Despite their high demand, live-action adaptations of popular anime series have failed time and time again. Whether it's Ghost in the Shell, Death Note, or Dragonball: Evolution, Hollywood has consistently failed to tap into the source material's overwhelming potential. This track record of failure should be enough to discourage other directors from taking on future endeavors in the anime sphere, but not Zack Snyder - the Justice League director is up for the challenge; that is, as long as the project feels right to him, and Dragon Ball Z seems to be his jam.
In an interview with Tyrone Magnus on YouTube, Snyder expressed his interest in directing an anime film, whether in an animated or live-action format. When asked specifically if he would be open to directing a Dragon Ball Z movie, Snyder said: "I would consider that. I mean, if it came right." He explained that he watches a ton of anime with his kid, who is "too young to watch it, but [they] watch anyway," and that he has a deep appreciation for the Japanese art form. If given the opportunity to do a Dragon Ball Z film, Snyder said he would probably do "an anime remake or live-action."
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Most anime fans would agree that in order for a Dragon Ball Z remake or live-action adaptation to be successful, it needs to be larger than life so that it can give justice to the overall fantasy of the series. With that in mind, there is no one more fitting to take on the task than Snyder, who is known for his overactive imagination and eccentric approaches to film adaptations, which he displayed in full force on Stephen Colbert's Late Show. There's even an active campaign on Facebook that calls for Snyder to direct a live-action Dragon Ball Z film. Clearly, the demand is there, but whether or not a studio will approach him to actually take on the project is a different story.
If Snyder's Justice League rework is any indication of what he could bring to Dragon Ball Z, then the franchise would be in good hands. Not only did Snyder make his cut of the Justice League four hours long so that he could fit in as many details as possible, but it also went on to do much better than Joss Whedon's cut, which was heavily criticized by fans of the franchise. In fact, Whedon's film was so bad in comparison to Snyder's that Christopher Nolan, the legendary director behind gritty and cerebral works like The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, warned Snyder not to watch Whedon's film altogether.
Perhaps a visionary like Snyder is exactly what Dragon Ball Z needs. If Snyder can bring his vision and unique brand of storytelling to the classic tale, then maybe he can break the live-action curse that has plagued the anime industry for years.
Dragon Ball Z is available to stream in Funimation.
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Source: Tyrone Magnus/YouTube