Shochiku, a major Japanese film producer and distributor, has announced its remake of “Cube,” a 1997 fantasy-thriller by Vincenzo Natali about six people who find themselves trapped in a maze-like cube and have to figure a way out, while evading fatal traps.
A Canadian production that premiered at Toronto, the original film became a cult hit in Japan following its September 1998 local release.
The remake stars Suda Masaki, Okada Masaki, Tashiro Hikaru, Saito Takumi, Yoshida Kotaro and the single-named Anne as the trapped six. The director is Shimizu Yasuhiko, whose credits include the 2019 shocker “Vice.” The remake was shot in October and November of last year based on an adapted script written by Tokuo Koji. Natali serves as creative advisor.
“Cube” will open on October 22, 2021 in Japan, with Shochiku distributing.
Courtesy of Shochiku
“No one can resist the powerful system of the Cube,” Shimizu said in a statement. “In making this film, it was as though we entered the Cube itself. (That was because we shot the entire film in one place.) We then had to confront ourselves. What lurks in the abyss of the self – hope or despair? You will soon be in the Cube with us. In fact, you may already be in it.”
Though the overwhelming majority of Japanese commercial films are based on local IP, including manga, anime, TV series and games, the industry occasionally reaches abroad for inspiration. One recent example is “Adult Situation,” the Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan remake of the 2016 hit Italian comedy “Perfect Strangers.” Opening in Japan on Jan. 8, the film is expected to finish with about $3 million at the box office.