While Kiyoshi Kurosawa hardly leaves us wanting for new work—2024 saw the premiere of three projects, one of which landed high on our best-of-2025 list and another that’s still lacking U.S. distribution—at 70, his continued prolificacy is no safe bet. Today leaves me very grateful, then, that Shochiku has revealed the teaser and poster for Kokurojo, a feudal-era drawing-room mystery starring Masahiro Motoki (Shall We Dance?), Masaki Suda (Cloud, The Boy and the Heron), and Yoshitaka Yuriko (Himizu) that’s based on the award-winning novel by Honobu Yonezawa, who’d initially approached Kurosawa about an adaptation. The author’s gain seems ours, too: while cut lightning-fast and overlaid with obtrusive music, the teaser offers first images that are both Kurosawa-like in framing and bearing scopes and scales that seem new altogether. (Period pieces are not quite his forte, having only dabbled with Wife of a Spy.)
Here’s the synopsis: “Araki Murashige (Motoki) rebels against the tyrannical methods of Oda Nobunaga and launches a siege. The castle is surrounded by Oda forces, leaving him isolated and helpless. While keeping the hotheaded retainers in check, Murashige struggles to protect the castle and its people with the emotional support of his wife, Chiyoho (Yoshitaka Yuriko). One day, a young boy is murdered within the castle. After that, a series of mysterious incidents occur. The suspect is a retainer or family member inside the castle, which has become a locked room. Outside the castle are enemy forces. Inside the castle are traitors. As everyone becomes increasingly suspicious, Murashige attempts to solve the mystery with the help of Kuroda Kanbei (Suda), a dangerous and brilliant military strategist imprisoned in prison. What is the shocking truth behind the incident?”
Find preview and poster below (via Film Combat Syndicate):
