KOEI, Kou Shibusawa Production, and Kurosawa Production have joined forces to bring to fruition the film Oni (working title), based on a script by the late director Akira Kurosawa.
The three collaborating companies expand the film's scope into a variety of genres and media, starting with video game development. The video game based on the film, is for the next-generation successor to the PlayStation 2 video game console.
The project - including film production, video game development - has a total production budget of 3 billion yen. Film and video game revenues are projected to be 10 billion yen worldwide.
Oni is an action film, based on a script by the late, great director Akira Kurosawa. Amidst the conflict of the Warring Period 16th century Japan, a blonde-haired samurai warrior must discover his own destiny. Themes transcend to other Akira Kurosawa works, such as Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress.
To make the film a reality, his son Hisao Kurosawa and game producer Kou Shibusawa will complete the script. Oni marks the film directorial debut of Hisao Kurosawa, also the film production debut of Kou Shibusawa. The projected film release is in 2006.
KOEI will develop the video game to the film Oni. Koei has all video game development and other second-party licensing rights. The company is posed to release a wide range of products for the film Oni. Starting with video game development, Koei will expand the film's scope into a variety of genres and media.
The video game Oni will be a historical action title based on the film, for the next-generation successor to the PlayStation 2 video game console. Koei plan simultaneous theatrical and video game releases of Oni in 2006.
Koei is developing other media, such as cellular phone content, character merchandise, music, portraits, and books, in anticipation of Oni's release.
