How does one even go about describing Takeshi “Beat” Takeshi anymore? He’s an actor, a filmmaker, a comedian, and at one point hosted cult favorite Japanese game show Takeshi’s Castle, better known here in the States as Most Extreme Elimination Challenge. There’s always been something offbeat about him, and that extends to pretty much every project he does. After a few years away, Kitano is getting back behind the camera for Neck, a samurai film that may be his last directorial effort.
Japanese magazine Josei Jishin (via Variety) reports the 74-year-old Kitano will direct Neck, a samurai movie that will star Batman Begins, Inception, and Godzilla actor Ken Watanabe. The film is based on Kubi, a novel published by Kitano, and centers on the real-life Honno-ji Incident, in which famed warlord Oda Nobunaga was assassinated at a temple in Kyoto in 1582. Akira Kuroswa’s classic Seven Samurai is said to be an inspiration.
Neither Kitano or Watanabe are strangers to the samurai genre. Watanabe really became known here in America for his role opposite Tom Cruise in 2003’s The Last Samurai. Kitano has starred or directed in multiple films, including playing blind samurai Zatoichi. He also starred in the cult classic Battle Royale. Kitano recently completed his trilogy of yakuza films with 2017’s Outrage Coda.