News
Anthony LaMolinara Directs Live-Action Bubblegum Crisis
posted on by Egan Loo
The Screen Daily industry news source reports on Wednesday that animator and director Anthony LaMolinara will helm Bubblegum Crisis – Knight Sabers, the live-action film adaptation of the Bubblegum Crisis anime franchise. The defunct ARTMIC studio created the original 1987-1991 video anime series about four women who protect a cybernetic future Tokyo with powered armor. LaMolinara will begin shooting the new film in stereoscopic 3D at China's Hengdian World Studios next May.
LaMolinara directed the animation sequences in several films, including Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and Hollow Man. He was also an animator on Toy Story and Stuart Little, and he wrote and directed a 2005 short called "Lonesome Matador."
Australia's Arclight Films, Canada's Wizzfilms, the Infotainment China Media Company, and the United Kingdom's Latec International agreed in May of 2009 to produce the live-action film. Japan's Anime International Company (AIC) had previously signed a basic agreement with Singapore's Cubix International PTE Ltd. (Zodiac: The Race Begins) for the adaptation in October of 2008.
The producers had originally planned to shoot the film in Australia on a US$30 million budget. The project also had a early 2012 release date slated, but that is no longer the case.
The original anime sold over 600,000 copies on laserdisc and video tape. It already spawned the AD Police Files prequel video anime series and the Bubblegum Crash sequel video anime series. The Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 television anime series remade the original story in 1998 and spawned its own AD Police television series spinoff and the Parasite Dolls video series.
AnimEigo released the original video series along with AD Police Files and Bubblegum Crash in North America, while ADV Films released Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040, AD Police, and Parasite Dolls. Funimation just confirmed on Wednesday that it has since picked up the North American license for Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040.
Thanks to Analogk37 for the news tip.
