Cowboy Bebop

[GeneChing]

I only watched a little of one episode of this ever. But this should get some more discussion going. We so love Keanu here. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52762)


Keanu Reeves Eager To Do ‘Something Good’ With ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Movie (http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/12/17/keanu-reeves-eager-to-do-something-good-with-cowboy-bebop-movie/)
Published by Larry Carroll on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at 1:05 pm.

'Cowboy Bebop'It’s no secret that Keanu Reeves loves anime – a main influence on the “Matrix” series. It’s also common knowledge that the actor holds a place in his heart for sci-fi, as evidenced by films like “A Scanner Darkly,” “Johnny Mnemonic” and the currently-tops-in-theaters “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” It’s no surprise, then, that Reeves’ latest passion project revolves around his desire to make a live-action “Cowboy Bebop.”

“Oh yeah, cool,” he said when I asked him about the flick recently. “We’re trying to do that.”

As fans of the Japanese classic TV series know, “Bebop” follows a crew of bounty hunters traveling around the universe in the year 2071. Reeves hopes to play Spike Spiegel, one of these futuristic cowboys forced to pick up the slack after a population crash and hyperspace gateways have left law-enforcement unable to capture many of the galaxy’s most ruthless criminals.

“It’s got a Western quality, a Western film noir aspect to it,” Reeves said of why he’s such a big fan of Shinichiro Watanabe and Keiko Nobumoto’s groundbreaking series. “It’s got so much style to it, and that’s part of its appeal. That kind of Old West, bordertown, low-tech science fiction aspect.”

Take a look at this clip and you’ll get an idea of why Reeves is not only a perfect-looking fit for Spiegel, but also why he thinks the most important person on the set will be the one trying to translate the series’ unique look. “I think that would be a production designer’s dream,” Reeves said of the flick. “I think you just need a good production designer.”

The flick is currently being put together by Erwin Stoff, a producer who has spent the last two decades working almost exclusively on Reeves projects, and recently set the film up at 20th Century Fox. “We’ve got the rights, we’ve got a writer,” Keanu explained. “He’s putting together a scene outline.”

Reeves revealed that this outline for the flick is currently focusing on the origins of the fictional “Bebop” drug developed by the military, which provides its users with a brief surge of superhuman reflexes and awareness. “We’re taking the Red Eye [story], the beginning part of the series,” he explained, “and then we’ll deal with the end of the series. We’re trying to figure out [the time frame]. We’re looking at the story right now.”

Since the beloved 26-episode show (as well as the feature film) didn’t necessarily maintain a linear style of storytelling, Reeves said that somewhere between the Red Eye origins and the “Bebop” conclusion, they’ll be picking out various highlights for their own use.

“Yeah, it’s so episodic and so disconnected. We’re trying to figure out what pieces to put together to tell one story,” he explained. “Because it’s such a short form, to make a 2 hour version [will be tough]. And it’s got so much of an origin-story obligation; you’ve got to get people up to speed, but you don’t want to do much of that. There are a lot of things to take into consideration, but we think we can do something good.”

With devoted fans all over the world, and a complex universe to depict on screen, Reeves knows that it won’t be easy to make a “Cowboy Bebop” movie. “Yeah,” he grinned when reminded of these facts. “But that’s why you want to do it.”

[Xiao3 Meng4]

Noooooooooo!

It tastes like burning!

Please, Hollywood, at least leave Samurai Champloo alone...

[doug maverick]

i think i posted something about this way way way back. keanu looks a bit like spike all he needs is the bob delon afro and it might work. as for the acting we'll see we know he has the ability but the ****er needs a director who is going to push him there. just remember devils advocate.

[Shaolinlueb]

doug, post up the picture of kr as ss.

[doug maverick]

here it is

[GeneChing]

It didn't pop up on the search engines, so it's probably buried in another thread. So I thought I'd start a new one, since the 47 Ronin one is doing so well. :p

[Lucas]

do you guys know what bloody tears taste like? I can tell you because they have been falling into my mouth ever since i read this thread.

:(

[SimonM]

That's a normal reaction to any non-Bill and Ted Keanu Reeves movie.

[doug maverick]

agreed on the bill and ted thing. and keanu reeves is an odd choice for this film. but its fox and fox doesnt cast films by who's right they cast by who does box office.and all thou the world over knows keanu reeves doesnt act(im not saying he cant we've seen that he can, im saying he doesnt) they keep going to to his movies. so what you going to do.

[Jimbo]

I've only seen the Cowboy Bebop movie when it came out some years ago, otherwise I'm not familiar with the series. However, believe it or not, I actually think Keanu might do fine playing the main guy. And if they get Yuen Woo-Ping to choreograph it, he could certainly pull off the action, too.

[doug maverick]

ehh... watch the series and then come back. honestly idk if he can or cant. it will be considerable work on his part. he has the ability that i do know.

[Lucas]

he definately has the dronish absence of emotion that spike has. but for me keanu doesnt quite pull of the, im deadlier than thou vibe.


i actually enjoyed point break back when it came out.

i am a big cowboy beebop fan, own it all and definately one of my fav anime, series or movie. ill have to wait and see on this one.

i tend to like things like this regardless of how bad the movie is. because at the heart of it, the people making the film are trying to do a good job and obviously are making a movie based on the anime because somewhere someone in the works loves it and got it into the live action area. so even if its not that great, ill enjoy it if they can capture any of the beebop essence.

im sure they will do SOMETHING well in the film that will make it worth while.

[Shaolinlueb]

lets hope it doesnt go the dragon ball route. :(

[Kansuke]

Who's playing Fay?

[doug maverick]

nobody as of yet. this film is not even being made till 09, there isnt even a script or a writer. in the movies to gt a film green lit, a producer will usually get a star attached to it, even if the star ends up dropping out, it seems that keanu has some invested interest in the movie so i dont think that thats gonna happen in this case, but his name is an automatic green light.

[AdrianK]

I've only seen the Cowboy Bebop movie when it came out some years ago, otherwise I'm not familiar with the series. However, believe it or not, I actually think Keanu might do fine playing the main guy. And if they get Yuen Woo-Ping to choreograph it, he could certainly pull off the action, too.

Exactly. The only people who think Keanu Reeves would be good for the role are people who've never watched the series.

Anyone familiar with Spike's personality, for the most part, don't think Keanu reeves can handle this. He lacks spike's personality and ability.


As for Yuen Woo-Ping, I disagree.. Cowboy Bebop's not a kung fu movie, its action is usually really quick and basic. The final episode of the anime has a beautiful, very quick battle between spike with his gun, and vicious with his katana. Its short and sweet, like almost every fight scene in the anime - most of the action is shootouts and such though. Not hand to hand combat. Though really, It'd take a miracle to make Keanu look anywhere near as good as Spike did in any of those scenes.

[doug maverick]

Exactly. The only people who think Keanu Reeves would be good for the role are people who've never watched the series.

Anyone familiar with Spike's personality, for the most part, don't think Keanu reeves can handle this. He lacks spike's personality and ability.


As for Yuen Woo-Ping, I disagree.. Cowboy Bebop's not a kung fu movie, its action is usually really quick and basic. The final episode of the anime has a beautiful, very quick battle between spike with his gun, and vicious with his katana. Its short and sweet, like almost every fight scene in the anime - most of the action is shootouts and such though. Not hand to hand combat. Though really, It'd take a miracle to make Keanu look anywhere near as good as Spike did in any of those scenes.
dude you do realize its acting right? anybody can pull a rabbit out of the hat, fact is keanu is making so, you can uck up and wait for it to come out, or ***** and moan to the cow comes home. just be happy anybodys, making it. and choreagraphy yuen woo ping would be hot.

