The Human Vapor Reboot: Netflix Teams Up with Top Japanese Filmmakers
Marking their first-ever collaboration, Netflix and Toho are set to revive The Human Vapor (1960), a sci-fi classic movie from an iconic Japanese studio, as a live-action series with a new plot and state-of-the-art visual effects. The upcoming reboot has Train to Busan maker Yeon Sang-ho on board.
A dream team of Korean and Japanese creatives is co-directing the series. It will be directed by Japanese filmmaker Shinzo Katayama (Missing, Siblings of the Cape, Disney’s Gannibal), with executive producer and co-scriptwriter Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan, Hellbound, Parasyte: The Grey) from Korea. The series will co-star Japanese actors Yu Aoi (Wife of a Spy) and Shun Oguri (Godzilla vs. Kong).
Helmed by the renowned Godzilla creator Ishirō Honda, The Human Vapor revolves around an incorrect radiation experiment that results in the transformation of a man into a gaseous mutant. Using his extraordinary abilities, he terrorizes society by committing deadly crimes and robbing banks while using them to finance a struggling dancer he finds inspiring. Regarded as a pioneering work of sci-fi thrillers, the movie is well-known for its inventive visual effects and examination of societal subjugation and power dynamics.
It is the third and last movie of Toho’s famous sci-fi classic Transforming Human Series, which consists of films from the 1950s and 1960s such as The Invisible Avenge (1954), The H-Man (1958), and The Secret of the Telegian (1960). The new series will set the story in modern-day Japan and bring back the beloved kaijin (or humanoid monster) from the tale using cutting-edge visual effects.
As per the streaming giant, Yeon claimed that when Toho invited him to reimagine a movie from the company’s Transforming Human Series, The Human Vapor caught his attention the most. “It is a 1960 film, but its sci-fi expressions are still impressively skillful. I believed that if it were reborn with modern visuals, it would be truly fascinating,” he explained.
After Toho suggested Katayama as a possible project director, the two worked with co-writer Ryu Yong-jae for roughly three years to develop the new plot. “I knew about The Human Vapor but hadn’t seen it until recently. Watching it, I was intrigued by its blend of human drama and romantic elements, despite featuring an absurd creature like the Human Vapor. I saw the potential to modernize this classic special effects piece with today’s VFX CG and incorporate human drama to make it a very compelling work,” said Katayama.
Yeon and Katayama have suggested fans be patient as the series would take a minimum of a year to prepare for release. Nevertheless, they hinted that they had “received special permission to shoot in locations where filming is usually not allowed in Japan.” Katayama continued, “I believe we will deliver visuals that have never been seen before.”
Netflix has been working for the past two years to unlock the potential of the Japanese live-action entertainment business, after making a name for itself in the lucrative Korean film and TV market. Bringing together the creative communities in Japan and Korea has been a component of that initiative.
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