Magnet Releasing nabs Japanese action drama “Blade of the Immortal”May 15, 2017 - 11:18 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - “Blade of the Immortal”, which debuts in Official Selection in the Cannes Film Festival next week, is set for a theatrical release in North America. Rights to the film were acquired by Magnet Releasing from HanWay Films, Variety said. The action drama is the 100th movie to be directed by the prolific Japanese film maker Miike Takashi. It is also his fourth in the Cannes festival. Based on Hiroaki Samura’s long-running manga of the same title, “Blade” follows an immortal warrior who is enlisted by a young girl to avenge her parents’ slaughter at the hand of a group of master swordsmen. The screenplay was adapted by Tetsuya Oishi, with the film produced by Jeremy Thomas, Misako Saka, and Shigeji Maeda, with Warner Bros. Japan. Magnet, the specialty arm of Magnolia Releasing, plans to release the film later this year. Magnolia and Magnet have pre-bought two other Cannes titles: Arnaud Desplechin’s opener “Ismael’s Ghosts,” and Ruben Ostlund’s “The Square.” “Blade” stars Takuya Kimura (“Howl’s Moving Castle”) heads the cast alongside newcomer Hana Sugisaki. Sota Fukushi and Ebizo Ichikawa Min Tanaka and Tsutomu Yamazaki also star. The deal was negotiated by Magnolia co-EVP Dori Begley and Magnolia SVP of acquisitions John Von Thaden, with Gabrielle Stewart and Nicole Mackey at HanWay Films on behalf of the filmmakers. “Love and tears splatter with arms, legs and heads that are chopped and splattered. I hope the audience will be prepared for this,” said Miike. Top stories Ara Aivazian said Azerbaijan continues the traditions of Turkey after seizing territories and forced Armenians out. The creative crew of the Public TV had chosen 13-year-old Malena as a participant of this year's contest. She called on others to also suspend their accounts over the companies’ failure to tackle hate speech. Penderecki was known for his film scores, including for William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”, Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |