Ken Watanabe (Inception, Memoirs of a Geisha, Batman Begins, The Last Samurai) is set to play the Clint Eastwood role in a Japanese remake of Unforgiven.
Warner Entertainment Japan is behind the project, which will be directed by Lee Sang-Il and titled Yurusarezaru Mono (“A Thing That Can’t Be Forgiven“).
In the film, set in 1880, “Watanabe will play a samurai with a violent past, who lives on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido with his Ainu (the aboriginal people of the island) wife, but is brought out of retirement for one last job.”
Koichi Sato has been cast in the Gene Hackman role and Akira Emoto is set to play the Morgan Freeman part. Shooting will take place in Hokkaido this fall for a fall 2013 release date.
Eastwood’s 1992 original won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hackman), and Best Film Editing.
