Shinji Higuchi to direct live-action “Attack on Titan” film

By kevin on December 05, 2013 at 1:00am EST

The official website for Toho’s live-action movie adaptation of Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) has been relaunched with a new splash image announcing the project’s new director, special effects veteran Shinji Higuchi.

The project was first announced back on December 8, 2011 as a big-budget science fiction film directed by Tetsuya Nakashima. However, he backed out about a year later due to various creative differences with the production team.

The screenplay is being handled by Yusuke Watanabe (GANTZ) and film critic Tomohiro Machiyama, a friend of the original manga creator Hajime Isayama. Isayama himself has also been involved in production meetings and has offered his own character ideas.

Isayama’s manga was originally serialized in Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine and has reached a total circulation of over 25 million copies. An animated adaptation began airing in April of this year. The story is set in a world where humans have taken refuge behind giant walls to protect themselves from “Titans” (Kyojin) which can reach heights of up to 50 meters tall. In the movie, the walls are breached and the remaining humans must battle for survival.

According to Toho, filming of “Attack on Titan” will begin in summer 2014 with a release planned for sometime in 2015.

Sources: Eiga.com, Anime News Network