A24 Recruits An Incredible TV Director to Make a Samurai Film

A24 has a knack for scooping up talent. The production company is also famous for taking risks and leading many firsts in the film industry. Their bold behavior doesn’t seem to be changing, with projects like the second film by the divisive director of the analog horror film Skinamarink in the works. Now, the powerhouse production company is back at it again and this time they’re following the lead of a filmmaking master. According to Deadline, Los Angeles-based filmmaker, Hiro Murai is set to direct his first feature, an original samurai film that will be financed by A24 in partnership with producers and long-time collaborators Square Peg and 2AM.

Although he is making his feature debut, Murai has had an extensive career in producing and directing, with many awards under his belt. The Japanese-born filmmaker scored Emmy nominations for his work on FX’s show Atlanta, starring Donald Glover, who he also partnered with for several other collaborations. Murai worked as director and executive producer of both of Glover’s Amazon Prime Video projects, the music film Guava Island, which co-starred Rihanna, and the recent Prime Video series Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which gained him an Emmy nomination this year. The visionary has also gained another nomination for his work as executive producer of FX’s culinary series The Bear. Meanwhile, Murai has also worked on hit projects like HBO’s Barry and Max’s Station Eleven.

Murai’s accomplishments extend past the world of film and TV. The seasoned director and producer also worked with Glover on many of Childish Gambino’s music videos and even directed the Grammy-winning video for Gambino’s hit “This Is America,” which became a pop culture hit with nearly a billion views on YouTube. Other artists Murai has worked with to create stunning music videos include Earl Sweatshirt and Chet Faker, among others. Murai moves from one of the most accomplished TV careers in recent memory to an exciting movie project from one of the more visionary studios out there.

A Samurai Renaissance is Upon Us

While plot details are being tightly kept under wraps, according to the Deadline exclusive, Bushido is set to be “a high-stakes action film set against the backdrop of feudal Japan.” With the hype surrounding FX’s hour-long drama about samurai culture and feudal politics of early 17th-century Japan, Shōgun, still in the air, the announcement of Murai’s samurai film couldn’t be more timely. Shōgun sets an impressive precedent with 18 Emmys, making history as the first Japanese-language project to win for Outstanding Drama Series at the ceremony, so it’s safe to say audiences are primed for more samurai stories.

Bushido hails from a script by the acclaimed writer and director of The Standoff at Sparrow Creek,Henry Dunham. Producers include Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen from Square Peg and Julia Oh, Christine D’Souza Gelb, and David Hinojosa from 2AM. A24 is also set to release projects including Death of a Unicorne with Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, The Drama featuring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, and another Pattinson project, the new crime film inspired by NBC’s To Catch a Predator, Primetime, which he will also produce.