Amblin Television’s TV series based on “Rashomon” has landed at HBO Max for development.
The project, which has been in the works since late 2018, will not be a direct adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s classic film, but will retain the key plot device. It is described as a drama centering around a grisly sexual assault and murder, and the unraveling mystery seen through multiple characters’ competing narratives.
The series has Billy Ray, whose recent credits include “Captain Philips” and “The Comey Rule,” and Virgil Williams writing. Amblin co-presidents of TV Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey will executive produce, along with Mark Canton of Atmosphere Entertainment, Leigh Ann Burton of Opus7 Entertainment, and David Hopwood.
“I am delighted to work with Amblin Partners and HBO Max to reimagine Rashomon for today’s audience. I am excited to see my dad’s vision through this inspirational story kept alive and made accessible to a new generation,” said Hisao Kurosawa, Akira Kurosawa’s son.
“Truth has become increasingly fractured in this age of cable news and social media’s “say it and it’s true” culture,” added Frank and Falvey. “Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece was not just a murder mystery; it was a revolution in storytelling, as cinema’s most impactful and influential early exploration of subjective points of view and flawed narration. Seventy years after the film’s release, the legacy of Rashomon is indisputable and its central themes more relevant than ever. Our series will honor the impact of the original work and explore the age-old concept of objective truth versus subjective perspective in our modern times.”
More to come…