Yeon Sang-ho returns to the “Parasyte” universe with “Parasyte: Tamiya,” a new live-action series starring Shioli Kutsuna for Netflix, airing in 2027.

The series marks another collaboration between Netflix and Yeon (“Hellbound,” “Parasyte: The Grey”), who developed “Parasyte: Tamiya” and co-wrote the script with Ryu Yong-jae. Wowpoint, the production company behind “Human Vapor” and Yeon’s “Parasyte: The Grey,” is producing. Kakimoto Kensaku (“Glass Heart”) and Nakagawa Kazuhiro (“Double,” “Bullet Train Explosion”) are directing.

“Parasyte: The Grey” spent four weeks on Netflix’s global top 10 non-English TV chart and peaked at No. 1 in 34 countries upon its release in 2024.

In the original manga, Ryoko Tamiya is a parasite who takes over the body of a high school teacher, initially violent and indiscriminate before gradually learning from her human environment. Witnessing a parasite and a human share a single body leads her to wonder if coexistence might offer her species a better chance at survival than conflict. “Parasyte: Tamiya” tells the story from her perspective, following the original human, the parasite that inhabits her, and the creature trapped between both worlds.

Kutsuna (“Sanctuary,” “Deadpool 2,” “Gundam”) plays Ryoko Tamiya in three registers: the original human, the parasite after taking control, and the parasite as he struggles to interact with humanity.

Yeon said, “His struggles over the nature of his own existence are what elevate the original ‘Parasyte’ from a simple hero-based manga aimed at children to something deeper. I think the anguish he experiences is the essence of ‘Parasyte.'”

Yeon was also asked about her choice of lead. “I’m sure it was a great challenge for Kutsuna as an actor,” he said. “I think he did a wonderful job of portraying the process by which a non-human creature comes to understand both humanity and his own existence.”

Regarding the choice of directors, Yeon said, “I chose these two directors precisely because they have very different styles and I had high hopes for a collaboration between them.”

Kutsuna said, “Ryoko Tamiya is the most challenging role I have played in my acting career. This series came to life thanks to the dedication of the entire cast and crew, who supported each other through every challenge along the way.”

Netflix Japan’s Sato Yoshihiro, creative manager for live action, added: “What makes a human being? ‘Can we live with beings different from us?’ “These questions posed by ‘Parasyte’ more than 30 years ago seem much more pressing for our modern society that has put non-sentient AI within our reach.”

The manga “Parasyte,” created by Hitoshi Iwaaki and published by Kodansha, has previously been adapted into a film series, an anime, and the Korean drama “Parasyte: The Grey.”