Movies

“One Cut of the Dead” director Ueda Shinichiro has expanded “Earthlings in Love” from a 30-part social media microdrama into a 111-minute feature film with restored material, additional filming and new theatrical pacing. The film is showing in the Nippon Cinema Now section of the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival.

Zeze Takahisa’s “Sukiyaki” will open the 39th Tokyo International Film Festival with the story of the creators behind Japan’s 1963 worldwide hit, known domestically as “Ue o Muite Aruko.” The film traces the song’s inspiration to the 1960 protests against the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty while exploring the trio’s creative partnership and personal conflicts.

Director Kore-eda Hirokazu said Japanese cinema is gaining recognition at international film festivals, crediting filmmakers including Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Fukada Koji as well as younger directors taking projects overseas. He spoke at a Kering Women in Motion event connected with the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Takeo Hisamatsu has returned to lead the Tokyo International Film Festival with plans to pursue a larger budget, deeper studio involvement and greater global visibility for Japanese filmmakers. His expansion agenda comes as the festival approaches its 40th edition.

Guitar Wolf will lead “Wild Zero Overdrive,” Takeuchi Tetsuro’s Japan-Canada follow-up to his 1999 film “Wild Zero.” Selected for this year’s Tokyo Gap-Financing Market, the project is seeking financing and distribution partners as Takeuchi updates the original film’s concept for the present day.

TIFFCOM’s exhibition space sold out early this year as more Japanese producers use the Tokyo International Film Festival market to secure partners while projects are still in development. Managing director Ikeda Kaori said the shift expands TIFFCOM beyond finished-content sales; last year’s market drew more than 4,600 professionals from 46 countries and regions, with attendance rising 13%.

Farzad Khoshdast’s documentary “Third Land” follows Iranian engineer Hamid, his wife, Hananeh, and their son as they face legal uncertainty, precarious work and prolonged delays in Turkey. The film is screening in the Czech Joy section of the Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival.

Takahisa Zeze’s Sukiyaki will open the 2026 Tokyo International Film Festival, with Junichi Okada starring as composer and jazz pianist Hachidai Nakamura. The drama traces the creation and international rise of the Japanese pop song “Ue o Muite Aruko.”

Indio Downey, the eldest son of Robert Downey Jr., will take on his first leading movie role in Love In Vein, an independent addiction drama adapted from Ryan Leone’s novel Wasting Talent. Written and directed by Will De Los Santos, the film follows Damien through addiction, romance and self-destruction in Los Angeles.

India’s international feature Oscar contender “Gondhal” has unveiled its global trailer as the Marathi-language thriller advances its campaign for the 99th Academy Awards. Set during one night in rural Maharashtra, the film marks the feature directorial debut of writer-director Santosh Davakhar.

Director Peter Berg says Paramount Pictures’ Call of Duty movie will portray soldiers as complicated people rather than comic book-style superheroes, focusing on the human cost of war. Written by Taylor Sheridan and inspired by the Modern Warfare games, the adaptation is scheduled for release on June 30, 2028.

Bloodious Games and Story Kitchen are developing a feature film set in the world of the psychological horror game “Madison.” The project is in early development, with no cast, director, screenwriter or release date announced.

Sinéad O’Shea revised the ending of her documentary All About the Money after central figure Fergie Chambers was arrested in Spain and became the subject of a U.S. extradition request. A new closing text card states that Chambers is imprisoned in Madrid as the United States seeks his extradition.

“Obsession” led the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards with five wins, including Best Wide Release, Best Director and Best Screenplay for Curry Barker, and Best Lead Performance for Inde Navarrette. The fan-voted horror awards ceremony premiered Sunday on Shudder and was hosted by Devon Sawa.

The Tokyo International Film Festival will reassess its position in Asia and on the global festival circuit after its 39th edition, director Hisamatsu Takeo said. The strategic review will guide next year’s 40th festival and could shape TIFF’s direction through its 50th edition.

Constantin Film and Sony Pictures’ “Resident Evil” horror reboot topped the mainland China box office for a third consecutive weekend, earning RMB37.6 million ($5.6 million) from Oct. 23-25. Its cumulative gross reached $64.8 million following its Oct. 5 rollout.

“Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island” retained the South Korean box office crown in its fourth weekend, claiming 44.7% of nationwide ticket revenue. The Japanese animated fantasy earned $2.5 million from 320,293 admissions, lifting its South Korean total to $17.5 million.

A24 gave Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim contractual freedom to abandon “You Can See Everything” if they failed to find a distinctive approach to the Elizabeth Holmes story. The agreement allowed the directors to investigate without forcing their material into a finished documentary.

“Miracle in Cell No. 7” director Lee Hwan-kyung has begun production on “Gasigogi,” an Indonesian father-son drama from Falcon Pictures. Vino G. Bastian leads the ensemble as Jiwa, a father fighting to save his son Juna, who has blood cancer.

Renate Reinsve embraces a restrained performance as Lisbet, a Norwegian mother of five facing state scrutiny, in Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord. The Palme d’Or-winning film has been selected by Romania as its contender for the Best International Feature Film Oscar.

Aaron Paul briefly appears in DC Studios’ Clayface as Matt Hagen’s father during a shape-shifting revenge sequence. Director James Watkins confirmed that larger flashback scenes featuring Paul were filmed but removed from the finished movie.