The live-action anthology Strange: Junji Ito's Tales for Sleepless Nights has moved from Japanese broadcaster TV Tokyo to HBO Max, where US viewers can now stream the first two episodes. The series adapts the manga artist's macabre short stories into 30-minute episodes, with New York Comic Con hosting the US premiere of "Face Thief."
Director Yûta Shimotsu said he deliberately changed the ending of "Face Thief" to differentiate the live-action version from the original 1987 comic. Ito himself described the story as "not a ghost, just a unique condition inspired by chameleon camouflage," and praised the adaptation for building "a slow creeping dream" rather than relying on jump scares.
For the business side, the HBO Max pickup reflects growing US appetite for international horror and established manga brands. Shimotsu said he hopes to shoot at least one season-two episode in black-and-white, Ito's preferred illustration style, and is also developing a Hollywood project. He named Uzumaki as his dream adaptation, noting the recent Adult Swim anime had a famously troubled production.