David Farnor | On 10, Dec 2021

Netflix has cancelled its live-action remake of Cowboy Bebop after just one season.

Based on the iconic anime of the same name, the space Western follows three bounty hunters, aka “cowboys”, all trying to outrun the past. As different as they are deadly, Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir), and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) form a scrappy, snarky crew ready to hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals — for the right price. But they can only kick and quip their way out of so many scuffles before their pasts finally catch up with them.

The series premiered on 19th November, where it proved divisive among fans of the original series. Much anticipated, the series has racked up around 73 million hours of viewing time, but its popularity fell after its initial weeks on the streaming service, rising from 21 million in its first week to 37 million in its second, before dropping to 15 million last week.

That drop-off has apparently proven too big for the show’s budget and marketing costs – now, Netflix has decided not to go ahead with any further episodes, reports The Hollywood Reporter, less than a month after it premiered. That rapid decision makes what was once an ambitious experimental commission a swing and a miss.

 

Watch: Full trailer for Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop remake

27th October 2021

Could Cowboy Bebop ever work as a live action series? We don’t have long to wait to find out, with Netflix’s remake of the iconic anime arriving on 19th November.

The action-packed space Western follows three bounty hunters, aka “cowboys,” all trying to outrun the past. As different as they are deadly, Spike Spiegel (John Cho), Jet Black (Mustafa Shakir), and Faye Valentine (Daniella Pineda) form a scrappy, snarky crew ready to hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals — for the right price. But they can only kick and quip their way out of so many scuffles before their pasts finally catch up with them.

Here’s the trailer:

 

Cowboy Bebop is available on Netflix UK, as part of an £9.99 monthly subscription.

 

Watch: First teaser for Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop

20th October 2021

Netflix’s remake of Cowboy Bebop arrives in a matter of weeks – and now, a first teaser gives an idea of what it’ll look like.

Based on the jazz-inspired, genre-bending anime, the series follows Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

Part Western, part sci-fi, part noir, the series stars John Cho in the lead role. He’s joined by Rachel House (Thor Ragnarok) as Mao, the Capo of the Syndicate’s White Tiger family, Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong) as Western lawman Chalmers, Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising) as Ana, the owner of Mars’ hottest underground jazz club, Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Broadway) as Ana’s right hand person, Gren, and Hoa Xuande (Top of the Lake) and Ann Truong (Hard Target 2) as Syndicate henchmen Shin and Lin, plus Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage) as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as bounty hunter Faye Valentine and Alex Hassell (The Boys) as Spike’s arch-enemy Vicious.

You can see them in action from 19th November, when the series premieres on Netflix. Until then, here’s the first teaser trailer:

 

Watch: Netflix unveils opening credits for Cowboy Bebop

26th September 2021

It’s only a matter of weeks until Netflix transforms Cowboy Bebop from animation to live-action, and we’ve now got a first proper taste of what that’ll be like with the opening credits now unveiled.

Based on the jazz-inspired, genre-bending anime, the series follows Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

Part Western, part sci-fi, part noir, the series stars John Cho in the lead role. He’s joined by Rachel House (Thor Ragnarok) as Mao, the Capo of the Syndicate’s White Tiger family, Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong) as Western lawman Chalmers, Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising) as Ana, the owner of Mars’ hottest underground jazz club, Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Broadway) as Ana’s right hand person, Gren, and Hoa Xuande (Top of the Lake) and Ann Truong (Hard Target 2) as Syndicate henchmen Shin and Lin, plus Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage) as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as bounty hunter Faye Valentine and Alex Hassell (The Boys) as Spike’s arch-enemy Vicious.

You can see them in action from 19th November, when the series premieres on Netflix. Until then – and until we get a first trailer. here are the opening titles, unveiled last night as part of Netflix’s online TUDUM event:

 

First look: Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop set for November debut

25th August 2021

Netflix’s new take on Cowboy Bebop will officially arrive this November and new images give us a first look at the live-action series.

