Currently in the middle of filming Justice League, Willem Dafoe has been cast to voice the Shinigami (literally, “death god”) Ryuk in the upcoming live-action Hollywood adaptation of the popular manga Death Note, which is due to debut on Netflix next year.
The two-time Academy Award nominee joins Nat Wolff (The Fault in Our Stars) as Light Turner, Margaret Qualley (The Leftovers) as Mia Sutton, Keith Stanfield (Straight Outta Compton) as "L", Paul Nakauchi (Alpha and Omega) as Watari, and Shea Whigham (Boardwalk Empire) as Light's father, James Turner.
Currently in production, Death Note follows the brilliant high school student Light after he comes across the titular manuscript, which Ryuk drops into the human world out of sheer boredom with the Shinigami world. The notebook allows whoever uses it to kill anyone by writing the individual’s name while picturing his or her face. Light then attempts to create a utopian society by cleansing the world of evil, with himself passing judgment as “god”. His serial killings are soon noticed by the authorities, as well as the reclusive genius detective L.
The Japanese manga, created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, has already been adapted into an anime series, three live-action films, a live-action TV series, and a musical. Adam Wingard (You’re Next) is directing the first Western adaptation, produced by Roy Lee (The Ring, The Departed), Dan Lin (The LEGO Movie, Sherlock Holmes), Jason Hoffs (Edge of Tomorrow), and Masi Oka (Heroes Reborn).
"I am honored to be working with this great cast and I look forward to bringing Tsugumi and Takeshi's unique story to a global audience," says Wingard, whose adaptation has already made noticeable changes, specifically in giving some of the characters American-sounding names (Light Yagami to Light Turner, Amane Misa to Mia Sutton), and in casting Keith Stanfield as L (a pale, slim man, with dark eye bags from insomnia).
Dafoe’s casting looks spot-on, however, as he can bring that menacing edge and palpable malice he’s been known for in previous villain roles. Though his character Ryuk is mostly a spectator, following Light’s actions and occasionally waiting until the worst possible moment to tell him certain aspects of the Death Note just for a laugh, Dafoe’s involvement might mean the Shinigami has a greater hand in the new adaptation.
Producers Lee and Lin are also looking to introduce the story to new audiences with a diverse cast:
Our vision for Death Note has always been to bring this captivating story to the screen for its longtime manga fans and to introduce the world to this dark and mysterious masterpiece. The talent and diversity represented in our cast, writing, and producing teams reflect our belief in staying true to the story's concept of moral relevance "” a universal theme that knows no racial boundaries.
Death Note started principal photography last June, and is set to arrive on Netflix in 2017.
