Death Note Series Headed to Netflix, Stranger Things Creators Announce

A new adaption of Death Note is coming, thanks to Matt and Ross Duffer in addition to Netflix. Initially a Japanese manga and anime series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, the plot follows a teenager named Light who discovers a mysterious black notebook that he received thanks to Ryuk, a Shinigami and death god.

The notebook gives Light power over life and death. If he writes somebodies name in it, they die. Becoming intoxicated with power, Light decides to use the book to cleanse the world of evil. Various law enforcement personnel try to stop him, such as the mysterious L, a world-renowned detective.

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This will be the second adaptation of the story that Netflix has been involved with. Previously, there was a 2017 film adaptation starring Nat Wolff, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, and Laketith Stanfield. The movie received mostly negative reviews from fans and critics alike, with one point of contention being the film’s depiction of Light. Such as how his reaction to meeting Ryuk, an “eight-foot-tall demon-looking motherf*****” is, shall we say, undignified, especially in comparison to past versions.

It Came From the Upside Down

This new version of Death Note is one of several projects have Duffer Brothers have lined up as part of their new production company, Upside Down Pictures, according to Deadline. Named after the second most prominent location in their hit Netflix series, the Duffers have hired Hilary Leavitt to run the company.

“It didn’t take long into our first meeting with Hilary, where we bonded over films like Jaws, Home Alone, and Speed, to know we had found a kindred spirit. Hilary’s passion for storytelling is perhaps matched only by her passion for the storytellers themselves, for whom she is fiercely protective. No wonder so many writers and directors are drawn to working with her. She is a rare talent indeed, and we feel extremely grateful to have her at our side as we build Upside Down Pictures,” the Duffers said in a statement.

Leavitt is a vet of both BBC America and MRC. She has most recently run her own Hulu-based Blazer banner. Some of the series she helped develop include Shining Girls, The Great, Ozark, and Orphan Black. Now she will help the Duffers in their goal of creating the kinds of stories that inspired them growing up.

“I remember the first movie I saw in the theater, the first VHS tape I got for Christmas, the first international one-sheet I bid for on eBay because it was cooler than the domestic. And the first time I met Matt and Ross. All of these seminal moments have led to this ridiculously cool opportunity to build a company with the Duffer Brothers where we produce movies and television because we love movies and television. This love is at the core of Upside Down Pictures, where we’re able to collaborate with other artists on projects across the full spectrum of genre. We all love what we do and are excited to do more and more,” Leavitt said.

According to the Duffers, the stories Upside Down Pictures will produce will “take place at that beautiful crossroads where the ordinary meets the extraordinary, where big spectacle co-exists with intimate character work, where heart wins out over cynicism.” Besides Death Note, other things on the company’s plate are the Stranger Things spin-off and The Talisman adaptation.

“Matt and Ross are an exceptionally unique talent with a vision so crisp and clear. They are all about the details — it’s no accident that Stranger Things has pierced the zeitgeist to become the epic pop culture phenomenon it is today. We’re excited to continue telling new stories with them as they grow Upside Down Pictures and to welcome Hilary as creative partner,” Netflix co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said.

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