Keanu Reeves lends voice to Japanese stop-motion revenge epic

Japanese filmmaker Masashi Kawamura has secured Keanu Reeves to voice the lead character in a forthcoming feature-length stop-motion film adaptation of his viral short, 'Hidari.' The narrative, which Kawamura likens to a 'John Wick feel,' centers on Jingoro, a craftsman seeking vengeance after suffering profound personal losses and betrayal. Inspired by the legendary Edo-era sculptor Jingoro Hidari, the protagonist wields extraordinary carpentry skills and lethal mechanical prosthetic arms to achieve justice.

Kawamura's initial five-minute proof of concept, which has amassed five million views on YouTube, was instrumental in attracting Reeves to the project. This feature marks Kawamura's directorial debut in filmmaking, with an original script devoid of existing intellectual property. The production aims to harness the unique tactile presence and visual complexity achievable through stop-motion animation, a medium Kawamura deeply admires for its use of real objects.

The film's visual aesthetic draws heavily on Japanese culture and history, with a particular focus on wood as the primary material. A key element is Jingoro's 'Sleeping Cat' sculpture, famously housed at the Tōshōgū Shrine in Nikkō, Japan. Kawamura and producer Noriko Matsumoto are actively engaging with international partners to bring 'Hidari' into full production, with Reeves contributing significantly to the project's development.