“The human whose name is written in this note shall die.” It’s the first and arguably most important rule of Death Note, a supernatural scrapbook that gives its owner the ability to play judge, jury, and executioner at a moment’s notice.
In the case of Netflix and Adam Wingard’s imminent adaptation, that grave responsibility – one which essentially allows its owner to play God – falls on the shoulders of Nat Wolff (The Fault in Our Stars), who portrays lead protagonist Light Turner.
Originally known as Light Yagami in Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata’s iconic manga series, Netflix’s decision to cast Wolff has been the source of controversy since the online streamer first cast, er, light on Adam Wingard’s R-rated interpretation. One person who is quick to play down those scathing accusations is seasoned producer Roy Lee, who considers Death Note to be an “interpretation of the story in a different culture.”
Whether you agree with Lee’s line of thinking is something we’ll leave to you, but ahead of its premiere in two months’ time, Netflix has conjured up the intense second trailer for Death Note, which finally offers up our first true look at Willem Dafoe as the all-powerful Shinigami, Ryuk. Standing at nine feet tall, Ryuk, with its arched posture and spiky anatomy, is like some kind of demonic porcupine, but one thing is immediately clear from today’s trailer reveal: Willem Dafoe’s deep, alluring voice is perhaps the perfect fit for the part.
Netflix will crank open Death Note in time for August 25th, and you’ll be able to catch another fleeting glimpse of Dafoe’s supernatural deity via the gallery below.
A student who discovers a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone begins a crusade against evil in order to rule the world as a benevolent human god. Then a deadly game of cat and mouse begins when a reclusive detective begins to track down the young man, attempting to end his reign of terror once and for all.
