The director and producerbehind mega-hit franchise BaysideShakedown are teaming again on culinary comedy drama Udon which is set to star Yusuke Santa Maria (The Negotiator).

The film, to be directed by KatsuyukiMotohiro and produced by Fuji TV's Chihiro Kameyama, revolves around a man who loseshis dreams, but rediscovers his roots in his hometown of Kagawa prefecture, in a bowl of noodles.

Production is scheduled tostart in mid-March in Kagawa prefecture for release on August 26 through Toho.

Fuji TV's 2006 feature filmslate also includes romantic drama Sugar& Spice: What Little Girls Are Made Of, starring actor Yuya Yagira, whofamously became the youngest-ever recipient of the best actor award at Cannesin 2004 for Nobody Knows.

Directed by Isao Nakae andproduced by Fuji TV's Toru Ota, Sugar& Spice stars Yagira as a young man groomed to be an ultra-traditionalsuitor by his grandmother, but ends up falling in love with a girl he meets ata gas station. Currently in post-production, the film is set for release inautumn 2006 through Toho.

Fuji TV is one of almost 100companies in the Fujisankei Communications Group and Japan's largest commercial broadcaster. With a largestable of talent and production facilities at its disposal, Fuji TV was thefirst broadcaster to have in-house feature film production.

The company has enjoyedgreat box office success with the BaysideShakedown films and related spin-offs and last year's Train Man. Its latest hit, SuiteDreams, has remained in Japan's top ten for nine consecutive weeks andgrossed over $48m (Y5.6bn).

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