Netflix is turning Cowboy Bebop into a live-action show


Netflix is getting ready to jam with a live-action version of Cowboy Bebop.
The streaming platform announced on Twitter early Wednesday that a live-action show based on the classic anime series is in the works. No other information was provided in Netflix's announcement, but Variety reports that 10 episodes have been ordered, noting that the show has actually been in development since last year. Original director Shinichiro Watanabe will serve as a consultant, and Christopher Yost, co-writer of Thor: Ragnarok, will write the first episode, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Cowboy Bebop, one of the most popular anime series in recent years, follows the adventures of a group of bounty hunters in the year 2071. Its original run of 26 episodes was short-lived in Japan in the late '90s, but it found considerable success later in the U.S. when it was broadcast by Adult Swim. Its revival is the latest example of Netflix bringing a classic animated show to live-action, having previously ordered a live-action series based on Avatar: The Last Airbender. Netflix also brought the classic anime Death Note to live-action with a movie in 2017, although considering that film was almost universally hated, fans of Cowboy Bebop and Avatar can only hope history won't repeat itself.
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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