Wolfgang Peterson (The Perfect Storm, Troy) is developing a live-action version of the Paprika anime film. Petersen has received a film treatment from a young writer which will be developed into a full script once approval has been given.
Paprika tells the story of Atsuko Chiba, a psychotherapist from the Institute for Psychiatric Research, and her unrestrained alter ego, “Paprika.” Chiba uses an experimental device to enter people’s dreams, and Paprika is her exotic persona during these journeys. However, complications arise when a newer device blurs different people’s dreams together and brings the fragile walls between dreams and reality crashing down. (Source: ANN)
The Paprika anime film was animated by MADHOUSE studios and directed by Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Paranoia Agent). It was based on an original novel by Japanese author Yasutaka Tsutsui (Tokikake, The World Sinks Except Japan).
Thoughts: I’ve actually watched both the anime and the novel. It is safe to say that many of the explicit scenes in the novel were obviously not present in the anime. It will be interesting to see what kind of film Peterson will come up with, considering his track record (He directed The Consequence, a German gay drama, as well as The NeverEnding Story) as well as the source material.