Takashi Miike to Direct Vampire Gangster Film 'Yakuza Apocalypse'

It never takes long for Takashi Miike to start work on a new project. Basically, the prolific director gets around to about three or four films a year, barely taking a breath in-between. He recently completed Over Your Dead Body and now he's moving on to the next film, titled Yakuza Apocalypse: The Great War of the Underworld. If that title doesn't get you interested, nothing will.

Starring Hayato Ichihara, the film centers on Kamiura, a legendary gang boss seemingly incapable of being killed. He survives knife and gunshot wounds that would finish off a normal man, and the reason for his invulnerability is that he's a vampire. When Kamiura is finally killed by an assassin, his final act is to bite his feeble underling, Kageyama (Ichihara), giving him the power to seek revenge.

Miike's early films such as Ichi the Killer and Audition were crazy violent or just flat out strange, making him a cult favorite director across the globe. But of late his films have been a little more tame, and Miike promises that won't be the case with Yakuza Apocalypse....

Miike:  “Take a hike, boring Japanese productions! Against everyone’s wishes, I’m going back to my roots on this one, and plan to go on a real rampage with Yakuza Apocalypse. I hope my cast and crew, and even myself make it out alive." [THR]

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'The Outsider' Loses Tom Hardy and Takashi Miike

Ever since Andrew Baldwin's script for The Outsider landed on the 2011 Black List, it's been able to attract top notch talent to help fully realize it. Initially it was Michael Fassbender and Safe House director Daniel Espinosa, but that fell through for various reasons. But that led to the intriguing pair of Tom Hardy and prolific director Takashi Miike taking it on, and it seemed like that would stick with pre-production already underway.

Unfortunately that's not the case as Twitch says Hardy and Miike have now exited the flick, putting production on hold for now. Hardy was the first to go for unspecified reasons, and with Miike lining up numerous films for later this year he's taken this as a good time to move on. The story is actually really cool and seemingly perfect for them both, with the film centering on a former P.O.W. who rises in the yakuza ranks in post-WWII Japan.

The search is on for a new star and director but this is obviously a major setback and it may be awhile before we see The Outsider in theaters.

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Tom Hardy To Star in Takashi Miike's English-Language debut, 'The Outsider'

So what happens when one of Hollywood's most sought after actors teams up with the world's most prolific? We're going to find out very soon as Tom Hardy is about to team up with Japanese director Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer) for his English-language debut, The Outsider. 

Hardy had been rumored for the film last fall when Silver Pictures scooped up the rights to Andrew Baldwin's script. The original story would tell "an epic story set in post-World War II Japan, chronicling the life of a former American G.I. who becomes part of the Japanese yakuza." Miike has directed more than 60 films over the course of his career, routinely completing as many as four in a single year. His latest, Shield of Straw, was nominated for the Palm d'Or at Cannes.

For hardy, it's another role that shows his evolution and increasing diversity. He's currently filming Animal Rescue opposite Noomi Rapace, and will team up with her again in Child 44. Later this year he'll be seen in Mad Max: Fury Road, and has been eyed to star as Elton John in the musical biopic, Rocket Man. Shooting on The Outsider will begin early next year in Japan. [Deadline]

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Trailer Time: 'The Legend of Love & Sincerity', directed by Takashi Miike

Hey, another week has passed and so here's another new film from the prolific Takashi Miike(Ichi the Killer, 13 Assassins). The Legend of Love & Sincerity is based on Ikki Kajiwara's romance manga, Ai to Makoto, and it's basically one of those "two lovers from opposite sides of the tracks" stories. Emi Takei(Rurouni Kenshin) plays Ai Satome, the sweet and innocent high school girl who falls in love the delinquent Mokoto Taiga, played by Satoshi Tsumabuki.

Most amazing about the first full trailer that has now been released is the clash of styles Miike employs. Part of it looks ultra stylized and kinetic similar to his Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, yet others are very calm and serene, while even more look like something Adam Shankman might've directed.  I don't know how he can do so many movies at such a rapid clip and not see a drop off in quality.

The Legend of Love & Sincerity opens in Japan on June 16th, with hopefully an American run to follow. Miike will next direct a live-action adaptation of Lesson of the Evil. [ANN]

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Takashi Miike to direct live-action 'Aku no Kyoten'(Lesson of the Evil)

It's been a couple of weeks, which means prolific Japanese film maker Takashi Miike has probably finished three or four movies in that time. Actually he just completed his live-action version of the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney video games, which was preceded by three others finished flicks in the last year and a half, including the awesome 13 Assassins. Now he's adding one more, an adaptation of Yusuke Kishi's best selling graphic novel, Aku no Kyoten better known as Lesson of the Evil.

Originally released in 2010 to great acclaim, the story follows Hasumi Seiji, a smiling and beloved high school teacher hiding that he is a really a psychopath. When various problems, such as bullying and poor behavior, begin to run rampant in the school, he decides the best way to handle it is to kill off his students one by one. Seiji will be played by Hideaki Ito, who last worked with Miike in Sukiyaki Western: Django, a western inspired by the works of Sergio Corbucci.

Filming is set to begin in April, with the plan to have it ready by August's Venice International Film Festival. A Japanese release date is set for November, and hopefully this will crossover enough to at least get a limited run on our shores.  [Eiga]

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Trailer Time: Takashi Miike's 13 Assassins

I feel like such a slacker that out of all of Takashi Miike's numerous films, I've only seen two. Granted those two are probably his best, Audition and Ichi the Killer. That's all about to change as his latest film, 13 Assassins, is due to hit our shores on April 29th. You can already check it out On Demand, and if you've seen even a few glimpses of the previews you're probably as amped up as I am. Miike's ultra violent, John Woo on steroids style, meshed with the sword 'n samurai Edo era of Japanese history, should make for an awesome combination. A new trailer for the film has been released, and it's absolutely glorious. Check it out below, followed by plot!



Cult director Takeshi Miike delivers a bravado period action film set at the end of Japan’s feudal era in which a group of unemployed samurai are enlisted to bring down a sadistic lord and prevent him from ascending to the throne and plunging the country into a wartorn future.

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