Is Hirokazu Kore-Eda eyeing a Cannes 2023 world premiere for his upcoming film “Monster“? It looks that way, as he’s already in post-production for the film, slated for a June 2 theatrical release in his native Japan. And as work on the film continues, more news on Kore-Eda’s collaborators breaks. Deadline reports that legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto joins the film, as well as “Shoplifters” star Sakura Ando.
That’s big news for “Monster” on two fronts. For one, Sakamoto was the first Japanese winner of Best Original Score at the Oscars in 1987 for “The Last Emperor.” Other memorable scores from Sakamoto include 1983’s “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” 1990’s “The Sheltering Sky,” and 2015’s “The Revenant.” “Monster” is the first time Kore-Eda and Sakomoto work together.
But Kore-Eda’s reunion with Ando proves just as intriguing, given the Palme d’Or win for “Shoplifters.” Kore-Eda had success with “Broker” last year at Cannes, too, with Song Kang-ho winning Best Actor at the festival for his performance in the film. Could Ando repeat that success if “Monster” premieres at Cannes this May? Plus, if Kore-Eda wins the Palme again with “Monster,” he’d join Shohei Imamura as the only other Japanese director to win the top prize at Cannes twice.
Ando joins a “Monster” cast that includes Nagayama Eita, Takahata Misuki, Kakuta Akihiro, Nakamura Shido, and Tanaka Yuko. Child actors Soya Kurokawa and Hinataare Hiiragi also star in the upcoming film. Yuji Sakomoto pens the film’s script, the first time Kore-Eda doesn’t write a screenplay for a movie of his since his feature debut, 1995’s “Maborosi.” Plot details for “Monster” are under wraps at the moment.
Genki Kawamura and Kenji Yamada co-produce “Monster.” Production houses for the movie include Toho, Gaga Films, Fuji Television Network, AOI Pro, and Bun-Buku. It’s the second time Kore-Eda and Karamura work together, after the Netflix series “Makanai: Cooking For The Maiko House,” which premieres on the streamer next week.
Additionally, here’s a Japanese teaser for “Monster” to drum up hype for the film. The 30-second doesn’t much away in terms of story, but it suggests Kore-Eda indeed eyes a Cannes premiere for his next movie.
