Famed movie producer Haruki Kadokawa is directing his first major-studio film in 15 years, it was announced on Tuesday. His last major work was "REX: Kyoryu Monogatari" in 1993, though he did also direct the small-scale 1997 remake of the "Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo" story. His new film is also an adaptation, based on a novel series by author Jo Sasaki.

"Warau Keikan" is one part of Sasaki's "Doukei series," which all involve the prefectural police in Hokkaido. This particular story is described as a suspenseful tale of an internal feud within a corrupt police force. Nao Omori has been cast in the lead role.

Kadokawa originally took on the role of producer, and a young director was leading the film. But that director produced a script for a gunfight-heavy action flick, far from the human drama that the story was intended to be. When Sasaki objected to the script, Kadokawa agreed to become the director, taking it upon himself to ensure that the film stayed true to the original. That decision happened just three weeks before filming started.

"Warau Keikan" is scheduled for release in fall 2009.