Enemies Stand Face-To-Face In The First Photo From YAKUZA APOCALYPSE!
Director Takashi Miike is well on his way with another potential hit with his next film, Yakuza Apocalypse. Marking the acclaimed director’s latest “rampage back to the basics” with a script by Yoshitaki Yamaguchi, the film sets lead actor Hayato Ichihara as a gangster caught in the nightmare of his life when he finds out his boss is a vampire.
The film also stars Yayan Ruhian, best known for his memorable performances in Gareth Evans’ recent hits, The Raid and The Raid 2. “Miike is the first director I’ve worked with since Gareth Evans,” said Ruhian in a recent set report from Screendaily’s own Jason Gray. “Miike is very good with a unique character. Whatever I do, I make it fun for myself. I like Japan. I am making new friends.” Miike also clarified a bit more about the film’s setup and direction in the same report, adding “My aim is not to shoot an all-out action film. It’s not action per se that I’m interested in but what comes out of the struggle between the main characters”.
This week, Twitchfilm provided a bit more info from the production, including a brand new synopsis and first official below:
Akira (Hayato Ichihara) admires Genyo Kamiura who is the most powerful yakuza. Genyo Kamiura has been targeted numerous times, but has never died. He is called the invincible person.
Because of Genyo Kamiura, Akira enters the world of the yakuza. His yakuza colleagues treats him like an idiot, Akira can’t even get tattoos because of his sensitive skin. Akira becomes disappointed in the yakuza world, because it’s not like what he say in the movies. Especially, in terms of loyalty and charity depicted of the yakuza.
An assassin is then sent to take out Genyo Kamiura. The killers know that Genyo Kamiura is a vampire.
Yakuza Apocalypse is produced by Shinjiro Nishimura and is Miike’s latest return to the set with Ichihara since working on the 2008 film, God’s Puzzle. The film has since wrapped principal photography before being shopped at Cannes by Japanese distributor, Nikkatsu, and is now in post-production for release next year.
Ruhian is also set to star with Chilean action hero Marko Zaror in, One Good Thing, directed by Killers co-helmer Kimo Stamboel from a script by Twitchfilm founder and editor Todd Brown.