Orange Studio Secures Distribution For Adaptation Of City Hunter Manga

Parisian film company Orange Studio has managed to secure international film distribution for its forthcoming adaptation of the cult-hit 1980s Japanese manga City Hunter.

The feature has been picked up for distribution in Japan (New Select), South Korea (The Coup), Russia (Volga), Thailand (Sahamongkolfilm), Taiwan (Catchplay), Poland (Puls), and Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria (Prorom).

The picture’s acquirement by The Coup in South Korea is of particular note, as the country notably adapted Tsukasa Hojo’s manga into a well-received live-action television drama series in 2011, starring Lee Min-ho, Park Min-young, Lee Joon-hyuk, and Kim Sang-joong.

City Hunter, the manga, ran from 1985 to 1991 within the pages of Shonen Jump magazine. It follows the exploits of Ryo, the only survivor of a plane crash in Central America. Raised as a guerilla fighter with no knowledge of his prior identity, he later returns to his home city to become the street-roaming titular vigilante.

The manga has been adapted into a feature film before, notably 1993’s Hong Kong-produced City Hunter, which starred Jackie Chan in the lead role.

Director Philippe Lacheau’s French adaptation will lean more heavily into being a slapstick comedy, entitled Nicky Larson et le parfum de Cupidon (Nicky Larson and the Perfume of Cupid), and is set for release on the 6th of February.