Junji Ito Teams Up With Fangoria Studios To Adapt His Horror Manga ‘Bloodsucking Darkness’ For Live-Action
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The master of Japanese horror mangaka, Junji Ito, has announced his partnership with specialist studio Fangoria to produce a live-action adaptation of his one-shot vampire tale, Bloodsucking Darkness.
Voices in the Dark Volume 1 Chapter 1 “Blood Slurping Darkness” (2002), Nemuki. Words and Art by Junji Ito
As per a press release provided by Fangoria to the media on March 30th, this collaboration will be the first of three planned films which will aim to bring Ito’s signature horror to live-action.
Initially released as part of Ito’s 2002 Voices in the Dark collection under its original title Blood Slurping Darkness, Bloodsucking Darkness follows the story of a woman named Nami who, after a bad breakup with her boyfriend, develops severe cases of both anorexia and bulimia.
Nami throwing up blood in Voices in the Dark Volume 1 Chapter 1 “Blood Slurping Darkness” (2002), Nemuki. Words and Art by Junji Ito
Eventually, her eating disorders cause her to not only begin vomiting up blood, but also experience strange, feverish dreams.
And when an eerie boy from school named Kazuya Tani starts obsessing over her health – so much so that he attempts to win her heart by abstaining from eating himself – these dreams turn into full-on nightmares featuring images of raining blood and a terrifying vampire standing over her frozen body.
Nami experiences a blood-rain soaked, vampire-filled nightmare in Voices in the Dark Volume 1 Chapter 1 “Blood Slurping Darkness” (2002), Nemuki. Words and Art by Junji Ito
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In a statement released alongside the news, Ito, who will also be serving as one of the film’s producers, shared his excitement at the prospect that “Fangoria Studios is going to adapt my manga!”
“I’m so excited to see how it will turn out,” the mangaka added. “I hope I get to see the trailer in my dreams tonight.”
Nami attacked by bats in Voices in the Dark Volume 1 Chapter 1 “Blood Slurping Darkness” (2002), Nemuki. Words and Art by Junji Ito
Likewise, the film’s screenwriter and executive producer Jeff Howard (Gerald’s Game, Netflix’s Midnight Mass) recalled in his own statement how “When I found out a live-action Junji Ito adaptation was going to happen, I chased after it with everything I had because I just couldn’t live with anyone else getting there before me.”
“The combination of fear and feelings is where I always want to be,” he further stated.
Nami encounters something strange in Voices in the Dark Volume 1 Chapter 1 “Blood Slurping Darkness” (2002), Nemuki. Words and Art by Junji Ito
Giving his own thoughts on the deal, Fangoria Studios Senior VP Armen Aghaeian acknowlkedged, “Ito’s stories and visuals are pure nightmare fuel.”
“The team at Fangoria is honored to be working alongside Junji Ito,” said the studio executive. “We are excited to bring the horror found in the pages of his work to life onto the biggest screens possible.”
Nami and Kazuya Tani in Vampire Bat Cave in Voices in the Dark Volume 1 Chapter 1 “Blood Slurping Darkness” (2002), Nemuki. Words and Art by Junji Ito via Digital Issue
As of this writing no release date has been set for this live-action take on Ito’s blood-sucking tale.
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