A new trailer for manga adaptation Alita: Battle Angel has arrived in the wake of Comic-Con International.
Produced by James Cameron (Avatar) and directed by Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), Alita: Battle Angel is the newest in a recent rush of Hollywood adaptations of manga and anime. It’s also hoping to buck the trend and become both a critical and a commercial success. Following the disappointing reception to movies like Death Note and Ghost in the Shell, that’s a valid concern.
Set in a futuristic world in which robotics have significantly advanced, the story centers around an android named Alita. She’s found in a dump with her memory gone, and repaired by the kindly Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz). After raising her as his own daughter, they discover she’s actually one of the last robots to contain specific programming and skills that make her a target. Soon, she’s on the run and being hunted while she looks to uncover her past. Cue a whole bunch of robot fights and chase sequences.
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Here’s hoping this movie breaks the cycle of poor Western manga adaptations, and turns out to be as good as it looks.
Arriving Dec. 21, Alita: Battle Angel stars Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley, Keean Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Lana Condor, and Eiza González.