Japanese hero Lupin the Third going Hollywood

TOKYO (AP) - Master thief Lupin the Third, a comic book hero in Japan for more than 30 years, will soon make his Hollywood debut.

Gerald Molen, producer of the Oscar-winning Schindler's List, has acquired the movie rights to the work.

'As far as whether or not we know it will be a success, no one ever knows,' Molen said while in Japan recently to meet the comic's artist, Kazuhiko Kato.

Kato said he'd leave artistic control to the film professionals and insist on little else other than keeping the five main characters.

'I'm so thrilled I could fly,' he said. 'I want the film to continue as long as the 007 series.'

Molen declined to disclose monetary terms or the names of possible cast members for the movie, slated for theatres in a few years.

'We'll go home from here with a lot of wonderful ideas and a lot of enthusiasm and go to work,' he said.

Molen also produced the Jurassic Park films and Minority Report.

Lupin the Third, which began as a comic book in 1967, has inspired a TV cartoon show, which recently began airing in the United States on the Cartoon Network, and five animation films.
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Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky 4th wrote:

A live-action Lupin better not be anyone BUT Carrey or I'll be mad.

The creative part, though, comes from tossing up who plays Zenigata:

Last loopy fan-rumor had Armand Assante pegged

As long as Jim Carrey dosen't overact it might be