Studio Chizu's official website revealed that director Mamoru Hosoda's upcoming film, titled Scarlet (Japanese: Hateshi naki Scarlet), will feature Mana Ashida in the lead role of Scarlet and Masaki Okada as Hijiri. Along with the announcement, a new promotional image was presented that shows both characters on stage.
A
princess marked by revenge
The story
follows Scarlet, a brave princess whose father, the king, was
murdered. After failing in his attempt at revenge, he awakens in the
Land of the Dead, a chaotic world inhabited by souls who failed to fulfill
their wishes in life. In this kingdom, those who do not take their revenge
slowly disappear until they become "nothing". Thus begins a journey
without limits in which Scarlet will defy time and space in search of justice.
A unique
vision within animated cinema
Mamoru
Hosoda, recognized
for works such as The Girl Who Jumped Through Time and Belle,
directs and writes this new film, and is also the author of the original
concept. The director explained that Scarlet will not use
traditional 2D animation or CGI techniques in the style of Hollywood, but
instead bets on a completely new aesthetic. In addition, he announced that the
film will include elements of action and romance and is based
on a "universal classic".
Release
dates and international distribution
Scarlet will be released in Japan
on November 21 (local time), marking the first time a Hosoda film
doesn't debut in the summer. In the rest of the world, including Spain,
the film will hit theaters on December 12 (UTC+2).
TOHO will handle distribution in
Japan, while Sony Pictures will do the same internationally.
The company has also invested directly in the production of the project.
A new
milestone in Hosoda's filmography
The
production will be handled by Yūichirō Saitō, Hosoda's regular
producer and a key figure at Studio Chizu. The film promises to offer a visual
and narrative experience different from the director's previous works, further
cementing his reputation as one of the great visionaries of contemporary animated
cinema.