[SimonM]

Am I the only one here who thinks that Wu Ping isn't that great?

[doug maverick]

yes. wu ping is great. but he's not the best. sammo hung is better then him imo.

[Lucas]

i think most agree keanu is kind of over rated much of the time. and a little dull. im part of that camp.

however, i sit here and think to myself 'who would be a good spike'

the answer i came up with is, one guy has about as good a chance as another of pulling it off. keanu probably has a better chance than most. plus hes got the name. i cant think of any famous hollywood guys that would be able to totally nail spike.

the thing is, the character is so developed, it would be hard for anyone to nail it exactly.

i always loved the hand to hand in bebop. throughout the entire series, there is a good deal. and yep, they are short but oh so very sweet. quick, vicious and to the point. spike dont mess around.

im really looking forward to some fly scenes though, could be very beautiful.

[Jimbo]

Am I the only one here who thinks that Wu Ping isn't that great?

I think Woo-Ping's great, but like all the great choreographers, not all of his work is great. I can think of a few examples, but I thought the choreography in The Banquet was pretty bad; but then again, Yuen was probably only giving the director what he asked for. I would agree with Doug that Sammo Hung's a better choreographer in general than Woo-Ping, especially when Sammo was at his peak in the '80s.

Anyway, I already knew that Cowboy Bebop is not a "kung fu movie". But there was some MA in it, and *if* Keanu was tapped to play the lead, I figured he'd already worked a lot with Woo-Ping already.

[doug maverick]

after i saw wing chun, im more then sure that sammo is better. sammo is like lau ka lueng in terms of modern choreagraphy, especially one on one duel, few are more inventive then him. and jackie chan is still the king of one man against the world, nobody has topped him absolutely nobody. cause jack is so intricate he can have all the guys attak him at the same time and be able to choreagraph where it all makes sense thats genius right there.

[GeneChing]

Looks like Keanu is in. :rolleyes:


Live-Action Cowboy Bebop Proposal Officially Announced (Updated) (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-01-15/live-action-cowboy-bebop-proposal-officially-announced)
posted on 2009-01-15 07:51 EST

The Japanese animation studio Sunrise has officially announced the plans for a live-action film adaptation of its Cowboy Bebop science-fiction anime franchise. The American film studio Twentieth Century Fox, the production company 3 Arts Entertainment, and Sunrise itself are collaborating on the project. Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, A Scanner Darkly, Johnny Mnemonic) is slated to star. Joshua Long is acting as a production supervisor, and Erwin Stoff, a film producer who worked closely with Reeves on The Matrix and A Scanner Darkly, is also attached. The associate producers are Sunrise President Kenji Uchida, the original Cowboy Bebop director Shinichiro Watanabe, and the original series script supervisor Keiko Nobumoto. The Sunrise studio itself and Masahiko Minami (former Sunrise producer and BONES studio co-founder) are both acting as production consultants.

Stoff first revealed the existence of the proposed project last July to the IFMagazine.com entertainment website after the parties "just signed it the other day." Reeves confirmed the plans and his intentions to play the lead role with MTV Movies Blog last month. He also indicated that the preliminary story outline partly draws inspiration from the "Red Eye" storyline from the first episode of the animated series. Reeves and Watanabe had previously worked together on the "Kid's Story" segment of The Animatrix animated video anthology.

Watanabe's original Cowboy Bebop series follows the motley crew of the spaceship Bebop as it travels throughout the solar system in search of the next job. The anime distributor Bandai Entertainment and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block released the 1998 television series in the United States, and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the subsequent 2001 animated movie. The anime was also adapted into two separate manga series, and Tokyopop released both manga series in North America.

