on Light Yagami might be finished, but its quite difficult to keep a good Shinigami down. In the past, both Japan and North America have created live-action takes on Light and Ryuuk’s story, mostly via movies and even stage performances. Even a live-action musical was performed following the initial conclusion of the fan-favorite anime franchise. Unfortunately, arguably the biggest future live-action adaptation might not ever be released for a very specific reason. Considering the track record of some of Death Note’s live-action projects, this news might come as a godsend for some anime fans.
In 2022, the creators of Stranger Thingsthe Duffer Bros, confirmed that they were working with Netflix on a new live-action television series to adapt Death Note once again. The project even found a writer in Halia Abdel-Megui, who might be best known for her work on the television series Miss Annity. Recently, the Duffer Bros signed a four-year deal with Paramount, setting their exit date with Netflix for April 2026. With Stranger Things’ final episodes arriving later this year, there has been no update on the Duffer Bros’ take on Ryuuk and Light. While this doesn’t necessarily mean the project is canceled, it puts the future of the live-action adaptation into question.
Death Note’s Options
It’s entirely possible that the live-action Death Note series could move forward on Netflix without the Duffer Bros, but there is an alternative. It’s also possible that the series could shift from the streaming service to Paramount as well, though we would imagine that would take some serious negotiations between the two companies. In a recent statement printed by Variety, the Duffer Bros discussed the big move from Netflix to Paramount.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the Paramount family. To be part of that mission is not just exciting – it’s the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. And to do so at a studio with such a storied Hollywood legacy is a privilege we don’t take lightly. We’re also excited to reunite with our friends Cindy [Holland] and Matt [Thunell]who were among the very first to believe in us and an unusual little script we wrote that became ‘Stranger Things.’ They took a chance on us in 2015, and they’re taking a chance again – we can’t wait to create new stories together.”
This upcoming television series isn’t the first time that Netflix has attempted to enter the world of the Shinigami. In 2017, the streaming service attempted to create their own live-action Death Note movie, though the reception to the film’s release was quite controversial. Despite having serious star power with the likes of Nat Wolff, LaKeith Stanfield, and Willem Dafoe, and even being directed by Sample -sized director Adam Wingard, the movie failed to live up to its source material. A sequel to this movie was originally confirmed by Netflix, but said follow-up seems all but dead at this point.
Want to see what the future holds for Light Yagami? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest updates on Death Note and hit us up in the comments.
