Deathnote movie - US Remake with Gaspard Ulliel to star as Light

The highly successful Deathnote movies are getting the Hollywood treatment. Handsome french actor Gaspard Ulliel will star as the power crazed Light Yagami.

Deathnote is a popular manga series about a powerful notebook that kills people whose names are written in it. This book was accidentally dropped in to Earth from a different world by a death god. Light, a uni student stumbles across this book and sees the instructions on how to use it. He doesn't believe it, he tests it out by writing a criminal's name and finds out the criminal dies from the news. He tests it out again and finally believes the Deathnote's power. Light become crazed and wants to create a new world with no crime. He starts killing people like crazy and the genius detective L is on his tail.

I always shudder when I hear Hollywood is remaking a Japanese anime/movie. The Japanese Deathnote movies were brilliant! From script to set design and casting. Everything was believable and intelligent. I thought Kenichi Matsuyama and Tatsuya Fujiwara were brilliant in this cat and mouse game. Hollywood hasn't got a good record with Japanese film remakes, look at Dragon Ball Z, Speed Racer...

But! With the announcement that Gaspard is playing Light, I have hope that this film might be just as good as the Japanese one. Gaspard is a brilliant actor (one of my faavourites). He absorbs himself in the role and takes his art seriously. I have loved every movie I have seen him in. Gaspard can play complex characters (e.g. Hannibal) so I think he will bring an interesting dynamic and darkness to Light Yagami.

Now I'm quite curious to find out who will be playing the oddball genius detective L. I have no idea who they should cast. Maybe Johnny Depp. That would be an interesting combination.

Production hasn't started yet but they plan to release this film in 2012.

Let us know what you think about Gaspard being cast as Light.