Death Note is taking a beating by the critics. The show debuted on Netflix Instant this week, and things aren’t looking good. This is the beauty of Netflix debuts, though. If the show does well with ratings, Death Note may get a sequel, despite the bad reviews.
In a recent interview with THR, Adam Wingard (Your Next, The Guest) says that Netflix is keen on making at least two more films if enough people check out:
“When I went to Netflix initially, I pitched it as at least a two-film series, maybe three, knowing this was the origin story. We definitely designed the film so it plays a closed loop. Sequels are never guaranteed. They have to be earned…
…At the end of the day, there are a lot of places to explore where to take Light. And ultimately the series is sort of about almost his downfall as a character.
This is sort of the beginning of it or the origin of it. There are definitely lots of places to go, and we know generally where we would take it. Hopefully people will watch it and Netflix will order a sequel. They definitely are ready to. They just need people to watch it.”
The show recently came under fire for its supposed whitewashing. The consensus amongst critics is that the show is too ambitious, and is trying to squeeze too much into its timeframe. Time will tell if Death Note will get enough views to sustain the franchise.
Based on the famous Japanese manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Death Note follows a high school student who comes across a supernatural notebook, realizing it holds within it a great power; if the owner inscribes someone’s name into it while picturing their face, he or she will die. Intoxicated with his new godlike abilities, the young man begins to kill those he deems unworthy of life.
