Adam Wingard ("The Guest", "You're Next") is tapped to direct "Death Note", a big-screen adaptation of Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's popular manga of the same name. He replaces Gus Van Sant ("Good Will Hunting", "Milk"), AceShowbiz reports.

The Hollywood version of the Japanese comic book has been in development hell at Warner Bros. since 2009. Shane Black ("Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang", "Iron Man 3") was once attached to helm the upcoming flick, but he left due to creative differences.

The manga series centers on a high school student who could kill anyone simply by writing down their name on a supernatural notebook he found. Bodies pile up as he decides to clean the world from the people he deems to be evil, and cops starts tracking him down.