[GeneChing]

‘Cowboy Bebop’ Cult Anime TV Series Gets U.S. Live-Action Remake By Tomorrow Studios, Midnight Radio & ‘Thor’ Writer (http://deadline.com/2017/06/cowboy-bebop-anime-tv-series-live-action-remake-tomorrow-studios-midnight-radio-chris-yost-1202107884/)
by Nellie Andreeva • tip
June 6, 2017 7:00am

https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/bebop.jpg

Tomorrow Studios, Marty Adelstein’s joint venture with ITV Studios, is developing a live-action adaptation of the cult Japanese animated series Cowboy Bebop. Tomorrow Studios has teamed on the project with Midnight Radio (Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner & Scott Rosenberg), who will executive produce alongside Sunrise, the studio behind the original series; Tomorrow Studios’ Adelstein (Good Behavior, Prison Break) and Becky Clements (Good Behavior, Aquarius); as well as Matthew Weinberg. Chris Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok), who started his career writing for comic book-based animated series before segueing to features, will pen the adaptation.

The space Western story follows Spike Spiegel and his rag-tag crew of bounty hunters, or Cowboys, as they try to capture the galaxy’s worst criminals and survive the unexpected dangers they encounter throughout space, sometimes saving the world in the process but always leaving millions in damages.

Cowboy Bebop, considered one of the best anime series of all time, produced 26 episodes, which aired in Japan from 1998-1999. It has done well internationally, garnering several anime and science fiction awards, and is credited with helping to introduce anime to a new wave of Western viewers. In the U.S., it aired on Adult Swim.

“We are excited to work with Sunrise in bringing this beloved anime to the U.S. and global marketplace as a live-action series,” said Adelstein. “The animated version has long resonated with audiences worldwide, and with the continued, ever growing, popularity of anime, we believe a live action version will have an incredible impact today.”

Tomorrow Studios has another U.S. TV adaptation of a popular Asian genre title, South Korean movie Snowpiercer, which has a pilot order at TNT.

You know what this needs? ScarJo. (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68356-Ghost-in-the-Shell) :p

[GeneChing]

You know, I've never really tuned into Cowboy Bebop. Should I? It's only 26 episodes, right?


NOVEMBER 27, 2018 9:00PM PT
‘Cowboy Bebop’ Live-Action Series Lands at Netflix (https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/cowboy-bebop-live-action-series-netflix-1203038458/)
By JOE OTTERSON
TV Reporter
@JoeOtterson

https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/cowboy-bebop-2.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1
CREDIT: BANDAI VISUAL/KOBAL/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

Netflix has ordered the planned live-action adaptation of the iconic anime series “Cowboy Bebop,” Variety has learned.

The series is described as the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed, a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world for the right price.

The series, which hails from Tomorrow Studios, has been in the works since last year. Netflix has ordered 10 episodes.

Shinichiro Watanabe, director of the original anime, will serve as a consultant on the project. Christopher Yost, who previously penned “Thor: The Dark World” and “Thor: Ragnarok”, will write the first episode and executive produce. Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner, and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio will serve as executive producers. Yasuo Miyakawa, Masayuki Ozaki, and Shin Sasaki of Sunrise Inc.– the studio behind the original series–will also executive produce along with Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios, Tetsu Fujimura, and Matthew Weinberg. The series is a co-production between Netflix and Tomorrow Studios, with Netflix handling physical production.

“Cowboy Bebop” proved to be a major commercial and critical success despite the fact the entire television series consists of just 26 episodes. It has inspired two manga series and an anime film, the latter of which was released in the U.S. in 2003.

The announcement comes as Netflix has been pushing more and more into the anime space, with the streamer having ordered multiple original anime shows, including one based on “Pacific Rim.” Last year, Netflix released a live-action adaptation of the manga “Death Note” starring Nat Wolff, Lakeith Stanfield, and Margaret Qualley.

This is also the latest instance of Netflix adapting an animated series into a live-action series. Back in September, it was announced that a live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender” series was in the works at Netflix with original creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko onboard as showrunners.

[GeneChing]

Time to make an indie thread for this Live-Action Cowboy Bebop (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71266-Live-Action-Cowboy-Bebop) project. Posts above poached from our original Cowboy Bebop thread (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52801-Cowboy-Bebop).


