Filmmaker Shane Black has signed onto direct the manga adaptation Death Note for Warner Bros. Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry are currently writing the script.

The project is based off the manga series written by Tsugumi Ôba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The story revolves around a college student named Light who finds a mysterious notebook which has the unique power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. When the student uses his newfound power to rid the streets of criminals, he is pursued by an FBI criminologist.

The manga series, which has sold over 38 million copies worldwide, has spawned a number of features and TV shows in Japan and is Shane Black's favorite manga. Here's what he had to say about the project:

It's my favorite manga, I was just struck by its unique and brilliant sensibility. What we want to do is take it back to that manga, and make it closer to what is so complex and truthful about the spirituality of the story, versus taking the concept and trying to copy it as an American thriller. Jeff Robinov and Greg Silverman liked that."

No production schedule was revealed for Death Note.