Ghost of Tsushima Director Discusses Plans for the Movie

Plans for the Ghost of Tsushima movie adaptation were talked about recently by film director Chad Stahelski who shared some exciting updates pertaining to the authenticity the movie will strive for. That authenticity includes (for the time being) hopes to shoot the movie with a cast that’s entirely Japanese with the movie’s dialogue being written in Japanese, too. Stahelski spoke on the topic of subtitles and the relationship Western audiences have with them, too, while suggesting that if everything else about the movie works well, the creators can overcome the subtitle barrier other movies sometimes face.

Stahelski spoke to Collider about his intentions with the Ghost of Tsushima movie while breaking down the to-be-adapted story into its basic components. It’s a “typical mythological story of good versus evil, finding a man, watching him change the world or the world changes him,” according to Stahelski, a story that should be easy enough to understand regardless of the language presented onscreen. Stahelski reiterated his reverence for the legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, the same director who inspired Ghost of Tsushima’s cinematic style, and said that the team hopes to get the film right by doing it “in character” and that Sony was on board with that plan.

“So, I think if we did this right, it would be visually stunning,” Stahelski told Collider. “It’s character driven. It’s got an opportunity for great action, great looks. And honestly, we’d to try to do it, all in character. Meaning, it’s a Japanese thing about the Mongols invading Tsushima island. A complete Japanese cast, in Japanese. Sony is so on board with backing us on that. I’ve been going to Japan since I was 16. I have a love of the country, love of the people, love of the language. To try to direct not only in my language, but someone else’s and culturally shift my mindset to bring apart that in a cool way that still entices a Western audience.”

Continuing his comments about Western audiences, he said he feels viewers in that region are becoming more agreeable towards subtitled movies given the increased popularity in at-home viewings offered through Netflix and other streaming opportunities. With that in mind, he reiterated that if everything else about the movie clicks, people will in turn be more willing to head to theaters to see a movie like this.

“Will they show up in the theaters for that? I’m banking on yes, if everything else is there,” he said. “I think it could hurt me or hurt the property if you’re failing a little less in each, visually it’s not great, the action is okay, the story is not clear. Look, if I nail all the other bits, I think I can inspire you enough to get in the car and go to the theater.”

The Ghost of Tsushima movie does not currently have a release date.