Tue, May 19, 2009 (3:42am EDT)
It has been known for a while that director Sion Sono has been put in charge of the English-language movie adaptation of "Lords of Chaos," a book by Michael Moynihan and Didrik Soderlind about the Norwegian black metal scene. Now, the film has found its star: actor Jackson Rathbone, who played Jasper Hale in last year's hit movie "Twilight."
Rathbone plays the part of Varg Vikernes, also known as Count Grishnackh. The musician became infamous in 1993 after being convicted of arson and the brutal murder of Øystein Aarseth, otherwise known as Euronymous of the band Mayhem.
The film marks the English-language debut of Sono, whose works include "Suicide Club" and the more recent "Love Exposure." Shooting is scheduled to start in Norway this September.
Rathbone plays the part of Varg Vikernes, also known as Count Grishnackh. The musician became infamous in 1993 after being convicted of arson and the brutal murder of Øystein Aarseth, otherwise known as Euronymous of the band Mayhem.
The film marks the English-language debut of Sono, whose works include "Suicide Club" and the more recent "Love Exposure." Shooting is scheduled to start in Norway this September.
Tue, May 19, 2009 (3:18am EDT)
Director Takashi Miike has been tapped for a big-budget adaptation of the Buichi Terasawa manga "Takeru." The film is being produced by Yoshiya Nagasawa and is squaring up to be an international collaboration.
"Takeru," set in a fictional world that blends ancient and futuristic Japan, follows a hero with superhuman powers in a battle against evil to protect the woman he loves. The manga has already been adapted as a video game.
The budget has been set for $30 million, and Nagasawa is reportedly aiming to assemble a pan-Asian cast featuring top actors from China, Korea, and Japan. The script is currently being written with filming expected to start in 2010. The movie's target release date is around the end of 2011.
"Takeru," set in a fictional world that blends ancient and futuristic Japan, follows a hero with superhuman powers in a battle against evil to protect the woman he loves. The manga has already been adapted as a video game.
The budget has been set for $30 million, and Nagasawa is reportedly aiming to assemble a pan-Asian cast featuring top actors from China, Korea, and Japan. The script is currently being written with filming expected to start in 2010. The movie's target release date is around the end of 2011.
Tue, May 19, 2009 (2:57am EDT)
The novel "Kanryotachi no Natsu" by Saburo Shiroyama is being turned into a live-action drama series on TBS this summer. The show will feature a strong lineup of well-established actors, led by Koichi Sato.
"Kanryotachi no Natsu" ("The Summer of the Bureaucrats") was originally serialized and later published in book form during the 1970s. The story focuses on Japan's economic boom following World War II. Sato plays Shingo Kazakoshi, a bureaucrat in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, which was critical to the nation's recovery.
With modern bureaucrats developing a negative public image and calls increasing for government reform, TBS producer Hideki Isano felt it was time to create a drama based on the novel, which showed the ability of dedicated bureaucrats to effectively shape the country's economic success. Isano said he also hopes to find some hint of a way out of the current recession.
Aside from Sato, the cast includes Kinya Kitaoji, Masato Sakai, Katsumi Takahashi, Katsunori Takahashi, Shiro Sano, Masahiko Nishimura, Tetta Sugimoto, Kazue Fukiishi, Yoshiko Tokoshima, and Tomiyuki Kunihiro.
Broadcast is set for Sundays at 9:00pm, beginning in July.
"Kanryotachi no Natsu" ("The Summer of the Bureaucrats") was originally serialized and later published in book form during the 1970s. The story focuses on Japan's economic boom following World War II. Sato plays Shingo Kazakoshi, a bureaucrat in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, which was critical to the nation's recovery.
With modern bureaucrats developing a negative public image and calls increasing for government reform, TBS producer Hideki Isano felt it was time to create a drama based on the novel, which showed the ability of dedicated bureaucrats to effectively shape the country's economic success. Isano said he also hopes to find some hint of a way out of the current recession.
Aside from Sato, the cast includes Kinya Kitaoji, Masato Sakai, Katsumi Takahashi, Katsunori Takahashi, Shiro Sano, Masahiko Nishimura, Tetta Sugimoto, Kazue Fukiishi, Yoshiko Tokoshima, and Tomiyuki Kunihiro.
Broadcast is set for Sundays at 9:00pm, beginning in July.
Tue, May 19, 2009 (2:03am EDT)
Actor Yo Oizumi (36) married a Fuji TV drama producer earlier this month, but next season he will be starring in a new series on NTV. He is set to play the lead in "Akahana no Sensei," which starts in July.
Oizumi plays a junior high teacher at a hospital giving instruction to children who are unable to attend school. He intends to bring them laughter and comfort, but with his lack of comic ability, nothing seems to work out right. His opposite is the elementary school teacher (Satomi Kobayashi), who is loved by the students, and the two of them end up constantly at odds.
The supporting cast includes Yu Kashii and Takaya Kamikawa, with students being played by Ryunosuke Kamiki, Kenta Suga, and the comedy duo Maeda Maeda, made up of two young brothers.
"Akahana no Sensei" will be broadcast on Wednesday nights at 10:00pm.
Oizumi plays a junior high teacher at a hospital giving instruction to children who are unable to attend school. He intends to bring them laughter and comfort, but with his lack of comic ability, nothing seems to work out right. His opposite is the elementary school teacher (Satomi Kobayashi), who is loved by the students, and the two of them end up constantly at odds.
The supporting cast includes Yu Kashii and Takaya Kamikawa, with students being played by Ryunosuke Kamiki, Kenta Suga, and the comedy duo Maeda Maeda, made up of two young brothers.
"Akahana no Sensei" will be broadcast on Wednesday nights at 10:00pm.
