Keanu Reeves To Lead in dwarf studios’ Stop‑Motion Samurai Epic ‘HIDARI’

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Summary

  • Keanu Reeves will star in dwarf studios‘ full-length stop-motion samurai film HIDARI
  • The project expands Masashi Kawamura’s viral 2023 short into a 90‑minute feature
  • Reeves voices a betrayed craftsman seeking vengeance with mechanical prosthetic weapons

Keanu Reeves will be the voice of the main character, Hidari Jingoro, in the upcoming stop-motion samurai film HIDARI from Dwarf Studios. Producers revealed the casting news at the Annecy Animation Showcase, held during the Cannes Film Festival.

Okay, so I stumbled across this awesome short film called HIDARI on YouTube last year. It blew up – seriously, almost 5 million views! It won a bunch of awards at film festivals all over the world, too. What really grabbed me was the style – it’s done with this incredible stop-motion animation that looks like everything’s carved out of wood. The action was super dynamic, and everyone was asking for a full movie. Luckily, the director, Masashi Kawamura – he’s done a ton of cool stuff with commercials and music videos – listened, and he’s turned it into a 90-minute feature film. I’m really excited to see where he takes it!

Hidari Jingoro is a skilled carpenter who suffers a devastating loss when he’s betrayed during the rebuilding of Edo Castle – losing his mentor, his love, and his arm. He rebuilds his life with mechanical prosthetics and, alongside his friend known as the “Sleeping Cat,” sets out on a quest for revenge.

The movie is a collaboration between three major companies: creative studio Whatever, animation studio Tecarat, and the award-winning dwarf studios, who created the popular Netflix series Rilakkuma and Pokémon Concierge. Noriko Matsumoto is producing the film. While a specific release date hasn’t been announced, it’s expected to be available around the world after being shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

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2026-05-18 06:56