| 47 Ronin | |
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Teaser poster |
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| Directed by | Carl Erik Rinsch |
| Produced by | Scott Stuber Pamela Abdy Eric McLeod |
| Screenplay by | Chris Morgan Hossein Amini |
| Starring | Keanu Reeves |
| Cinematography | John Mathieson |
| Editing by | Craig Wood |
| Studio | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 21, 2012 |
| Country | United States |
| Budget | $170 million |
47 Ronin is a 2012 fantasy-adventure film depicting a fictional account of the forty-seven Ronin, a real-life group of samurai in 18th-century Japan who avenge the murder of their master. The American studio Universal Pictures is producing the adaptation. The film is directed by Carl Erik Rinsch and stars Keanu Reeves and an ensemble of Japanese actors. Filming started in Budapest in March 2011; it moved to Shepperton Studios in London and will conclude in Japan. The film is scheduled to be released in November 21, 2012.
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The outcast Kai (Reeves) joins a group of samurai, led by Oishi (Sanada), who seek vengeance on Lord Kira (Asano), who killed their master and banished the group. The samurai embark on a journey whose challenges would defeat most warriors.[1]
47 Ronin is directed by Carl Erik Rinsch based on a screenplay by Chris Morgan and Hossein Amini. While the film is based on the true story of the forty-seven Ronin, it is a fantastical take, being set "in a world of witches and giants".[4] The studio Universal Pictures first announced the project in December 2008 with actor Keanu Reeves attached to star. Variety reported, "The film will tell a stylized version of the story, mixing fantasy elements of the sort seen in 'The Lord of the Rings' pics, with gritty battle scenes akin to those in films such as 'Gladiator.'" Universal planned to produce the film in 2009 after finding a director.[5] In November 2009, Universal entered talks with Rinsch to direct the film. For Rinsch, who has filmed "visual and stylish" blurbs for brands, the film is his feature film debut.[6]
In December 2010, the studio announced that the film would be produced and released in 3D.[7] In March 2011, four Japanese actors were cast alongside Reeves: Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi, and Kou Shibasaki. According to Variety, Universal chose them to make the story more authentic instead of choosing actors that would be recognizable in the United States.[8] Universal is providing Rinsch with a production budget of $170 million despite his lack of feature film experience, which The Hollywood Reporter considered to be a "large-scale, downright risky" move. Filming began on March 14, 2011 in Budapest.[9] Production moved to Shepperton Studios in the United Kingdom; additional filming in Japan is also planned.[2] Reeves said that scenes are filmed first in the Japanese language to familiarize the cast, and the scenes are filmed again in the English language.[4] The actors' costumes were designed by Penny Rose, who said, "We decided to base it on the culture and what the shapes should be—i.e., everyone's in a kimono—but we've thrown a kind of fashion twist at it. And we've made it full of color, which is quite unusual for me."[10]
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47 Ronin is scheduled to be released on November 21, 2012.[11]
The following films also about the forty-seven Ronin are the best known to the Western world.[4]