Warner Bros. Announces Live-Action 'Fullmetal Alchemist' Film

by arsonal
May 23, 2016 7:05 PM | 112 Comments

Warner Bros. Japan announced on Tuesday that it will distribute a live-action film based on the Fullmetal Alchemist manga series by Hiromu Arakawa. The film is currently scheduled for release in the winter 2017 timeframe.

Fullmetal Alchemist will be directed by Fumihiko Sori, who previously helmed live-action films of Ping Pong in 2002 and Ashita no Joe in 2011. Kazuya Hamana will serve as an executive producer, having previously held the same position in the production of the 2013 live-action film of Toshokan Sensou.

Sori is putting digital technology at the forefront of the film's production and intends to depict the original work as much as possible. "The cast is entirely composed of Japanese actors, but the cultural setting is that of Europe," he said. "However, the race and nationality of the characters aren't specifically identified."

Hiromu Arakawa drew the Fullmetal Alchemist manga between 2001 and 2010 in Shounen Gangan. The series was compiled into 27 volumes and has been adapted into two separate television anime series in 2003 and 2009. It won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shounen demographic in 2004.

Filming of Fullmetal Alchemist will begin in early June in Italy.

Cast
Edward Elric: Ryousuke Yamada (live-action Ansatsu Kyoushitsu)
Winry Rockbell: Tsubasa Honda (live-action Ao Haru Ride)
Roy Mustang: Dean Fujioka
Maes Hughes: Ryuuta Satou
Riza Hawkeye: Misako Renbutsu
Maria Ross: Natsuna (live-action Tiger Mask)
Gracia Hughes: Natsuki Harada
Shou Tucker: You Ooizumi (Bakemono no Ko)
Tim Marcoh: Jun Kunimura (Kaze Tachinu)
Hakuro: Fumiyo Kohinata
Lust: Yasuko Matsuyuki
Envy: Kanata Hongou (Btooom!)
Gluttony: Shinji Uchiyama
Cornello: Kenjirou Ishimaru

Official site: http://wwws.warnerbros.co.jp/hagarenmovie/

Source: Comic Natalie

Live Action

20 of 112 Comments Recent Comments

I don't have very high hopes for this but I'm in for Fujioka Dean as Mustang (oh yes)

Nov 11, 2016 1:27 PM by eisan

I'm absolutely looking forward for this.

Nov 8, 2016 5:18 AM by dylandy03

Only for Dean Fujioka....I am excited and waiting for this film

Jul 22, 2016 12:34 AM by catrionacollins

Probably one of the few series that I'd say to actually give to Hollywood so we can get the best out of effects and production value.

Jul 21, 2016 8:34 AM by heliosmusic

Is there a trailer out yet? :)

Jul 21, 2016 7:17 AM by VampireLine

Nooo!!!! this anime is so good to be turn into a movie by Warner Bro. Japan.

http://www.alluc.ee/stream/full+metal+alchemist

Jul 20, 2016 2:34 AM by aikanegs

This live action movie is like useless inventions (you can google it)...

WE. DON'T. NEED. IT.

Like what the fuck is wrong with Japan trying to scoop out all the good and classic anime shows and doing some kind of live action movie that would make people think that it would sell and that it would be awesome.

I can just see how a lot of people would cringe as this movie airs in the cinema.

Fuck this live action movie.

Jun 23, 2016 8:23 PM by connielas

I have such a bad feeling about this lol.

Jun 19, 2016 10:51 AM by lalabella

Ryuchi_san said:
i have already seen who lead the character @rxargyros show it to me, several month ago.

What, you just mention my name?

Jun 15, 2016 7:27 AM by Rxargyros

i have already seen who lead the character @rxargyros show it to me, several month ago.

Jun 14, 2016 11:09 PM by Ryuchi_san

I personally like the fact that it is made by Japan. It's a Japanese creation after all and a joint Hollywood production might be great for the fans but sometimes, characterization is sacrificed for the plot/setting in those instances, not to mention budget constraints.

Well, I like the sub version of FMA better so I'm relieved they'll be speaking in Japanese, feels more natural. Love that they chose Europe as the setting, now that makes me hopeful. I'm more worried about the condensed plot, that destroyed my enjoyment of the AoT live action.

