Dabble in the world of anime even for a minute and you're likely to run across something from Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Oshii. Whether it's the classic Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor, or The Sky Crawlers, Oshii's work has become the standard by which anime of a certain type is measured. Even The Wachowskis and James Cameron look to him as an inspiration. He's also helmed a couple of live-action projects, most notably 2001's sci-fi film, Avalon, and 2009's very disappointing Assault Girls, which starred my girl Rinko Kikuchi. So disappointing.
Oshii is now planning on making his English-language feature debut with The Last Druid: Garm Wars, a live-action film that has been in the works for a long time. First conceived more than fifteen years ago, but delayed because technology wasn't quite up to snuff, the film is set in an alien world where three tribes of clones are at war. One clone named Khara removes herself from the fighting and, along with some unlikely companions, undertakes a mission to learn the truth about their joint existence.
Geoffrey Gunn wrote the script, having worked with Oshii on Fangs of War previously. If Oshii's been waiting this long to have all the digital tools necessary, then there's no doubt the film is going to require a ton of post-production. Right now a release is planned for summer 2014, which means production will probably get underway soon. [Variety/ANN]
