All articles by Jason Gray – Page 12
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Japan's Fuji TV to produce third Umizaru film
Fuji TV producer Hirotsugu Usui has announced a third sequel in the hit Umizaru marine action franchise. The news comes after two years of petitions by fans for a continuation in the story, leading Usui and the network to start work on a third installment. Umizaru 3 will again be ...
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Red Cliff to open Tokyo International Film Festival
John Woo's epic martial arts drama Red Cliff will be the opening film of this year's Tokyo International Film Festival (Oct 18-26). The news was announced at a Tokyo press conference for the upcoming Japanese release of Red Cliff on November 1.The film will be distributed by Toho-Towa and Avex ...
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Usen chief launches production and acquisitions outfit
Yasuhide Uno, CEO of Japanesebroadband giant and Gaga Communications parent Usen Inc, has set up a new independent production and acquisitions company.Uno has personally invested 100% of the $2.31m (Y250m) start-up capital in the company, dubbed U's Films Inc. The new outfit is completely independent of the Usen group.Former Gaga ...
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Studio Ghibli to train next generation of animators
Japan's Studio Ghibli announced plans today to open a training facility to foster the next generation of animation talent. Dubbed 'Ghibli West', the facility will open next spring in the city of Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. Toyota is also famously known as the birthplace of Toyota Motors.Prospective trainees will join the ...
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Tran to adapt Norwegian Wood for Asmik Ace, Fuji TV
Acclaimed French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung will direct an adaptation of Haruki Murakami's famed Japanese novel Norwegian Wood, to be co-produced by Asmik Ace and Fuji TV. Norwegian Wood tells the story of a businessman reminiscing about the intense romances of his university days, set against the turbulent student riots ...
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Arranged wins best picture at Japan's Skip City fest
US-based directors Stephan Schaefer and Diane Crespo's Arranged has won best picture at the 5th annual Skip City International Digital Cinema Festival (July 19-27). The accolade also carried a $92,700 (Y10m) cash prize by fest sponsor Sony. Arranged tells the story of two female teachers in Brooklyn, one Jewish and ...
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Japanese box office plummets 13.7% in first half of 2008
Japanese box office earnings for the first half of 2008 totaled $743.54m (Y79.83bn), a 13.7% drop from the same period last year, according to figures reported by media trade publication Bunka Tsushin.The total comprises grosses of the the top 13 foreign and local distributors in the territory, representing approximately 95% ...
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Naked Of Defenses picks up top prize at Japan's Pia fest
Japanese director Masahide Ichii's Naked Of Defenses won the Grand Prix at the 30th edition of the Pia Film Festival (PFF), which ran from July 19 to 25 in Tokyo's Shibuya district. A total of 15 films, both feature-length and shorts, were selected to screen in competition from 601 submissions ...
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Studio Ghibli's Ponyo claims Japanese summer box office crown
As expected, director Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated feature Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea claimed the number one spot atJapan's box office over the three-day holiday weekend (July 19-21), earning $14.84m (Y1.58bn) on 1.25 million (1,251,207) admissions Distributor Toho opened the Studio Ghibli film on 481 screens, the widest ...
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Japan sees increase in digital and Imax screens
Exhibition technology is accelerating in Japan with announcements of four new large-scale Imax screens and Japan's first all-digital multiplex. Major studio Shochiku has announced tech specifications of its new 10-screen multiplex, the Shinjuku Piccadilly, set to open tomorrow (July 19).In partnership with DLP market leader Christie Digital Systems (in Japan ...
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Japan's Movie-Eye Entertainment ramps up US releases
Japanese producer-distributor Movie-Eye Entertainment has unveiled its 2008-2009 line-up, which has a strong emphasis on foreign acquisitions. A total of 30 films were announced, comprising 24 foreign titles and six domestic releases.The eight titles slated for the remainder of 2008 include Tarsem-directed fantasy The Fall (Sept), Hilary Swank starrer P.S. ...
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Toei, TV Asahi set to co-produce Partners spin-off
Japanese studio Toei and regular television partner TV Asahi are planning to co-produce a spin-off to local hit Partners: The Movie. Entitled Partners: Investigator Mamoru Yonezawa's Case File (Aibo Series: Kanshiki Yonezawa Mamoru No Jikenbo), the story will focus on the character of the image and fingerprint expert who played ...
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Japan's Boys Over Flowers knocks Indy from top spot
Tokyo Broadcast System's Boys Over Flowers earned a huge $9.55m (Y1bn) on 805,000 admissions over the weekend, knocking Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull out of the top spot after only one week. Released on 400 screens by distributor Toho, per screen averages topped $23,880, the highest ...
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Toho-Towa extends Universal contract, unveils line-up
Japanese distributor Toho-Towa has announced the extension of its exclusive contract with Universal Pictures, as well as its line-up, until 2010. Toho-Towa's slate of 18 films consists predominantly of Universal titles. Upcoming 2008 releases include The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor (August 16) and Wanted (September).Announced for 2009 are ...
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Japanese star Koji Yakusho makes directing debut
Japanese actor Koji Yakusho, who starred in 1996 hit Shall We Dance', is making his directorial debut with drama Gama No Abura (Toad Oil), in which he also stars. Based on an original idea by Yakusho, the film tells the story of a father (Yakusho) whose son is seriously injured ...
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Skip City to open with world premiere of Yamada's Bunshichi
Japan's Skip City International Digital Cinema Festival has announced the line-up for its fifth edition, which includes the world premiere of Yoji Yamada's The Tale Of Bunshichi as the opening gala ahead of its local autumn release. As covered on Screendaily last September, the film was produced as part of ...
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The Magic Hour puts a spell on Japanese box office
Koki Mitani's gangster comedy The Magic Hour ruled the Japanese box office this weekend, knocking off The Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian after its two weeks in the number one spot. Opening on a wide 379 screens, The Magic Hour amassed $4.81m (Y506m) on 370,000 admissions, for a strong per ...
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Classic animationGhost In The Shell gets digital overhaul,re-release
Following a complete digital overhaul, Japanese director Mamoru Oshii's influential 1995 animation classic Ghost In The Shell is set for local re-release on July 12, Production I.G announced today. Although story elements remain unchanged, the new version takes advantage of recent technologies to incorporate 3D CG, add new digital effects ...
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Usen, NTT Docomo and KDDI heat up Japanese mobile movie market
Japan's biggest contents and mobile serviceproviders Usen, NTT Docomo, and KDDI are heating up the mobile phone market for feature films with new services and upgrades this month. Usen's Mobile GyaO service launched a major upgrade yesterday for subscribers to NTT Docomo's i-mode internet service to watch GyaO movie, animation, ...
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Astro Boy creator Tezuka's MW gets live action treatment
Legendary manga artist and animator Osamu Tezuka's MW is being adapted into a live-action film starring Hiroshi Tamaki.Based on a manga serialised in Big Comic between 1976 and 1978, MW stars Tamaki as a high level banker leading a double life as a calculating serial killer. He takes revenge on ...