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Keanu Reeves to Voice Lead in Japanese Stop‑Motion Feature ‘Hidari

The casting positions the feature expansion of a 2023 viral short for global reach.

Overview

  • The project, announced Sunday at the Annecy Animation Showcase in Cannes, casts Keanu Reeves as the lead voice in Hidari.
  • Director Masashi Kawamura is also the screenwriter, building the feature from his viral 2023 proof‑of‑concept short.
  • The story follows Edo‑period craftsman Jingoro Hidari seeking revenge with mechanical prosthetic arms and a wooden companion called the Sleeping Cat.
  • Producer Noriko Matsumoto’s Dwarf Studios leads a co‑production with Whatever and TECARAT, with financing from Questry Co.’s Tomonobu Ibe.
  • No release date has been announced, signaling the film remains in development for a global market push through this Japan‑led, international collaboration.