‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ director to adapt live-action ‘Your Name’ film

“Raya and the Last Dragon” director Carlos López Estrada has replaced Lee Isaac Chung as the director of the live-action adaptation of “Your Name.”

‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ Director Carlos López Estrada Boards Paramount and Bad Robot’s ‘Your Name’ Remake (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/1oOSLI7yA0

— Variety (@Variety) October 31, 2022

On Monday, Variety announced that López Estrada will be directing and rewriting the script of the 2016 anime film’s remake. This marks the third time that the director of the film has been replaced, with the original director Marc Webb (known for directing 500 Days of Summer and The Amazing Spider-Man) being replaced by Lee Isaac Chung in 2020 (known for direcing “Minari.”) Chung then left the project in 2021 due to scheduling issues.

López Estrada will also be writing the current script. The initial script was made by screenwriter Eric Heisserer (known for his work on “Bird Box” and “Arrival.”) Back in 2017, Heisserer revealed the controversial decision by the Japanese right holders to make the film from a western point of view. This was met with anger from fans who cherished the unique setting and culture displayed in the original animated film.

López Estrada’s Career

López Estrada is an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker from Mexico City. He was nominated by the DGA for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film, and the film was widely praised.

Among López Estrada’s accolades are an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature, for the 2021 animated film “Raya and the Last Dragon.” The film was praised for its representation of Southeast Asian cultures; including Brunei, Singapore, Laos, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.