Copyright Variety
Sony is accelerating its pursuit of anime and manga properties for live-action adaptation, with executive VP, creative production and head of Sony Pictures International Productions Shebnem Askin revealing ambitious plans to expand beyond the studio’s hit “Kingdom” franchise during a presentation at TIFFCOM, the market arm of the Tokyo International Film Festival. “Since I came here, I’m taking so many great meetings with a lot of companies that are producing incredible stories with anime,” Askin told attendees at the Tokyo content market. “We are starting to look at different anime movies where we can hopefully adapt as live action movies around the world. This is one of our missions by attending TIFFCOM.” SPIP operates as one of nine labels under Sony Pictures Entertainment and produces local-language content across 10 countries including Japan, Korea, China, India, Thailand, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Brazil and Mexico. Askin emphasized that SPIP’s anime-to-live-action efforts would complement Sony’s broader animation business, which includes Crunchyroll and Aniplex. She cited recent successes including “Demon Slayer,” which became the highest-grossing Japanese movie of 2025 worldwide, and “Chainsaw Man,” which opened to $100 million globally this past weekend. “It doesn’t really matter which division we all work for Sony, and I’m equally proud, whether it’s our production or not,” Askin said, underscoring the studio’s collaborative approach across divisions. Currently, SPIP’s sole manga-to-live-action adaptation is the “Kingdom” franchise, based on the Japanese manga property. Askin also highlighted Mamoru Hosoda’s upcoming “Scarlet,” set for November release in Japan, as an original anime movie rather than an adaptation. The studio’s anime ambitions are part of a broader IP strategy that has seen SPIP develop a robust business model centered on both original content and strategic remakes. Askin presented a compelling case for the strength of local productions worldwide, noting that local films command 76% of Japan’s box office, 61% of South Korea’s market, and 89% of India’s theatrical business. “Local movies around the world can gross as high at the box office as big commercial Hollywood movies,” Askin said. “We don’t only think local, but we become local in each and every territory.” The studio has built three successful theatrical franchises: Germany’s “The Three Investigators” series based on children’s books, Spain’s “Father is the Only One” remake franchise, and Japan’s “Kingdom.” The Spanish “Father” series, adapted from Argentine property “Ten Days Without Mom,” has produced five installments, with the most recent entry opening with $16 million against “Top Gun: Maverick’s” $10 million in 2022. SPIP’s approach to IP development prioritizes original content while selectively acquiring and remaking proven properties. Recent originals include Korean thriller “Hijack 1971,” based on a true story of a 1971 plane hijacking to North Korea, and Mexican genre film “Night Shift,” which became the highest-grossing Mexican genre movie in the past decade. For remakes, the studio has developed a multi-territory strategy, producing local versions of Sony properties including “50 First Dates” (Japan and Mexico), “Friends with Benefits” (Brazil with HBO Latin America), and “Date to Funeral” (Spain). Askin revealed that a Mexican version of “Shall We Dance?” is currently in post-production starring Adrian Uribe, Mexico’s biggest comedy actor, representing a collaboration with Sony Music Vision. “We have creative approval,” Askin explained regarding the greenlight process. “Every movie has to have a P&L. If we love a project creatively, we love the script, we love the cast, we love the producers. We get theatrical estimates from our local managing director and television values from Sony’s international sales team. We at least have five signatures before we greenlight the movie.” The studio also acquires select properties for distribution, including “YOLO,” for which SPIP secured all rights outside China, and “The Legend of Condor Heroes.” Brazilian drama “I’m Still Here” exemplified Sony’s collaborative approach, with SPIP acquiring the film for Brazil while Sony Classics picked it up for North America, where it grossed $5 million compared to $20 million in its home territory. Addressing the challenge of cultural adaptation, Askin acknowledged leaning on her background in international sales while emphasizing collaboration with local partners. “I never try to assume that I would know Italy better than an Italian producer, or I would know Germany better than our producers,” she said. “It really is a teamwork for us to make an adaptation of an IP from one country to another.” While SPIP has focused heavily on comedy and romantic comedy, genres traditionally considered difficult to export internationally, recent success with Argentine melodrama “The Heart Knows” on Netflix has opened doors to more dramatic content. The film, about a wealthy man who receives a heart transplant from a poor factory worker and subsequently falls in love with the donor’s widow, has remained in Netflix’s global top 25 for six months. “It tells me that a good drama also definitely has an audience around the world,” Askin said, noting that she is now developing an action-comedy slate, “which are really tough to find.” Addressing questions about streaming platforms, Askin emphasized that SPIP remains focused on theatrical distribution while viewing streamers as complementary partners rather than competitors. Over the past three years, the division has delivered 11 direct-to-streaming movies for Amazon Prime, Netflix and Max in Mexico. “We are a theatrical studio, so our number one mission is to make theatrical movies,” Askin said. “Even our conversations with streamers, what they really expect from us is to make great theatrical movies that deliver box office. I don’t think they run against each other, but they complement each other.” The presentation comes as Sony expands its partnerships in Japan, though Askin declined to provide specific details about recent deals. “I am sure any IP that has been acquired by our studio will come to all of our attention,” she said. Meanwhile, studio’s distribution work with Chinese films earned recognition at the Shanghai International Film Festival, where Sony was honored as the best distributor worldwide for Chinese movies following its releases of “YOLO” and “The Legend of Condor Heroes.” As SPIP continues to build its slate, Askin emphasized the primacy of authentic local storytelling over purely commercial considerations. “I believe the most powerful movie is a truly original movie, a story that really comes from that country,” she told an audience member asking about Taiwan. “In every country in the world, in its own recent history or old history, there is always an event, an incident that touched everyone by heart. So yes, we will be very open to developing original movies, whether in Taiwan or in any other country, if they are truly cinematic experiences.” The presentation took place during the 22nd edition of TIFFCOM, which concludes Oct. 31 at Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho-Kan during the Tokyo International Film Festival.
