Earlier this month there was news that the Wachowski Brothers had cast South Korean singer Rain to play the lead in their movie, a ninja film called “Ninja Assassin” (here). But wait, is the movie they’re planning to do, to be directed by James McTeigue, actually a live-action version of the 1993 cult anime title “Ninja Scroll”?

Kung Fu Rodeo thinks so:

Well, rumor has it that the Wachowski siblings are working on a live action version of the classic anime, and this casting list that’s popped up is supposedly for the flick. They’re referring to the movie as “Ninja Assassins,” but it’s pretty typical for codenames to be used at this point in a movie’s production. Korean pop-star Rain is already signed to star (and is making an appearance in the Speed Racer movie) and James McTiegue will be directing.

The above site also a casting list fro mthe movie, and the clincher is this character: “Teenage Jubei, Male, 15-17yrs”.

Fans of “Ninja Scroll” will know that the lead in that film, a vagabond swordsman is also named Jubei (below pic), although as far as I know, he was never a ninja, but of course they could change that for the movie.

If this is indeed a live-action version of “Ninja Scroll”, here is your plot for the anime from IMDB.com:

A ninja-for-hire is forced into fighting an old nemesis who is bent on overthrowing the Japanese government. His nemesis is also the leader of a group of demons each with superhuman powers.

As I mentioned, Jubei was never really a ninja (or at least, he didn’t dress like one), and it’s one of the best animes I’ve seen, full of insane action, sex, and crazy demon characters. A live-action version of this movie would just be utterly insane if the Wachowskis go full bore. It sure as heck won’t be no “Speed Racer”, that’s for sure.