APRIL 4, 2019 9:00AM PT
‘Cowboy Bebop’: John Cho, Mustafa Shakir Among Four Cast in Netflix Live-Action Series (https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/cowboy-bebop-netflix-live-action-series-cast-1203180399/)
By JOE OTTERSON
TV Reporter
@JoeOtterson

https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/cowboy-bebop-casting.jpg?w=1000&h=562&crop=1

The “Cowboy Bebop” live-action series at Netflix has found the lion’s share of its main cast, Variety has learned.

John Cho, Mustafa Shakir, Daniella Pineda, and Alex Hassell have all been cast in lead roles in the series, which is based on the anime series of the same name.

Cho will star as Spike Spiegel, described as an impossibly cool bounty hunter with a deadly smile, a wry wit, and style to spare. He travels the solar system with his ex-cop partner, Jet, pursuing the future’s most dangerous bounties with a combination of charm, charisma — and deadly Jeet Kune Do.

Cho is known for his roles in the rebooted “Star Trek” film franchise as well as the “Harold and Kumar” films. He will also appear in an upcoming episode of the “Twilight Zone” reboot at CBS All Access. He is repped by UTA, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Morris Yorn.

Shakir will play Jet Black, one of the few honest cops in the solar system before an ultimate betrayal robbed him of all that he loved, forcing him into a vagabond life of hunting bounties to put food on the table. Jet is an inveterate jazz enthusiast and Captain of the Bebop.

Shakir recently starred in Season 2 of the Marvel-Netflix series “Luke Cage” as well as the HBO series “The Deuce.” He is repped by Gersh, Robyn Bluestone Management, and Schreck Rose.

Pineda will play Faye Valentine, described as a bold, brash and unpredictable bounty hunter. Suffering from amnesia after years of being cryogenically frozen, Faye does whatever it takes to survive. Whether she’s lying, stealing, or just being a thorn in Spike and Jet’s side.

[GeneChing]

Kimberly Nguyen·June 26, 2019·6 min read
John Cho Has Been Growing His Hair Out for Netflix’s ‘Cowboy Bebop’ (https://nextshark.com/john-cho-netflix-cowboy-bebop/?fbclid=IwAR0cQU_-dT5i_DEN-l7DnSpwuBa8-k4Tm_swF_gXWMYAiJgwkaukyrFuvIA)

https://nextshark-vxdsockgvw3ki.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/feature-770x409.jpg
Earlier this month, John Cho posted a selfie showing his new hairdo for his role as Spike Spiegel in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “Cowboy Bebop“.

https://nextshark-vxdsockgvw3ki.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/unnamed-file-900x900.jpg
Image via @johnthecho
Fans were excited to see Cho embrace Spike’s character, including his hair. The photo shows Cho’s hair grown out and styled in the front, still a bit more kept than the character he is playing, while he stands next to his father on Father’s Day.


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View image on Twitter (https://twitter.com/JustinQuizon/status/1140610147577819136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1140610147577819136&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnextshark.com%2Fjohn-cho-netflix-cowboy-bebop%2F)

Justin Quizon
@JustinQuizon
#cowboybebop live action cast have been posting pictures that scream how good they’re gonna look in the new show.

31
6:20 AM - Jun 17, 2019 · Buena Park, CA
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Netflix’s “Cowboy Bebop” will center around a “A ragtag crew of bounty hunters chase down the galaxy’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll save the world…for the right price.”

Spike Spiegel’s character is portrayed as a being an “impossibly cool bounty hunter” with style and wit, traveling the solar system with his partner, Jet.

Cho is known for his roles in the “Star Trek” film franchise and appears in an episode of the CBS All Access reboot of “The Twilight Zone.”

Feature Image (left) via @johnthecho, (right) via @hannan_the_shofry

What about Harold & Kumar?