LONDON – Ken Watanabe will take the Clint Eastwood role in a Japanese remake of Unforgiven to be made by Time Warner’s Warner Entertainment Japan.
Korean-Japanese helmer Lee Sang-Il (Hula Girls, Villain), who brought the idea of the project to Warner in May last year, will direct Yurusarezaru Mono (A Thing That Can’t Be Forgiven), which like the original, will be set in 1880.
Watanabe will play a samurai with a violent past, who lives on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido with his Ainu (the aboriginal people of the island) wife, but is brought out of retirement for one last job.
Koichi Sato (The Magic Hour) will play the Gene Hackman role, while veteran Akira Emoto (Villain) will take the part played by Morgan Freeman in the multi-Academy Award-winning original.
The production, due to start shooting in Hokkaido this fall and set for a Japanese release in fall 2013, is the first local remake of an Oscar Best Picture winner.
Twitter@GavinJBlair
More from The Hollywood Reporter
-
prince harry
Prince Harry a No-Show on First Day of London Tabloid Trial, Set to Become First Royal to Testify in 130 Years
![]()
-
![]()
-
Tyler James Williams
Tyler James Williams Warns of the Danger of Speculating About Someone’s Sexuality
![]()
-
![]()
-
The Partridge Family
Danny Bonaduce Says He’s Getting Brain Surgery Following Neurological Disorder Diagnosis
![]()
-
![]()