Based the jazz-inspired, genre-bending anime, the series follows Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

Part Western, part sci-fi, part noir, the series stars John Cho in the lead role. He’s joined by Rachel House (Thor Ragnarok) as Mao, the Capo of the Syndicate’s White Tiger family, Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong) as Western lawman Chalmers, Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising) as Ana, the owner of Mars’ hottest underground jazz club, Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Broadway) as Ana’s right hand person, Gren, and Hoa Xuande (Top of the Lake) and Ann Truong (Hard Target 2) as Syndicate henchmen Shin and Lin, plus Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage) as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as bounty hunter Faye Valentine and Alex Hassell (The Boys) as Spike’s arch-enemy Vicious.

You can see them in action from 19th November, when the series premieres on Netflix. Here are the images:

 

Netflix expands cast for live-action Cowboy Bebop

22nd November 2020

Netflix is expanding the cast for its live-action Cowboy Bebop.

The series, announced last year, is a new take on the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

The hit Japanese anime first debuted back in 1998, directed by Shinichirō Watanabe and written by Keiko Nobumoto. The Western, sci-fi noir went on to become one of the most acclaimed anime ever made, spawning British dubs, two manga series and a film, and is regarded as one of the main gateways to anime for international audiences.

A co-production with Tomorrow Studios, Netflix’s live action version already boasts Watanabe as a consultant. Christopher Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok) will write the first episode and exec-produce, alongside Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio, who are also showrunners.

In front of the camera, John Cho will lead the show’s cast. Now, he’s got some company.

Rachel House (Thor Ragnarok) will play Mao, the Capo of the Syndicate’s White Tiger family, Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong) will play Western lawman Chalmers, Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising) will play Ana, the owner of Mars’ hottest underground jazz club, Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Broadway) will play Ana’s right hand person, Gren, and Hoa Xuande (Top of the Lake) and Ann Truong (Hard Target 2) will play Syndicate henchman Shin and Lin.

They join Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage) as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as bounty hunter Faye Valentine and Alex Hassell (The Boys) as Spike’s arch-enemy Vicious.

 

John Cho to star in Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop

5th April 2019

John Cho will star in Netflix’s live action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop.

The series, announced last year, is a new take on the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

The hit Japanese anime first debuted back in 1998, directed by Shinichirō Watanabe and written by Keiko Nobumoto. The Western, sci-fi noir went on to become one of the most acclaimed anime ever made, spawning British dubs, two manga series and a film, and is regarded as one of the main gateways to anime for international audiences.

A co-production with Tomorrow Studios, Netflix’s live action version of the series is already a hotly anticipated prospect, particularly with Watanabe on board as a consultant. Now, that prospect just heated up further with the news that John Cho will lead the cast.

Cho will star as Spike, an “impossibly cool bounty hunter with a deadly smile, a wry wit, and style to spare”. Cho is best known for his role in the Star Trek movie reboots, as well as the Harold and Kumar france and the recent hit film Searching.

He will be joined by Mustafa Shakir as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, who was one of the few honest police officers in the solar system before a betrayal robbed him of all that he loved. A jazz fan and Captain of the Bebop, he has been forced into a life of hunting bounties to put food on the table. Shakir is no stranger to Netflix, having starred in Season 2 of Luke Cage.

They are joined by Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as Faye Valentine, a bold, brash and unpredictable bounty hunter, who suffers from amnesia after years of being cryogenically frozen, and Alex Hassell (Amazon’s The Boys) as Vicious, Spike’s arch-enemy and the Syndicate’s most notorious hitman.

Casting for Radical Ed has not yet been confirmed.

Christopher Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok) will write the first episode and exec-produce, alongside Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio, who are also showrunners. Other EPs include Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios (Snowpiercer, Good Behavior), Yasuo Miyakawa, Masayuki Ozaki, and Shin Sasaki of Sunrise Inc, plus Tetsu Fujimura and Matthew Weinberg.

 

Netflix orders live action Cowboy Bebop series

28th November 2018

Netflix is turning Cowboy Bebop into a new live action series.

