Expected soon at the cinema, the live film The Knights of the Zodiac has just unveiled its first images!
After revealing a making of video at Comic Con in San Diego last July, Saint Seiya is finally getting a first teaser!
The live-action film adapted from the cult series The Knights of the Zodiac is directed by Polish Tomasz Baginski. He was notably producer of the series The Witcher on Netflix. As for the script, it is signed Kiel Murray (Cars), Josh Campbell and Matt Stuecken (10 Cloverfield Lane).
Seiya, hero of the saga, which can be seen at the end of the trailer, is interpreted by the American-Japanese actor Mackenyu Arata. Revealed in Pacific Rim Uprising, he will also be one of the outstanding characters of the One Piece live series on Netflix, another expected adaptation of a cult manga. He will slip into the Roronoa Zoro costume.
Note that Mackenyu, 25, is the son of the late comedian Sonny Chiba, who died last August. Sean Bean and Famke Janssen also appear in these images. The first will slip into the costume of Alman Kido, Seiya’s mentor.
As for Famke Janssen, it seems that she embodies Marine de l’Aigle, one of the 24 Silver Knights in the service of the goddess Athena. The latter is played by Madison Iseman, actress revealed in the new Jumanji films with Dwayne Johnson.
Mark Dacascos, renowned martial artist (The Pact of Wolves, Crying Freeman, John Wick Parabellum), will also be there in an as yet undisclosed role. Finally, Diego Tinoco will slip into the armor of the Ikki Knight of the Phoenix, one of the most popular characters with fans.
Note that studio Toei, to whom we owe the famous animated series, co-produced the feature film with the Americans of Sony Pictures. The Japanese are indeed very committed to the process.
However, the specter of the Dragon Ball Evolution disaster hangs over this feature film, which does not help aficionados of the original work to hope for a good adaptation of Kurumada’s mythical manga.
Additionally, Netflix’s recent release as a 3D anime series is considered a disaster by fans of the original anime. Will these first images of the film reassure fans? We’ll let you debate that.
The live action Knights of the Zodiac will hit theaters sometime in 2023.