Home » Movies » Chad Stahelski Talks About Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima movie might become subtitled. Internationally renowned director Bong Joon-ho remarked to fans that “Once you break the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more fantastic films” back when the unexpected smash Parasite won the Academy Award for Best Film in 2020. Filmmaker Chad Stahelski (John Wick: Chapter 4) is now echoing similar sentiments in an exclusive interview with Collider, hinting that he will prove Bong wrong by filming the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima movie adaption fully in Japanese.

Akira Kurosawa’s collection of work served as the inspiration for Ghost of Tsushima, a PlayStation 4 game that was published in 2020 and has since grown to be one of the most praised and fastest-selling games ever, selling over 9 million copies in just two years. The game’s audio options included a Japanese track (with English subtitles) to give players a more realistic experience when taking on the role of a person from the 13th century in Japan. To the delight of video game aficionados, the movie’s adaptation starring Stahelski was unveiled earlier this year.

During a press event for Day Shift, the director spoke with Collider’s Steve Weintraub. He said that, like most of us, he is “very enthusiastic” about the Ghost of Tsushima adaptation. He spoke first, explaining his motivation for taking on the project and his intention to shoot the movie in Japanese.

“Honestly, it’s probably the same things that would scare the shit out of most people. It’s a fantasy period piece. It’s done with reverence to Akira Kurosawa, who’s probably in the top five biggest influences of my life as far as film goes. It’s a chance to push technology and people in a story that’s timeless. It’s your typical mythological story of good versus evil, finding a man, watching him change the world or the world changes him. It’s all the Joseph Campbell stuff that you’d love in a story. You put that in with, obviously, so I’m told I have a bit of a Samurai fetish, which is probably true from Manga and anime and stuff.”

“So, I think if we did this right, it would be visually stunning. 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.”

Additionally, statistically, subtitled movies have had trouble at the box office even though Parasite and Netflix’s Squid Game have demonstrated that Americans would read subtitles with the right content. This is what Stahelski is aware of, and this is why he believes they can succeed with Ghost of Tsushima:

“I thought about that a lot what you’re talking about. If you come into my offices in Manhattan Beach, I have an entire walls and hallways of frames from the best silent films of all time. Fatty Arbuckle to Buster Keaton. To Charlie Chaplin. To the Keystone Cops. Look, I believe in that. I believe that’s why Jackie Chan was successful is you didn’t have to speak Cantonese or Mandarin to get him. You saw it on his face.”

“There’s a way to direct actors. There’s a way to do it. Where a look can mean a look which can mean a look, which mean there are a lot of ways to do it. So, part of the challenge, not to jump over your question, but look, I think there’s a way to do it. And a way to direct the cast and a way to mellow dramatically enhance facial performance. So, if I turn the sound off, I want you to know what the scene is about, in whatever language.”

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