Director Chad Stahelski Offers Update on His GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Movie - " We're Very Close to Getting Our Sh*t Together"

John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski has been developing a film adaptation of the epic video game Ghost of Tsushima and the last we heard, this could very well be his next film project. This is one of a few projects that Stahelski has been working on developing over the past few years. The others include Highlander and Rainbow Six.

The filmmaker has offered a recent update project and where it currently stands in the development process. He explained to Screen Rant that the script is done and it’s close to coming together. He said:

"We have a script, we're very close to getting our s--t together on that, as well. Development is always tricky, it's studios, it's strikes, and availabilities, and scouting. You have to will things into existence. I think the two things that I am closest and most interested in are Highlander and Ghost of Tsushima. Both amazing, amazing properties, the story of Ghost is, also, one of my favorite properties of all time." 

Stahelski previously talked about how this is a passion project for him. With this being a film he’s incredibly excited to make, I hope it’s the next one he tackles. It’s the movie that I want to see:

"One of my biggest passion projects is Ghost of Tsushima. It's getting everyone's head around that this is one of the most beautiful video games ever made, so it's a challenge to not do less than what the guys at Sucker Punch have done, to use an all Japanese and all Asian cast for the Mongols, and to get the whole rest of the world behind that, that's a cool thing to do. It doesn't have to be all subtitled, all in English, there's a way to express that. Anyone that knows the game, it's a fantastic story, it's an incredible myth, it ties into some very specific Japanese mythology, but at the same time, it transcends any nationality. I think it's one of the best video game stories [...] I'd like to do either one of those [next]."

During a previous interview, Stahelski talked to Joe Rogan to the game and said: “It’s one of the best-looking games out there. It’s got a great story.” As far as the story goes, he explained that it’s about Jin Sakai and the Mongol invasion of Japan and that they had to stop them on Tsushima Island. While the Samurai got their asses kicked, they “stalled them long enough for bad weather to sink them in the kamikaze, the typhoon that hit. He went on to say, “It’s basically the birth of the first shinobi about how we are asked to be something less than a Samurai but more than anything else to save his people.”

The story centers on centers around samurai warrior Jin Sakai, the last surviving member of his clan, who must set aside the traditions that have shaped him as a warrior to wage an unconventional war for the freedom of Tsushima.

In another interview, the director also said, “I love the property. The game story of Jin Sakai, and it being what I would say is, 'The most anti-samurai samurai movie out there,' because of the storylines, thematics in it, and the journey that Jin Sakai goes through [...] is so interesting to me. The characters in the story are definitely something I don't want to lose in any way.

When talking about the challenges of developing this epic story for the big screen, he said: "The trick is not do we have great material, we know we have great material. It's how to make it palpable in any platform. You know, how do we make a great two, two and a half-hour movie out of this? Make it satisfying and leave it open to expand further from there. That's the real challenge. How to take so much great and get it down to a watchable level."

Stahelski also talked about the project and the approach he is looking to take with it. He specifically talked about the amazing visuals of the game and how he’s going to try and exceed what the games did in his movie. He explained:

“Ghost of Tsushima is a really interesting story if you really dive into the tale of Jin Sakai and what the film is really about. And you tie him to these amazing visuals. You can already tell from the John Wick films that I love color and I love composition. To really try and not only live up to but exceed what the game has done with its visuals is completely fascinating to me. So that’s something we’re currently researching and working on. Like, how can you push the color palette? How can you bring that world to life in a very realistic and grounded way?”

He went on to share his vision for the movie, saying that it will feature "a complete Japanese cast, in Japanese." He also plans to create an authentic Japanese experience and celebrate his "love of the country, love of the people, love of the language." He said:

"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.”

He went on to say that Sony Pictures completely backs his vision for the film: "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.” He added:

"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."

This movie is going to be great and the sooner it gets made the better. We need another great Samurai movie!