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EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures has set Gavin O’Connor to direct Yakuza, a contemporary Japan-set thriller for Imagine Entertainment. Brian Grazer is producing. The focus is an American intelligence expert who becomes embroiled in the affairs of a notorious yakuza godfather and finds himself plunged into the violent criminal underworld and toxic landscape of post-tsunami Japan.
The project originated at Imagine, with a script originally written by Aaron & Matthew Benay, and rewritten by Chap Taylor. O’Connor will rewrite the script with Josh Fagin, and Imagine’s Kim Roth and Sarah Bowen will be executive producers.
O’Connor, who last helmed Warrior, is separately attached to direct Neverland, a Channing Tatum-produced revisionist look at Peter Pan for Sony Pictures that has a Billy Ray script, as well as The Samurai, a spec script he wrote with Michael J. Wilson, for Warner Bros. He’s also fashioning the Walter Tevis novel The Hustler into a stage play that O’Connor will direct. He is writing that with his Warrior co-scripter Anthony Tambackis. He’s repped by CAA.
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“Warrior” was, in a word, great. O’Connor sure handedly delivered that movie, which was helped also by a standout script by the screenwriters. This Yakuza project is one he’s sure to knock out of the ballpark.
Great director — and even better person. The tribute and eulogy O’Connor gave for the UFC fighter Charles Lewis, who was an adviser for “Warrior” before being killed in a So Cal car crash, was deeply touching.
Good luck to O’Connor. He’s a director to watch.
Agreed on all counts. Have worked with Gavin and he’s a great leader and a talented cat. WARRIOR was phenomenal and I think he’s going to do great work for years to come.
Love seeing projects set in modern day Asia, especially with directors as talented as O’Connor
Damn Gavin O’Connor is HOT.
WARRIOR was one of the most overlooked under appreciated film of last year. Kudos, Gavin is sure to hit the Yakuza film out of the park!
And what, we haven’t had a film set in this world since possibly BLACK RAIN. Wasn’t there a Mickey Rourke one too?
Sure to be an intriguing film.
I think you may be thinking of Michael Cimino’s YEAR OF THE DRAGON. That was set in Chinatown in NY. Interesting film and Rourke was terrific.
remake of the Robert Mitchum/Sydney Pollack
picture?
Sure sounds like it!
And BTW, Mr. O’Connor: Please remember it’s pronounced YAH-ki-za, not ya-KOO-za.
i’ve seen this movie, it’s called Black Rain
let me guess, the lead will be some white guy? yawn, boring and unrealistic.
Here’s all you need to know about Hollywood:
“…finds himself plunged into the violent criminal underworld and toxic landscape of post-tsunami Japan.”
Post-tsunami Japan. Someone wrote that and has pitched it with a straight face.
cannot wait. it’s such a great arena.
The Last Yakuza LOL