Signed and Sealed: Spielberg's Dreamworks to remake the #1 film in Japan
DreamWorks to Remake Japanese Cannes Jury Prize Winner 'Like Father, Like Son'
12:47 AM PDT 9/30/2013 by Gavin J. Blair
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Hirokazu Kore-eda's family drama caught Steven Spielberg's eye at the Cannes Film Festival this year, where he presided over the jury.
TOKYO - DreamWorks has acquired remake rights to Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's Like Father, Like Son after the babies-swapped-at-birth story caught the eye of Steven Spielberg at Cannes this year, where it was awarded the Jury Prize.
Spielberg, who was president of the jury at Cannes, has not announced who will direct the U.S. remake. The Japanese film, which stars Masaharu Fukuyama, was produced by Fuji TV, Amuse Inc. and GAGA.
Following Cannes, there was much chatter that DreamWorks could pick up the remake rights to the film, and over the weekend, the two sides made the deal official.
"When I saw the film at Cannes, I was so impressed by its power to bring such a human story to the screen. Here at DreamWorks Studios, Stacey and our team recognized that it was a story we wanted to remake to bring to our audiences throughout the world," said Spielberg in a statement. "I thank Hirokazu Kore-eda and Fuji TV for giving us this once in a lifetime opportunity."
"I am honored that a company such as DreamWorks will be developing my film for American audiences. I’m looking forward to working with Steven Spielberg, for whom I have great admiration,” said Kore-eda.
Like Father, Like Son (Soshite Chichi ni Naru) opened in Japan on Sept. 28, released by GAGA, which will handle international sales along with Wild Bunch.
'Like Father, Like Son' Opens at No. 1 in Japan
6:39 PM PDT 9/30/2013 by Gavin J. Blair
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TOKYO - Like Father, Like Son (Soshite Chichi ni Naru) topped the weekend box office in Japan, pulling in $3.2 million (318 million yen) from 309 screens, putting it on course to be director Hirokazu Kore-eda's biggest commercial success.
The winner of the Cannes 2013 jury prize, the film stars Masaharu Fukuyama as the father of a 6-year-old boy he discovers was accidentally switched with another child at birth. DreamWorks on Monday picked up remake rights to the movie, which Cannes jury president Steven Spielberg said he was "impressed by."
Kore-eda has long been a favorite of the international festival circuit, particularly in Europe, but has struggled to attract audiences at home.
"I don't really mind if people don’t know my name, but if my films did better at the box office in Japan it would be easier to get them made. The balance is a bit off between how well my films do abroad and at home," he told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview before Cannes this year.
The combination of rock star-turned-actor Fukuyama in the lead role, the award at Cannes and news of the U.S. remake may well help the director's wish come true this time around.
Bowing at No. 2 on the weekend charts was local comedy The Apology King (Shazai no Osama), starring Sadao Abe as a professional teacher in the very Japanese art of saying sorry. Nobuo Mizata's irreverent farce, also featuring Yutaka Takenouchi, took $2.7 million from 312 screens.
Despicable Me 2 fell to third place after opening at No. 1 last weekend.
Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises dropped two spots to fifth place in its 11th week on the charts, while
Elysium fell to sixth in its second week in theaters.
The Wolverine and a local remake of Unforgiven starring Ken Watanabe continued their less-than-stellar runs at the Japanese box office, falling to the eighth and 10th spots, respectively, after three weeks in release.
Twitter: @GavinJBlair
Source: thr thr2
12:47 AM PDT 9/30/2013 by Gavin J. Blair
30 64 0 6 0 Email Print Comments
Hirokazu Kore-eda's family drama caught Steven Spielberg's eye at the Cannes Film Festival this year, where he presided over the jury.
TOKYO - DreamWorks has acquired remake rights to Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's Like Father, Like Son after the babies-swapped-at-birth story caught the eye of Steven Spielberg at Cannes this year, where it was awarded the Jury Prize.
Spielberg, who was president of the jury at Cannes, has not announced who will direct the U.S. remake. The Japanese film, which stars Masaharu Fukuyama, was produced by Fuji TV, Amuse Inc. and GAGA.
Following Cannes, there was much chatter that DreamWorks could pick up the remake rights to the film, and over the weekend, the two sides made the deal official.
"When I saw the film at Cannes, I was so impressed by its power to bring such a human story to the screen. Here at DreamWorks Studios, Stacey and our team recognized that it was a story we wanted to remake to bring to our audiences throughout the world," said Spielberg in a statement. "I thank Hirokazu Kore-eda and Fuji TV for giving us this once in a lifetime opportunity."
"I am honored that a company such as DreamWorks will be developing my film for American audiences. I’m looking forward to working with Steven Spielberg, for whom I have great admiration,” said Kore-eda.
Like Father, Like Son (Soshite Chichi ni Naru) opened in Japan on Sept. 28, released by GAGA, which will handle international sales along with Wild Bunch.
'Like Father, Like Son' Opens at No. 1 in Japan
6:39 PM PDT 9/30/2013 by Gavin J. Blair
12 22 0 0 0 Email Print Comments
TOKYO - Like Father, Like Son (Soshite Chichi ni Naru) topped the weekend box office in Japan, pulling in $3.2 million (318 million yen) from 309 screens, putting it on course to be director Hirokazu Kore-eda's biggest commercial success.
The winner of the Cannes 2013 jury prize, the film stars Masaharu Fukuyama as the father of a 6-year-old boy he discovers was accidentally switched with another child at birth. DreamWorks on Monday picked up remake rights to the movie, which Cannes jury president Steven Spielberg said he was "impressed by."
Kore-eda has long been a favorite of the international festival circuit, particularly in Europe, but has struggled to attract audiences at home.
"I don't really mind if people don’t know my name, but if my films did better at the box office in Japan it would be easier to get them made. The balance is a bit off between how well my films do abroad and at home," he told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview before Cannes this year.
The combination of rock star-turned-actor Fukuyama in the lead role, the award at Cannes and news of the U.S. remake may well help the director's wish come true this time around.
Bowing at No. 2 on the weekend charts was local comedy The Apology King (Shazai no Osama), starring Sadao Abe as a professional teacher in the very Japanese art of saying sorry. Nobuo Mizata's irreverent farce, also featuring Yutaka Takenouchi, took $2.7 million from 312 screens.
Despicable Me 2 fell to third place after opening at No. 1 last weekend.
Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises dropped two spots to fifth place in its 11th week on the charts, while
Elysium fell to sixth in its second week in theaters.
The Wolverine and a local remake of Unforgiven starring Ken Watanabe continued their less-than-stellar runs at the Japanese box office, falling to the eighth and 10th spots, respectively, after three weeks in release.
Twitter: @GavinJBlair
Source: thr thr2