Update (4/7/17):
Looks like the editing alchemists over at Warner Bros. Japan have been hard at work. The studio has released two new official trailers for its forthcoming Fullmetal Alchemist film, which you can view below.
One has subtitles:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A92LMSgRiQM
The other does not and is remarkably similar save for a few shots:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZhOVnowpAM
Original Story (2/24/17):
If you were worried Warner Bros. was going to skimp on the budget for the forthcoming live-action Fullmetal Alchemist film, you can relax; they clearly spent an arm and a leg on this anime adaptation. While fans had previously seen images of the the titular alchemist, Edward Elric, Warner Bros. Japan had kept fans in the dark about his armored accomplice and younger brother, Alphonse Elric. On Wednesday, though, all of that changed as we finally got our look at Alphonse in all of his live-action glory via Twitter.
Image: Warner Bros. Japan
For those of you not in the know, Warner Bros.’ live action Fullmetal Alchemist adaptation is based on the manga of the same name by Hiromu Arakawa. The manga, which has inspired two incredibly successful anime series, tells the story of two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, whose attempt to resurrect their deceased mother using alchemy ends in disaster. Edward loses and arm and a leg, which are replaced by prosthetic metal limbs, and Alphonse loses his entire body, leaving him little more than a soul bound to a suit of armor. In order to reclaim their lost limbs, the brothers set out to become State Alchemists (which are basically the equivalent of science wizard cops in this world) and uncover the location of the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary relic that may help them in their quest. In the process, though, they uncover a web of corruption, lies, and murder that threatens the fate of the world itself.
The film, which was first announced last May, is set to hit Japanese theaters on December 1. Currently, there is no official plan to bring it stateside, but considering we eventually got Blu-ray releases of the live-action Rurouni Kenshin films, it’s a safe bet that Fullmetal Alchemist will get the same treatment.
Image: Warner Bros.
Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter (@Osteoferocious).