The production of the upcoming live-action film version of Akane Shimizu's manga series Cells at Work! officially concluded on June 29 according to the film's official Twitter account, which means the live-action project will hopefully be heading to fans soon!
Warner Bros. Japan announced the live-action movie project in March 2023. A screenplay by Yuichi Tokunaga is directed by Hideaki Takeuchi, who has previously worked on numerous commercially successful live-action films based on well-known Japanese manga works, including as Mineo Maya's Fly Me to the Saitama, Tomoko Ninomiya's Nodame Cantabile, and Mari Yamazaki's Thermae Romae.
Hideaki Takeuchi released the following message when he heard about the project:
I still vividly remember how surprised and excited I was when I heard about the live-action adaptation of the "Cells at Work!" manga. What is going on inside our bodies that we cannot see everyday? I would like to present the daily life of these cells on a grand scale, full of laughter and learning. Since I decided to direct this film, I have become more aware of the cells in my own body in my daily life. We will do our best to create this film together with our many hardworking colleagues. Please look forward to it!
The filming took place throughout several locations in Japan from April 13 to June 29. These included the Kanto region (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki, etc.), Chubu region (Shizuoka, Yamanashi), and Kansai region (Hyogo, Wakayama).
Fun fact: A sacoche, mask case, tote bag, and memo set were given as gifts to the extras who took part in the shooting. Check out a picture of the cast member's gift below!
Not familiar with the storyline for the project? Crunchyroll describes the Cells at Work! anime series below:
This is a story about you. A tale about the inside of your body… According to a new study, the human body consists of approximately 37 trillion cells. These cells are hard at work every day within a world that is your body. From the oxygen carrying Red Blood Cells to the bacteria fighting White Blood Cells, Get to know the unsung heroes and the drama that unfolds inside of you!
Six volumes of the manga were published after it ran as a serial in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine from January 2015 to January 2021. Two seasons of the TV anime adaptation were shown between 2018 and 2021.
Both the release date and the primary cast have not yet been disclosed, but we will keep you updated as more information is made available!
Let us know in the comments below if you are fans of the Cells at Work! manga series!