Last month, Warner Bros. released the first Fullmetal Alchemist trailer, which gave fans a first look at this live action adaptation based on the beloved manga. While it remains to be seen when the next footage will be released, two new photos have surfaced, offering a new look at Ryōsuke Yamada as Edward Elric, as he fights one of the film's iron giants in the streets. The movie is set for release in Japan this coming December, but a domestic release date has not been issued at this time
The photos surfaced on the official Warner Bros. Japan website for the movie. Fumihiko Sori is directing the film with the director teasing new details about his approach to this story in a new interview. Here's what the filmmaker had to say below, about why he thought it was important to have an all-Japanese cast.
"I want to create a style that follows the original manga as much as possible. The cast is entirely Japanese, but the cultural background is Europe. However, it's a style that doesn't represent a specific race or country. There will never be a scene in which a character says something that would identify him/her as Japanese."
The supporting cast includes Tsubasa Honda as Winry Rockbell, Dean Fujioka as Roy Mustang, Fumiyo Kohinata as General Hakuro, Ryuta Sato as Maes Hughes, Misako Renbutsu as Riza Hawkeye, Natsuna as Maria Ross, Natsuki Harada as Gracia Hughes, Yo Oizumi as Shou Tucker, Jun Kunimura as Doctor Marco, Yasuko Matsuyuki as Lust, Kanata Hongou as Envy, Shinji Uchiyama as Gluttony and Kenjiro Ishimaru as Father Cornello. Production took place in the Italian town of Volterra this summer, with production wrapping in late August. Her's what director Fumihiko Sori had to say about the story.
"It is my dearest wish to turn this wonderful story into a film, and it is not an exaggeration to say that I am living for this reason."
Arakawa published the manga from 2001 to 2010 in Square Enix's Monthly Shonen Gangan, with Viz Media publishing the Fullmetal Alchemist series in North America. In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical "auto-mail" limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother's bodies...the legendary Philosopher's Stone. The series inspired the Fullmetal Alchemist television anime series in 2003 and its sequel film, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of Shamballa, in 2005. In 2009, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood debuted, a second television anime series based more closely on the original manga's story. The spin-off movie Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos, premiered in 2011. Take a look at these new photos from Fullmetal Alchemist below.
