In panel with Satelight about global business, Sunrise indicates script approval clause

Kenji Uchida, the president of the Sunrise anime studio, told attendees of a Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF) 2009 symposium that actor Keanu Reeves' enthusiasm for its Cowboy Bebop anime was the deciding factor in the recent live-action film deal. Uchida said Reeves (The Matrix, A Scanner Darkly, Johnny Mnemonic) himself visited Japan twice to express his interest in adapting the stylized science-fiction anime, and added that if Reeves had not done so, the deal might not have been made. Uchida further noted that the difficult negotiations with the 20th Century Fox film studio continued for two years until agreeable contract terms were drafted. He emphasized that the contract allows Sunrise to assert quality control by stating, "If the script is terrible, the live-action film adaptation will not be approved."

ANN

i love cowboy bebop and keanu reeves. i hope they don't mess this up. i hope they don't take forever to make the movie either. i'm still waiting for the afro samurai live action. they should have made that 10 years ago, when samuel l jackson was still young enough to act the part,LOL

meoinkie2, on Mar 23 2009 5 23 AM, said:

I too am a fan of Cowboy Bebop, and had at first dreaded the idea of Hollywood touching this anime. Now I'm more open to the idea. Seeing that the film adaptation will not be approved should the script be awful, makes me feel a whole lot better.

I'd like to see how this movie will turn out!

Uhhh, I love Cowboy Bebop but I don't really want to see it made into a live-action movie. I supposed Keenu Reeve is playing Spike?

good luck! i'm looking forward to materialize this project. i like most movies of keannu reeves

I'm excited to see this when it comes out. Keanu Reeves is not the greatest actor but I like his movies and it sounds like he understands the character of Spike. Many people have been criticizing his role as spike because he doesn't have the range. But how much "range" does spike have anyway. Cool and under control in a gunfight or hand to hand combat and bored-looking or depressed looking. That's all the emotion I remember from him. I think reeves will fit the roll just fine.

Oh man, THIS IS AWESOME!
I've always wanted a live action Cowboy Bebop movie!