Live Action "Lupin III" Film Slated for Summer 2014
It has been officially announced that a live action film adaptation of the classic Monkey Punch manga and anime Lupin III will be coming this Summer 2014. The film stars Shun Oguri (Gokusen, Captain Harlock) as the titular character.
Oguri is said to have underwent 10 months of action training for the role, losing 8 kilograms (about 17.6 pounds).
Included in the main cast are Meisa Kuroki (Space Battleship Yamato, Crows Zero II) as Fujiko Mine, Tetsuji Tamayama (NANA, Casshern) as Daisuke Jigen, Gou Ayano (Rurouni Kenshin) as Goemon Ishikawa, and Tadanobu Asano (47 Ronin) as Detective Kōichi Zenigata.
Additionally, the film will feature original characters played by various Asian artists including South Korean actor Kim Joon (South Korean Hana Yori Dango) and Thai actor Thanayong Wongtrakul (The Man from Nowhere), Australian Nick Tate (Return from the River Kwai), Thai actor Nirut Sirijanya (The Hangover Part II), and Thai singer Yaya Ying. Lastly, F4 member Jerry Yan (Meteor Garden) will playing as the movie's antagonist Michael Lee.
Ryūhei Kitamura (Godzilla: Final Wars, Azumi) is directing the film, and Mataichirō Yamamoto (Crows Zero, Azumi) is writing the script. The movie is reported to have took at least 4 years before it could start filming, two and a half years were spent on the scripts, in which original author Monkey Punch participated.
Apart from having an original story, the live action Lupin III film will feature how the main character met and form the team that we know now. Filming had already started last October 3rd and will continue in various countries including Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Philippines.
