Last year's late-night drama series "Elite Yankee Saburo" is getting a movie, it was learned on Sunday. The film will feature the same principal cast as the drama, including lead actor Hideo Ishiguro.

The drama was originally based on a comedy manga by Shuji Abe about an awkward and nerdy boy who enters high school. He is unfortunately saddled with the legacy of his two older brothers, who were well-known delinquents, and consequently is misunderstood and labeled as an "elite yankee."

TV Tokyo aired the television series during Spring 2007 in the "Drama 24" time slot (Friday night at 12:12am), due to some nudity. This is the first drama series from that network to be turned into a film.

The movie will be directed by Yudai Yamaguchi, known for movies like "Jigoku Koshien" ("Battlefield Baseball") and "Cromartie High School." In addition to the original cast, actors such as yakuza/action-film star Riki Takeuchi will be making guest appearances.

Filming starts in the middle of this month, with theatrical release scheduled for next spring.