'Death Note' Movie, 2014 RUMORS: Director Gus Van Sant Reportedly Circling Anime/Manga Adaptation After Shane Black Leaves Project?

Manga and Anime fans might be getting a great treat coming soon: the Americanized movie adaptation of Death Note. Before fans get angry at this project, a new rumor claims filmmaker Gus Van Sant (Promised Land, Good Will Hunting) may direct the movie after Shane Black dropped out of the production.

This news comes from The Tracking Board and has not been confirmed by Warner Bros., so we're trating it as speculation until this is officially confirmed.

"Gus Van Sant will direct DEATH NOTE, Warner Bros.' adaptation of the manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata," the rumor states. "The film follows the story of a high school student who finds a mysterious notebook that lets him instantly kill any person by writing their name in the book. As the student's body count piles up, a nameless FBI agent begins tracking him. Van Sant replaces Shane Black, who was attached to direct as recently as 2013. The most recent draft of the script was written by Black, Anthony Bagarozzi, and Charles Mondry."

For fans of the manga and/or the anime, Death Note is top-notch, so adapting this into an American movie is like walking on hallowed ground in a way. In other words, whoever ends up directing this better do a good job or else this will be viewed as a failure by fans.

What do you think of Gus Van Sant as a possible director of this Death Note adaptation? Let us know in the comments section below!