Ghost Train Travels to the West
Steve Barton
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Another remake is on its way, this time of the 2006 film Otoshimono, aka Ghost Train. Read on for all the details you need. All aboard!
From the Press Release
Adding to its commitment to establish a cultural bridge between a consortium of Japan’s leading creative companies and prominent Hollywood filmmakers and studios, All Nippon Entertainment Works (ANEW) has partnered with the Hollywood feature film production company Depth of Field and Japan’s legendary movie studio Shochiku to develop GHOST TRAIN.
Based on the 2006 Japanese horror thriller OTOSHIMONO, GHOST TRAIN is a horror-themed tale tracking a mysterious force that invades an underground commuter train and terrifies its passengers.
The announcement of GHOST TRAIN follows on the heels of previously announced ANEW projects that include SOUL ReVIVER in association with Fields Corp. and filmmaker partners Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz of Bedford Falls Prods. and a live action remake of TOEI Animation’s robot anime GAIKING with producer Gale Ann Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment, Inc.
ANEW’s vision is to develop and produce adaptations of proven creative brands from Japan for the English-speaking market, bringing together top Hollywood filmmakers and studios with Japanese content owners and creators. ANEW expects to unveil several additional Japanese IP-based projects in upcoming months.
“Film projects based on, or inspired by, Japanese storytelling have been very successful internationally in recent years, and the adaptation of the fresh and original GHOST TRAIN for the English-speaking audience builds on this trend,” said Annmarie Bailey, ANEW’s Senior Vice President, Creative Affairs. “This property represents the first of several planned projects from a pool of the best Japanese-originated horror and anime properties that will benefit from Hollywood sensibilities and popular storytelling.”
Depth of Field’s Dan Balgoyen is overseeing the English language adaptation of GHOST TRAIN, which is being written by Josh Miller and Patrick Casey (“Golan the Insatiable” for Fox TV). OTOSHIMONO writer-director Takeshi Furusawa and producer Yoshitaka Ishizuka will also be involved in developing the adaptation. The producers expect to commence shooting in 2015 for a targeted 2016 release.
OTOSHIMONO (originally starring Erika Sawajiri, Shun Oguri, and Chinatsu Wakatsuki) centers on the disappearances and horrific challenges a group of commuters face after finding a lost ticket at a subway station deep underground. The film explores the value of family and friendship and the power of a past curse’s influence on these people’s lives.
“The original inspiration for OTOSHIMONO was numerous American horror titles, which makes this remake feel like a homecoming for the property,” Furusawa said.
“I’m very excited to see how the original version evolves in the American remake version,” Ishizuka added.
“Our new relationship with ANEW to co-produce GHOST TRAIN, marks a pivotal moment and exciting opportunity for all of us at Depth of Field to break new ground in bringing Japanese-originated properties to English-speaking audiences worldwide,” Andrew Miano said.
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