One Punch Man Live-Action Movie is Still in Development at Sony

The One Punch Man live-action movie is still in development, to the dismay of anime fans who have been burned by bad adaptations of their favorite properties. The film was first announced in 2020, with writers Scott Rosenberg and Jeff Pinkner penning the script. The project has since been retooled but remains in active development.

The news comes from The Hollywood Reporter in its latest story about Justin Lin directing the upcoming thriller ‘Stakehorse.’ Lin has previously directed big-budget films like Star Trek Beyond and six Fast and Furious films. Sony has hired Lin to direct its One Punch Man adaptation, with the script being rewritten by Dan Harmon and Heather Anne Campbell.

Yes, Dan Harmon, the co-creator of hit comedy shows ‘Community’ and ‘Rick and Morty’ is working on a One Punch Man movie. His writing partner Campbell is also an executive producer on Rick and Morty, having written three episodes for it as well.

However, the film isn’t coming out any time soon. Before directing a live-action Saitama, Lin will be helming ‘Stakehorse’ and ‘Last Days’, with ‘Two for the Money’, a feature produced by Apple, also joining the queue. Lin was hired for One Punch Man in the summer of 2022, so it will have been at least four years by the time it releases, assuming it enters production next year.

While anime adaptations in the West haven’t had the best luck in quality, they do seem to be improving. Netflix’s recently released One Piece was liked by fans and critics alike. Alita: Battle Angel has seen more love in the years since its release, and Alice in Borderland has also been received well. Hopefully, One Punch Man will receive a similar treatment by paying respect to the source material.

You can stream the two seasons of One Punch Man on Crunchyroll. The third season of the anime is currently in production, but you can enjoy its first teaser .