Based on the worldwide phenomenon from Sunrise Inc., Cowboy Bebop is the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

The hit Japanese anime first debuted back in 1998, directed by Shinichirō Watanabe and written by Keiko Nobumoto. The Western, sci-fi noir went on to become one of the most acclaimed anime ever made, spawning British dubs, two manga series and a film, and is regarded as one of the main gateways to anime for international audiences.

“Worthy of a place in the pantheon of Firefly and Star Trek,” is how we described in our review of the series, which is available in full on Netflix UK.

Now, Netflix is adapting the anime into a live action series. A co-production with Tomorrow Studios (a partnership between Marty Adelstein and ITV Studios), Netflix will handle physical production, with Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio aboard as exec-producers and showrunners. Also attached as Executive Producers are Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios (Snowpiercer, Good Behavior), Yasuo Miyakawa, Masayuki Ozaki, and Shin Sasaki of Sunrise Inc; Tetsu Fujimura and Matthew Weinberg, plus Christopher Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok), who will write the first episode.

Netflix has ordered 10 episodes in total, with Watanabe to serve as a consultant on the project.

 

Watch: Netflix unveils opening credits for Cowboy Bebop

26th September 2021

It’s only a matter of weeks until Netflix transforms Cowboy Bebop from animation to live-action, and we’ve now got a first proper taste of what that’ll be like with the opening credits now unveiled.

Based on the jazz-inspired, genre-bending anime, the series follows Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

Part Western, part sci-fi, part noir, the series stars John Cho in the lead role. He’s joined by Rachel House (Thor Ragnarok) as Mao, the Capo of the Syndicate’s White Tiger family, Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong) as Western lawman Chalmers, Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising) as Ana, the owner of Mars’ hottest underground jazz club, Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Broadway) as Ana’s right hand person, Gren, and Hoa Xuande (Top of the Lake) and Ann Truong (Hard Target 2) as Syndicate henchmen Shin and Lin, plus Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage) as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as bounty hunter Faye Valentine and Alex Hassell (The Boys) as Spike’s arch-enemy Vicious.

You can see them in action from 19th November, when the series premieres on Netflix. Until then – and until we get a first trailer. here are the opening titles, unveiled last night as part of Netflix’s online TUDUM event:

 

First look: Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop set for November debut

25th August 2021

Netflix’s new take on Cowboy Bebop will officially arrive this November and new images give us a first look at the live-action series.

Based the jazz-inspired, genre-bending anime, the series follows Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

Part Western, part sci-fi, part noir, the series stars John Cho in the lead role. He’s joined by Rachel House (Thor Ragnarok) as Mao, the Capo of the Syndicate’s White Tiger family, Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong) as Western lawman Chalmers, Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising) as Ana, the owner of Mars’ hottest underground jazz club, Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Broadway) as Ana’s right hand person, Gren, and Hoa Xuande (Top of the Lake) and Ann Truong (Hard Target 2) as Syndicate henchmen Shin and Lin, plus Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage) as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as bounty hunter Faye Valentine and Alex Hassell (The Boys) as Spike’s arch-enemy Vicious.

You can see them in action from 19th November, when the series premieres on Netflix. Here are the images:

 

Netflix expands cast for live-action Cowboy Bebop

22nd November 2020

Netflix is expanding the cast for its live-action Cowboy Bebop.

The series, announced last year, is a new take on the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

The hit Japanese anime first debuted back in 1998, directed by Shinichirō Watanabe and written by Keiko Nobumoto. The Western, sci-fi noir went on to become one of the most acclaimed anime ever made, spawning British dubs, two manga series and a film, and is regarded as one of the main gateways to anime for international audiences.

A co-production with Tomorrow Studios, Netflix’s live action version already boasts Watanabe as a consultant. Christopher Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok) will write the first episode and exec-produce, alongside Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio, who are also showrunners.

In front of the camera, John Cho will lead the show’s cast. Now, he’s got some company.

