Yakuza Princess - What We Know So Far
A film that promises mind-blowing sword fights and bloody vengeance, "Yakuza Princess" is an upcoming Japanese-style action thriller from Vicente Amorim. The Brazilian director has a number of movie and television titles under his belt, including "Good," "Dirty Hearts," "Copa Hotel," "As Canalhas," and "The Division." Now, Amorim is dipping his toes into the pool of Japanese-action — and if the film's trailer is anything to go by, then fans are in for a real treat. Amorim made his passion for the project clear when he told Variety in April 2021, "I've been waiting to make a movie like this all my life."
"Yakuza Princess" is an adaptation of a graphic novel called "Samurai Shiro," created by comic book artist Danilo Beyruth. It is the story of a woman-turned-warrior who must fight against the dangerous criminals who want her dead, and anyone who underestimates her will regret it. Here is what we know about the upcoming film so far.
When is Yakuza Princess coming out?
The official release date for "Yakuza Princess" is in just a few short weeks, and set for September 3, 2021. It appears that the film will be skipping theatrical release and going straight to home distribution.
A Variety exclusive first reported that the movie was produced by Filmland Internacional and 20th Century Fox. It was then joined by XYZ Films, who oversaw the selling of distribution rights to Magnet Releasing (an arm of Magnolia Pictures) for release in the United States in March 2021.
"Yakuza Princess" is a collaboration between many diverse groups — with Brazilian producers, Japanese-style action, and filmed in the English language, it appears that the film hopes to be a hit with audiences around the world. President of Magnolia Pictures, Eamonn Bowles, told Variety: "'Yakuza Princess' is a wild ride of a movie. The Brazilian backdrop infuses the action with a totally fresh take on the genre."
Who is in the cast of Yakuza Princess?
There are a few familiar faces in "Yakuza Princess," including its star, Japanese-American singer/songwriter MASUMI. MASUMI began her musical career at a young age, and has described her music style as "Indie folk/pop" (via Artistetalk), and has toured internationally for several years, including as an opening act for recording artist Moby (via Variety). "Yakuza Princess" is MASUMI's first feature film.
Co-starring in the movie is veteran Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who is well-known for both his film and television roles. Meyers starred opposite Scarlett Johansson in the 2005 Woody Allen drama "Matchpoint," and played the infamous womanizer King Henry VIII in Showtime's long-running series, "The Tudors." Fans of the Discovery series, "Vikings," might also recognize him as Bishop Heahmund, who has a strong passion for life as well as religion.
Other actors featured in the "Yakuza Princess" cast are Tsuyoshi Ihara, Kenny Leu, Eijiro Ozaki, Mariko Takai, and Toshiji Takeshima.
What is Yakuza Princess about?
Orphaned as a child, 21-year-old Akemi (MASUMI) was hidden away for most of her life. One day, she is told that she has inherited ownership of half of the Yakuza criminal empire, which makes her a target for those who own the other half. Meanwhile, a foreigner named Shiro (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) wakes up in a hospital with severe amnesia. He joins forces with Akemi, believing that their destinies are entwined by a legendary sword (via Variety).
The screenplay for "Yakuza Princess" was co-written by Vicente Amorim, along with Kimi Lee, Fernando Toste, and L.G. Tubaldini, Jr. Amorim revealed to Variety that the creators went against convention in the making of the film. "In 'Yakuza Princess' we threw out the playbook and pushed the boundaries of genre all the way in a bloodthirsty action movie about a Japanese girl's coming-of-age and revenge," Amorim said.
"Yakuza Princess" will be available to view digitally across several platforms on September 3, 2021.