Jun 8, 2016 1:03 PM by Loyalty06

My hopes for this aren't high.

May 31, 2016 9:19 PM by malvarez1

just here to say that if they start filming in July and release winter 2017....

the CGI will be HORRIBLE. Mark my words.

we should close this thread and act like we never heard about this.

May 30, 2016 10:08 PM by sinkershel

Rayzer said:
@foozlesprite,
As we said it should be a co-production with Hollywood so it would be in English and be a lot better. Just GTFO of m8.

Yes, fully agreed. I mean look at the upcoming Hollywood co-productions from South Korea (ie: Okja from Bong Joon-Ho), and Mainland China (ie: The Great Wall). This is what I expected the Japanese producers to have done the same thing since South Korea and Mainland China proved that.

May 29, 2016 9:06 AM by mdo7

@foozlesprite,
As we said it should be a co-production with Hollywood so it would be in English and be a lot better. Just GTFO of m8.

May 29, 2016 8:52 AM by Rayzer

Fai said:

foozlesprite said:
Could I see the characters being white? Sure. But I also think it's very likely that they're Japanese

Its based on motherfucking Germany. The eastern character cast that exists in FMA is DISTINCTLY different from European cast. Any asian culture influences in writing of the european cast are there because of the writer's limited scope not because it is intentional. Stop justifying this washjob of a movie.

I never said they were Japanese, just that it was possible. And the movie's going to be in Japanese, yeah? In that case it's probably done more out of necessity than anything. There are only a handful of white actors that are fluent in Japanese, much less suitable looks-wise.

And I'm not positive it's going to be a good movie by any means. But I'll reserve the amount of judgment I've seen all over the place until I actually see the thing.

May 29, 2016 12:28 AM by foozlesprite

aikaflip said:
No thanks. I have zero interest in seeing Edward Elric played by a Japanese pop idol.

He will also be 20 because the director felt kids are boring.
And the movie will have CGI everywhere because the director felt that CGI is the future of all filmmaking.
Also since its such an action blockbuster, entirety of plot will be covered in single movie.

Literally trainwreck.

foozlesprite said:
I love that a lot of the people in this thread assume that the majority of anime characters are white because they don't exhibit stereotypical asian traits.

Mixed-race people exist. Light-skinned people of color exist. Hair dye/bleaching exists. People exist in locations where their culture and/or race didn't originate. People have eyes and hair that don't match the stereotypes (such as the Kalash people of Pakistan, with light skin, blue/green eyes, and occasional blonde hair). People have names that aren't stereotypical for their race/culture because of immigration, or because their parents liked the name, or even because they chose it later in life for some reason.

Full Metal Alchemist takes place in a European environment, yet characters and the culture exhibit little behaviors that are distinctly Japanese. Could I see the characters being white? Sure. But I also think it's very likely that they're Japanese considering it was made in Japan and we tend to view characters in our media as like 'us,' unless they're exaggeratedly 'other.' And that's a good part of why we assume they're white.

If you've ever seen someone in a subbed anime give directions to a tourist, you've probably heard the awful accent the foreigners have, even though they often have around the same color of skin - or occasionally a very ugly-looking or obnoxious character will be a foreigner (usually a guy). That's the anime way of saying 'these people are obviously not Japanese.'

Knowing all this, I'm kinda surprised at all the fuss about them being Japanese.

Its based on motherfucking Germany. The eastern character cast that exists in FMA is DISTINCTLY different from European cast. Any mixed race characters are indicated and technically are unlikely since hello Amerstris is basically nationalistic nazi germany - hell, anyone from xing stands out narrative-wise because of how asian they are and because amerstris people are unused to other races. Any asian culture influences in writing of the european cast are there because of the writer's limited scope not because it is intentional. Stop justifying this washjob of a movie.

Next thing you know, people will start claiming that Baccano characters are actually Japanese.

May 29, 2016 12:12 AM by Ahenshihael

GodlyKyon said:
What the author wrote was a little extreme I think. I think he or she was looking at the movie from the perspective of not-whitewashing the world. I don't know if it'd create more believable pieces or not, but changing society's opinions is a good thing.