Rachel House (Thor Ragnarok) will play Mao, the Capo of the Syndicate’s White Tiger family, Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere, 12 Strong) will play Western lawman Chalmers, Tamara Tunie (Black Earth Rising) will play Ana, the owner of Mars’ hottest underground jazz club, Mason Alexander Park (Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Broadway) will play Ana’s right hand person, Gren, and Hoa Xuande (Top of the Lake) and Ann Truong (Hard Target 2) will play Syndicate henchman Shin and Lin.

They join Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage) as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as bounty hunter Faye Valentine and Alex Hassell (The Boys) as Spike’s arch-enemy Vicious.

 

John Cho to star in Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop

5th April 2019

John Cho will star in Netflix’s live action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop.

The series, announced last year, is a new take on the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

The hit Japanese anime first debuted back in 1998, directed by Shinichirō Watanabe and written by Keiko Nobumoto. The Western, sci-fi noir went on to become one of the most acclaimed anime ever made, spawning British dubs, two manga series and a film, and is regarded as one of the main gateways to anime for international audiences.

A co-production with Tomorrow Studios, Netflix’s live action version of the series is already a hotly anticipated prospect, particularly with Watanabe on board as a consultant. Now, that prospect just heated up further with the news that John Cho will lead the cast.

Cho will star as Spike, an “impossibly cool bounty hunter with a deadly smile, a wry wit, and style to spare”. Cho is best known for his role in the Star Trek movie reboots, as well as the Harold and Kumar france and the recent hit film Searching.

He will be joined by Mustafa Shakir as Spike’s ex-cop partner, Jet, who was one of the few honest police officers in the solar system before a betrayal robbed him of all that he loved. A jazz fan and Captain of the Bebop, he has been forced into a life of hunting bounties to put food on the table. Shakir is no stranger to Netflix, having starred in Season 2 of Luke Cage.

They are joined by Daniella Pineda (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as Faye Valentine, a bold, brash and unpredictable bounty hunter, who suffers from amnesia after years of being cryogenically frozen, and Alex Hassell (Amazon’s The Boys) as Vicious, Spike’s arch-enemy and the Syndicate’s most notorious hitman.

Casting for Radical Ed has not yet been confirmed.

Christopher Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok) will write the first episode and exec-produce, alongside Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio, who are also showrunners. Other EPs include Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios (Snowpiercer, Good Behavior), Yasuo Miyakawa, Masayuki Ozaki, and Shin Sasaki of Sunrise Inc, plus Tetsu Fujimura and Matthew Weinberg.

 

Netflix orders live action Cowboy Bebop series

28th November 2018

Netflix is turning Cowboy Bebop into a new live action series.

Based on the worldwide phenomenon from Sunrise Inc., Cowboy Bebop is the jazz-inspired, genre-bending story of Spike Spiegel, Jet Black, Faye Valentine and Radical Ed: a rag-tag crew of bounty hunters on the run from their pasts as they hunt down the solar system’s most dangerous criminals. They’ll even save the world… for the right price.

The hit Japanese anime first debuted back in 1998, directed by Shinichirō Watanabe and written by Keiko Nobumoto. The Western, sci-fi noir went on to become one of the most acclaimed anime ever made, spawning British dubs, two manga series and a film, and is regarded as one of the main gateways to anime for international audiences.

“Worthy of a place in the pantheon of Firefly and Star Trek,” is how we described in our review of the series, which is available in full on Netflix UK.

Now, Netflix is adapting the anime into a live action series. A co-production with Tomorrow Studios (a partnership between Marty Adelstein and ITV Studios), Netflix will handle physical production, with Andre Nemec, Josh Appelbaum, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg of Midnight Radio aboard as exec-producers and showrunners. Also attached as Executive Producers are Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios (Snowpiercer, Good Behavior), Yasuo Miyakawa, Masayuki Ozaki, and Shin Sasaki of Sunrise Inc; Tetsu Fujimura and Matthew Weinberg, plus Christopher Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok), who will write the first episode.

Netflix has ordered 10 episodes in total, with Watanabe to serve as a consultant on the project.

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