'Fullmetal Alchemist' Live-Action Movie Release Date, News: Roadshow Set in December; First Look Photo of Alphonse Released
A "Fullmetal Alchemist" live-action movie adaptation will not be complete without the animated armor with a full-load of heart, Alphonse Elric. In a recent post on its official Twitter account, Warner Bros. Japan has finally revealed the first look photo of the titular protagonist's younger brother.
The image was released to commemorate the announcement of an official release date for the upcoming movie. It features Alphonse in his suit of armor, seemingly engaged in an intense battle with an unidentified opponent.
For fans who have been worrying about the quality of the movie possibly suffering from a low budget, they can lay their concerns to rest.Nerdist noted that the live-action adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa's popular manga series looked high-end based on the recently released photo and the teaser trailer that came out late last year.
Alphonse, for one, will entirely be portrayed in computer graphics, according to sources. Alphonse's voice actor has not yet been revealed. Meanwhile, his older brother, Edward, will be played by Ryosuke Yamada from the popular Japanese idol group, Hey! Say! JUMP.
In the source material, the Elric brothers tried to resurrect their dead mother with the use of a human transmutation experiment that backfired and ended up taking Alphonse's entire body away, while also snuffing out an arm and a leg from Edward. Edward managed to bind Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor, while he would have to make do with prosthetic metal limbs.
The story chronicled the brothers' quest to become State Alchemists and getting access to the location of the legendary Philosopher's Stone, which they believed could help them regain what they have lost. Their quest is further complicated by the web of lies, corruption, and murder they encounter along the way, which would eventually teach them to look beyond their own personal circle and get involved in a much bigger quest to protect the world.
The "Fullmetal Alchemist" live-action movie is scheduled to hit Japanese theaters on Dec. 1. Check out the official trailer posted on Zero Media's YouTube channel.