Veteran actor Sean Bean will star in a new fantasy movie, Knights of the Zodiac. Bean, 62, is best known for his roles as Boromir in the Lord of the Rings franchise and the honorable Ned Stark in HBO's Game of Thrones. The acclaimed English actor has also appeared in movies such as Patriot Games, Troy, and The Martian. Most recently, Bean starred in TNT's Snowpiercer series.

Bean returns to the fantasy genre with Knights of the Zodiac, a live-action adaptation of popular 1980s Japanese manga and anime Saint Seiya. Created by Masami Kurumada, the story follows a group of warriors called The Saints who get their power from constellations. The Saints aim to defend the reincarnated goddess Athena from other gods who want to rule the Earth. Netflix recently rebooted the anime into a 3D-animated series entitled Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya. The live-action project, which has been in development for years, also stars Mackenyu (Pacific Rim: Uprising), Famke Janssen (X-Men), and Madison Iseman (Jumanji, Anabelle Comes Home). The Witcher executive producer Tomasz Baginski is directing the movie.

According to THR, Knights of the Zodiac is finally wrapping up its production after suffering several delays. While the manga has been adapted into several series and other media, the live-action movie will serve as its origin story. Bean plays Alman Kiddo, the founder of the Knights order who recruits the orphan boy Seiya (Mackenyu) and mentors him as he embarks on his heroic quest.


Aside from its stellar cast, Knights of the Zodiac also boasts many talented people working behind the camera. The movie will be helmed by Baginski, a renowned Polish animator who also served as EP on Netflix's The Witcher. Meanwhile, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' fight coordinator Andy Cheng serves as the movie's stunt choreographer. A premiere date for Knights of the Zodiac is yet to be announced.

Interestingly, Hollywood adaptations of popular anime series have often been hit-or-miss, as seen with Netflix's Death Note, Alita: Battle Angel, and Scarlett Johansson's Ghost in the Shell. No doubt fans of Saint Seiya will be curious to see how Knights of the Zodiac will compare to the original anime. Because the Japanese series has built such a fantastical world, the upcoming movie must translate the essence of the original story while also making its own mark on the property. That said, Bean's inclusion in Knights of the Zodiac will surely draw audiences who are not yet familiar with the manga. His memorable performances in the fantasy genre, with iconic roles in both Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, make him the perfect actor to lead the live-action adaptation.