Netflix's new Devil May Cry anime adaptation was inspired by some of the most iconic Hollywood blockbusters of the early noughties, according to showrunner Adi Shankar.
In an exclusive interview with GamesRadar+ ahead of the release of the show, Shankar mentioned The Matrix and Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy among some of his biggest references while creating this new title in the beloved franchise.
"What I wanted to do with this was three things. First of all, the original anime was very much like a monster of the week-style format, until you got to the last three episodes – then it was an arc. But this one, I wanted it to feel like a giant movie, like a Hollywood blockbuster from between 1999 and 2004. References being The Matrix, Underworld, Bad Boys, Equilibrium – I could go on, and on, and on. But I wanted it to feel like a Hollywood blockbuster, and, really, I wanted the audience to experience Devil May Cry in that mold," he told GamesRadar+.
Shankar said he made the decision to set the story "in the real world" in order to approach it "with psychological realism". In this sense, another big pop culture reference came to mind.
"It was inspired by Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, because it's Batman – it's the Batman you know, [Nolan] didn't, like, make any wild changes or anything. But he's setting it in the real world, right? It's not in this, like, Tim Burton world. It's not in this Joel Schumacher world. It's not in a cartoon world. It's in the real world," the showrunner explained.
"The reason for that [decision to set Devil May Cry in New York City], actually, is the DMC franchise, at its core, is – the characters are all rooted in tragedy, their backstories are. So, I think moving into the real world allowed that tragedy to become even more relatable and even more grounded in reality, and grounded in psychological realism," he added.
The synopsis for the eight-episode show reads, "Sinister forces are at play at the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon hunter for hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck."
Devil May Cry will arrive on Netflix on April 3, 2025. Check out our Devil May Cry release schedule to know when all episodes drop on streaming, and see our list for the most anticipated new anime coming soon.
If that wasn't enough, we also have guides to the best anime and best anime on Netflix too to keep your watchlist stocked.
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