My Hero Academia Live-Action Movie - What We Know So Far

The anime franchise "My Hero Academia" — which began as a popular Japanese manga of the same name written and illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi — is set to get a live-action movie adaptation, which is one step closer to filming now that a director for the project has been announced. Shinsuke Sato, who has written and directed Japanese movies such as "I Am a Hero" and "Kingdom," will bring the series' characters to life on the big screen in an English-language adaptation, according to Deadline. Sato also recently wrote and directed the Netflix series "Alice in Borderland," which follows a group of juvenile delinquents who are transported to a parallel universe as part of a survival game.

The live-action version of "My Hero Academia" is being produced by Legendary Entertainment, the company behind such hits as "Godzilla vs. Kong," "Man of Steel" and "Jurassic World." Here's what we know about the movie so far.

According to Variety, Legendary announced it would produce a live-action version of "My Hero Academia" in 2018, but little news has been released about the project since then. While COVID-19 likely impacted the production's progress, the report that Shinsuke Sato will helm the project indicates the movie is gaining traction. However, no release date has been announced. 

The timeline of the live-action film "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu" hints that fans will see "My Hero Academia" on the big screen by 2023. Legendary also acquired the rights to the Pokemon franchise in 2016 and then announced it was producing "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu," according to IGN. It took three years for that film to release. Starring Ryan Reynolds as the voice of an animated Pikachu alongside live actors, "Detective Pikachu" hit theaters in 2019 (per The Hollywood Reporter). Considering both franchises are based on anime IP that's popular worldwide, it's likely the same production schedule is being pursued for "My Hero Academia."

The "My Hero Academia" franchise is based on a popular manga series that debuted in 2014, and so far, it has spawned a TV series of the same name and three animated films: "My Hero Academia: Two Heroes," "My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising" and "My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission" (per IMDb). In addition, there have been video games and multiple spin-off manga series featuring new and secondary characters, making it one of the largest and most popular anime franchises in the world. 

While no casting announcements have been made yet, the movie is almost certain to feature its main character, Izuku Midoriya, who was born without a Quirk — essentially a superpower — in a world where 80% of the population has abilities. Only a handful of those born with Quirks become superheroes, while others turn to a life of crime and become villains or simply lead mundane lives. Bullied as a child, Izuku decides to enroll in a school that trains Heroes despite not having powers of his own. There, he meets numerous heroes-in-training who eventually become his friends, including Ochako Uraraka, Katsuki Bakugo, and Shoto Todoroki. 

Fans have already taken to casting their choices for the film on MyCast, with some believing actors Tom Holland or Jack Dylan Grazer would be ideal to play Izuku. Only time will tell which actors are actually cast.

"My Hero Academia" is a superhero anime, and as with most superhero tales, there's at least one origin story begging to be told. Since any live-action movie will need to cater to both new and existing audiences, the new movie will most likely follow the same trajectory as the manga and TV series on which it is based. In both, Izuku Midoriya dreams of being a superhero even though he wasn't born with a Quirk. After an encounter with his idol, a hero named All Might, Izuku joins Class 1-A with the hopes of becoming a hero. There, he makes friends with other heroes-in-training, and it doesn't take long for him and his classmates to come up against a major villain. After All Might sees how courageous and selfless Izuku is, he takes him under his wing and eventually transfers his Quirk to the young man. 

With countless heroes and villains on its roster, the live-action "My Hero Academia" is certain to combine humor, action, and memorable characters in any story it tells — and it has lots of material to draw from.