Honestly, I'm grasping at straws here. I think if it's a good movie with dialogue and story, it will be good. Co-Producing movies with Hollywood might've been the better choice here.

I don't put my hope up for the Japanese Live-action adaptation given Japanese films not being as good or can hold candle compared to their South Korean and Mainland Chinese counterpart. Well my point of the post on this topic is that: People in the US show double standard when it comes to whitewashing and yellow-washing.

When Hollywood whitewash Asian characters=Social outrage and calling for anti-Hollywood boycott and hate.

When Japan "Yellow-wash" white characters from a manga=nobody in US show similar controversy about it and it doesn't raise the same controversy like Hollywood whitewash.

So yes this indicate double standard and possible Asian supremacy amongst the "whitewashing critics". This is the same type of double standard/hypocrisy when Hollywood remade Asian films and yet people stay silent when Japan, South Korea, or China remake Hollywood films. This person I remember a few years ago made this statement regarding Unforgiven Japanese remake:

>America remakes Japanese film: "OMG ITS GONNA SUCK"
>Japan remakes American film: "OMG AWESOME"

What is this I don't even.

This person was right, and I see the same thing when it comes to whitewashing and yellow-washing.

May 28, 2016 3:01 PM by mdo7

mdo7 said:

GodlyKyon said:
Dragon Blade had JACKIE CHAN in it?? Wow!

That Thermae Romae should've just had a white-looking actor actually acting in Japan. LOL. It could have even been unintentionally good.

So I take it you haven't follow Jackie Chan for quite a while. Also I just stumbled upon this:

No white people will star in the ‘Fullmetal Alchemist’ movie, and that’s a beautiful thing

This article reek of weeabooism and implied Asian supremacy when I read this. I don't see any major outrage or controversy about the "yellow-washing" controversy for the live-action FMA on the same level when Hollywood does a whitewashing controversy.

Luckily this article: Fusion Writer: No Whites in Movies Is ‘A Beautiful Thing’

really brought up the double standard issue although I wasn't comfortable with what this author said:

However, for the movie, the cast will be comprised of solely Japanese actors. Which I am okay with, because it’s being produced by Japanese film-makers, being released in Japan, and was created and written in Japan by a Japanese man.

Well I told the author about Snowpiercer, Dragon Blade, and Lost in the Pacific is proof that films from Mainland China and South Korea can get Hollywood actors and said that Japan should've learned from this. if finance and production was an issue, then have the film co-produce with Hollywood.

What the author wrote was a little extreme I think. I think he or she was looking at the movie from the perspective of not-whitewashing the world. I don't know if it'd create more believable pieces or not, but changing society's opinions is a good thing.

Honestly, I'm grasping at straws here. I think if it's a good movie with dialogue and story, it will be good. Co-Producing movies with Hollywood might've been the better choice here.

May 28, 2016 2:35 PM by GodlyKyon

I love that a lot of the people in this thread assume that the majority of anime characters are white because they don't exhibit stereotypical asian traits.

Mixed-race people exist. Light-skinned people of color exist. Hair dye/bleaching exists. People exist in locations where their culture and/or race didn't originate. People have eyes and hair that don't match the stereotypes (such as the Kalash people of Pakistan, with light skin, blue/green eyes, and occasional blonde hair). People have names that aren't stereotypical for their race/culture because of immigration, or because their parents liked the name, or even because they chose it later in life for some reason.

Full Metal Alchemist takes place in a European environment, yet characters and the culture exhibit little behaviors that are distinctly Japanese. Could I see the characters being white? Sure. But I also think it's very likely that they're Japanese considering it was made in Japan and we tend to view characters in our media as like 'us,' unless they're exaggeratedly 'other.' And that's a good part of why we assume they're white.

If you've ever seen someone in a subbed anime give directions to a tourist, you've probably heard the awful accent the foreigners have, even though they often have around the same color of skin - or occasionally a very ugly-looking or obnoxious character will be a foreigner (usually a guy). That's the anime way of saying 'these people are obviously not Japanese.'

Knowing all this, I'm kinda surprised at all the fuss about them being Japanese.

May 28, 2016 1:42 PM by foozlesprite

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