The ever diligent Japanese director is lacing up his sandals and brandishing a katana sword for an upcoming remake of Eiichi Kudo's 1963 film Thirteen Assassins

The two producers behind this project are based in Japan and the UK. Japan's Toshiaki Nakazawa picked up this year's foreign-language Oscar for Departures, you might have heard of it, and has worked with Miike on Sukiyaki Western Django and The Bird People in China. The UK's Jeremy Thomas has a extensive experience with Asian cinema. He made Nagisa Oshima's Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence and brought Takeshi Kitano's Brother to the international marketplace. Having a western based producer behind the production should mean a greater chance of Miike's film traveling outside of Japan. Toho Studios has already bought the rights for the Japanese theatrical release.

Receiving a confidential order from a senior executive of the Tokugawa Sshogunate, 13 samurai warriors set about plotting to assassinate Matsudaira Nariaki, chief of the Akashi feudal clan who is extraordinarily cruel and lewd. The group has 60 days to achieve the goal by ambushing the Akashi procession returning from Edo after a one-year attendance. How can the 13 assassins, who are given only one chance and not allowed to fail, engage the 53-person procession and kill Nariaki? The assassins thrilling plan and actions reach the climax in a war of slaughter depicted with breathtaking, heroic reality. Plot Synopsis from Eiichi Kudo's film

HanWay films will be on the market floor in Cannes this week so we expect our Lord and Master Todd to come back with something, anything, to share. Filming begins in July!