From ancient Japan’s most enduring tale, the epic 3D fantasy-adventure 47 Ronin is born. Keanu Reeves leads the cast as Kai, an outcast who joins Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), the leader of 47 outcast samurai. Together they seek vengeance upon the treacherous overlord who killed their master and banished their kind. To restore honor to their homeland, the warriors embark upon a quest that challenges them with a series of trials that would destroy ordinary warriors.
47 Ronin is helmed by visionary director Carl Erik Rinsch (The Gift). Inspired by styles as diverse as Miyazaki and Hokusai, Rinsch will bring to life the stunning landscapes and enormous battles that will display the timeless Ronin story to global audiences in a way that’s never been seen before.
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”. 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. 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.
In December 2010, the studio announced that the film would be produced and released in 3D. Between March and April 2011, five Japanese actors were cast alongside Reeves: Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano, Rinko Kikuchi, Kou Shibasaki, and Jin Akanishi. According to Variety, Universal chose them to make the story more authentic instead of picking actors that would be recognizable in the United States. 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. Production moved to Shepperton Studios in the United Kingdom; additional filming in Japan was also planned. 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. 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.”
47 Ronin (2013)
Directed by: Carl Erik Rinsch
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rinko Kikuchi, Tadanobu Asano, Hiroyuki Sanada, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Screenplay by: Chris Morgan, Hossein Amini
Production Design by: Jan Roelfs
Cinematography by: John Mathieson
Film Editing by: Stuart Baird
Costume Design by: Penny Rose
Set Decoration by: Elli Griff
Music by: Ilan Eshkeri
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements.
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 2013
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