DreamWorks has landed the domestic distribution rights to the Japanese science fiction action hit, Casshern, which it will release under the banner of its specialty film division, Go Fish Pictures.
Casshern marks the feature directorial debut of acclaimed Japanese music video director, Kazuaki Kiriya, who also wrote the original screenplay. The pic employs a hybrid blend of anime, CG, stop-motion and manga-inspired live action to weave a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi tale of human survival. After 50 years of devastating war between Europa and the Eastern Federation, the planet has been ravaged by chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. A geneticist named Azuma brings hope in the form of a "neo-cell," which can rejuvenate human parts with no risk of rejection. But, of course, nature interferes with science to create a new kind of menace that forces the entire human race to fight an ultimate war against its own extinction.
The film opened to rave reviews and strong box office in Japan and has gone on to inspire an international cult following. It’s U.S. debut will most likely be a limited theatrical run followed by a home video launch. DreamWorks has not yet announced a release date.
Launched last year, DreamWorks’ Go Fish Pictures first released Satoshi Kon’s anime dream, Millennium Actress, and most recently introduced American audiences to Mamoru Oshii’s sequel, Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence.
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