Kokurojo: The Samurai and the Prisoner
| Kokurojo: The Samurai and the Prisoner | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Japanese | 黒牢城 |
| Directed by | Kiyoshi Kurosawa |
| Screenplay by | Kiyoshi Kurosawa |
| Based on | The Samurai and the Prisoner by Honobu Yonezawa |
| Produced by | Junyuki Shimoba Tsutomu Tsuchikawa |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Yoshihiro Hanno |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Shochiku |
Release date |
|
Running time | 147 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Kokurojo: The Samurai and the Prisoner (Japanese: 黒牢城) is an upcoming Japanese historical drama mystery film written and directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and based on the novel of same name by Honobu Yonezawa. It stars Masahiro Motoki, Masaki Suda, Yuriko Yoshitaka, Munetaka Aoki, and Ryota Miyadate.[1][2][3][4]
The film will be theatrically released in Japan by Shochiku on 19 June 2026.[5]
Plot
During the Azuchi era, Araki Murashige, a samurai who served Oda Nobunaga, eventually rebelled against his lord and barricaded himself within Arioka Castle. As the siege wore on, a bafflingly brutal murder occurred inside the castle walls. With no one able to solve the crime, fears and tensions are rising, Murashige turned to a man he himself had cast into a dungeon: Kuroda Kanbei. Regarded as one of the greatest military strategists of the Sengoku period, he began providing Murashige with clues to solve the mystery.
Cast
- Masahiro Motoki as Araki Murashige
- Masaki Suda as Kuroda Kanbei
- Yuriko Yoshitaka as Chiyoho, Murashige's wife
- Munetaka Aoki as Araki Kyuzaemon
- Ryota Miyadate as Inui Sukesaburo
- Tasuku Emoto as Saika Sagehari
- Joe Odagiri as Koori Juemon
- Yūsuke Santamaria as Akioka Shironosuke
- Mitsuo Yoshihara as Kawarabayashi Notonyudo
- Ryota Bando as Kitagawara Yosaku
- Yoshiyoshi Arakawa as Muhen
- Kiyohiko Shibukawa as Saika Magoroku
- Ikkei Watanabe as Takayama Dario
- Yoshimasa Kondo as Nakanishi Shinpachiro
- Toshihiro Yashiba as Ikeda Izumi
- Masatoshi Kihara as Nomura Tango
- Kochi Yamato as Itami Ichirozaemon
- Mutsuo Yoshioka as Mori Kahei
- Shusaku Kamikawa as Teraotoko
- Oshiro Maeda as Kuriyama Zensuke
- Bando Shingo as Oda Nobunaga
Production
Kokurojo: The Samurai and the Prisoner is a film adaptation of Honobu Yonezawa’s novel Kokurojo, which won the 166th Naoki Prize. Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa praised the brilliance of the original story, while also admitting to some personal apprehension, as this marks his first foray into both the period drama (jidaigeki) and mystery genres.[6]
References
- ^ "Kiyoshi Kurosawa Spins a Feudal Mystery In First Teaser for Kokurojo". the film stage. 21 January 2026. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "菅田将暉、連続で名軍師役 本木雅弘主演『黒牢城』で黒田官兵衛役｜シネマトゥデイ". Cinema Today (in Japanese). 20 January 2026. Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ "黒沢清監督「黒牢城」で時代劇初挑戦 主演の本木雅弘＆吉高由里子＆宮舘涼太と初タッグ - シネマ : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 23 January 2026.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (3 February 2026). "Kiyoshi Kurosawa's First-Ever Period Drama 'Kokurojo: The Samurai and the Prisoner,' Based on Award-Winning Novel, Boarded by Charades". Variety. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
- ^ "New Trailer for Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Kokurojo: The Samurai and the Prisoner, Premiering This June". 2026-03-10. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
- ^ "黒沢清×本木雅弘が初タッグ 戦国系心理ミステリー『黒牢城』映画化 豪華キャスト解禁". Crank-in! (in Japanese). 21 January 2026. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
External links