Live-Action Adaptation of Manga Series ‘Kakegurui’ in the Works with Warrior Nun Creator [Exclusive]

Earlier this month we revealed that Warrior Nun creator Simon Barry is moving to his next project titled, BET. Now, we can confirm that BET is a live-action English-language adaptation of the Manga series, "Kakegurui" which has already been adapted into an anime series (2017) as well as a live-action TV series (2018) and theatrical films (2019 and 2021) in Japan.

As revealed earlier, the series is currently scheduled to begin filming on May 21, 2024, in Toronto, Canada, and will wrap up on July 30, 2024. It will be 10 episodes long with each episode being 30 minutes.

Written by Homura Kawamoto and illustrated by Tōru Naomura, Kakegurui is a Japanese manga series that takes place at Hyakkaou Private Academy, an elite school with a student hierarchy developed through gambling. Yumeko Jabami is a transfer student with a gambling addiction. By counteracting the cheating methods of other gamblers, Yumeko disrupts the students' success and status.

Earlier, we revealed the plot of BET that follows Keiko, a girl with a terrible secret, who arrives from Japan at an exclusive Boarding School for children of the global elite to disturb their lives and seek revenge for her parents' murders. She emanates a quiet mysterious vibe that pulls the other students to her.

It's obvious that there will be some difference between this adaptation and the original material or the previous adaptations. Since the new series is set in the US, the elite school, Hyakkaou Private Academy is likely to be renamed to something new. Similarly, the characters and their roles will also be adapted to the Western style. However, looking at the Plot of BET, the series will retain its Japanese flavor.

In the earlier article, we mentioned that the series is inspired by Manga books. It is about power relations, wealth, and social standing. The series, influenced by anime, will be fast-paced. A somewhat heightened appearance and feel will provide the performance with an epic, dramatic tone. A rich palette inspired by the Anime and Manga color scheme of red and black will dominate the appearance of uniforms, school decorations, banners and flags, and so on.

The leading characters of this series have been reportedly revealed, however the cast is yet to be announced. As the plot suggests, Keiko is leading the series, Harry will be another student in the same school who finds himself in love with the enigmatic and ruthless Keiko, Taylor - she is president of the Student Council and the true puppet master of the school, Mike - another student who is also the heir to a telco empire, but the truth is his father’s wealth comes from many means, not all of them legal, and Sammy - a clout-chaser who uses their classmates as content and one-off accessories in viral videos.

About Hyakkaou Private Academy - Hyakkaou Private Academy is like a regular school for the wealthy, but this school holds a unique tradition: gambling is everything. This school's student hierarchy is based on gambling rather than academic success or athletic ability. Students are rated based on their financial contributions to the Student Council, which supports a complex gambling system in which students freely gamble their fortunes against one another after class. Those who win gain fame, status, and connections, but those who fail and go into debt become slaves to the whims of the rest of the student body known as Pets, who are dubbed "Doggy" or "Kitty" depending on gender and are recognizable by a collar-like tag around their neck. Pets who are unable to pay off their debts by graduation are given "Life Schedules" that determine their destinies while they attempt to repay their debts.

Simon Barry is directing the series. Boat Rocker Media is producing the series. Kerry Appleyard, Nick Nantell, David Fortier, and Ivan Schneeberg are the producers.