Ever since I picked up the game inspired by classic Samurai movies back in the summer of 2020 and spent the better part of three months diving into its rich world, lore, and story centering on Jin Sakai, I’ve anxiously awaited a film adaptation. One of the major games coming down the pipeline from PlayStation Productions is a movie adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima.
Given how cinematic Ghost of Tsushima already was, a film was a no brainer. So, when I found out that John Wick franchise director Chad Stahelski was the one leading the charge, I became extremely optimistic about the upcoming video game movie.
GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Movie Preview (2025) Epic Samurai Adventure by the John Wick Director
Here's what we know so far about the upcoming movie adaptation.
Chad Stahelski's Vision for Ghost of Tsushima
John Wick director Chad Stahelski was selected to direct Ghost of Tsushima in early 2021, which is a great pick given how much of a skilled action director he is and his ability to create beautiful imagery in violent, bloodied battles.
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Chad Stahelski, the director of the Ghost of Tsushima movie adaptation (image from Wikimedia Commons)
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Stahelski to discuss everything from the John Wick movies to his planned Highlander reboot, and I wasn’t going to let the conversation end before I brought up Ghost of Tsushima. It turns out the stuntman-turned-director was so taken aback by the game upon first playing it with creative partner Alex Young, he hit up Sucker Punch to talk about it:
We got in touch with Sucker Punch and I went, ‘Hey, I’m Chad Stahelski, I do the John Wick movies. I love the f***ing characters in your game. Like, I love this.
Last year, Chad Stahelski expressed his desire to shoot Ghosts of Tsushima in Japanese with a Japanese cast. “It’s character driven. It’s got an opportunity for great action, great looks,” Stahelski said. “And honestly, we’d to try to do it, all in character. Meaning, it’s a Japanese thing about the Mongols invading Tsushima island. A complete Japanese cast, in Japanese. Sony is so on board with backing us on that. I’ve been going to Japan since I was 16. I have a love of the country, love of the people, love of the language. To try to direct not only in my language, but someone else’s and culturally shift my mindset to bring apart that in a cool way that still entices a Western audience.” American audiences have become more and more accustomed to subtitles over the years.
When I asked him about the Ghost of Tsushima development process, Stahelski gave me an update that has me even more fired up, which is saying something because I’ve been OBSESSED with this project since hearing about it. What got me even more pumped was what came next:
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We have so many ideas for it. We’ve been developing it for two solid years and I really love it. We have a full script. We’re in full development right now. We’ve been in a very close partnership with Sony ever since we’ve been attached.
During an exclusive interview with Screen Rant for John Wick: Chapter 4's Oscars campaign, Stahelski offered an update on the Ghost of Tsushima movie. The director confirmed that the script is ready to go and that the creative team is "very close to getting our s--t together", acknowledging that they are currently waiting on the strikes to end before they can properly move forward.
We have a script, we're very close to getting our s--t together on that, as well. Development is always tricky, it's studios, it's strikes, and availabilities, and scouting. You have to will things into existence. I think the two things that I am closest and most interested in are Highlander and Ghost of Tsushima.
Hiroyuki Sanada: A Potential Addition to the Cast?
Hiroyuki Sanada, rumored to join the cast of Ghost of Tsushima (image from Wikimedia Commons)
Sony‘s upcoming Ghosts of Tsushima adaptation could get some serious star power as rumors swirl about Shōgun actor Hiroyuki Sanada joining the cast. While this is not a confirmation of Hiroyuki Sanada’s involvement in the Ghosts of Tsushima movie, it wouldn’t be the first time the Japanese actor teamed up with Chad Stahelski for an action showcase of epic proportion.
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After watching John Wick: Chapter 4 and its absolutely stunning Osaka Continental sequence, it’s easy to pick up on Stahelski’s admiration of the culture, as the extensive, and incredibly violent, set piece honors multiple aspects of Japanese life and history. Sanda played Koji Shimazu, the manager of the Osaka branch of the Continental Hotel, in Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4.
Elsewhere, Hiroyuki Sanada is reprising his role as Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 2, which will be released in theaters in 2025. Mortal Kombat 2 finds Simon McQuoid returning to the director’s chair for another tournament of champions with life-altering consequences on the line. Hiroyuki Sanada plays Yoshii Toranaga in the critically acclaimed drama series Shōgun. The binge-worthy series tells the story of a mysterious European ship stranded in a nearby fishing village discovered by Lord Yoshii Toranaga.
Would you be surprised if Hiroyuki Sanada joined the cast of Ghosts of Tsushima?
Potential Delays and Other Directorial Options
It’s official: John Wick: Chapter 5 is in the works with Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski both returning. However, this likely spells bad news for the Ghost of Tsushima movie that has been gestating for a number of years now.
In the early 2020s, Stahelski was giving semi-frequent updates on Ghost of Tsushima, but there was one problem. While Highlander began to move forward toward production at the end of 2023, there haven’t been any major announcements. Stahelski has also signed on to do a Rainbow Six movie, is rumored to be doing Marvel’s Blade, and now, perhaps more notably, he will direct John Wick: Chapter 5.
The new John Wick movie was announced at CinemaCon and while it’s immensely exciting, it likely hurts our chances of seeing the Ghost of Tsushima movie.
Is PlayStation going to want to keep waiting and hope that Stahelski doesn’t move on to Rainbow Six or Highlander after he completes John Wick 5? It’s hard to imagine!
While Stahelski is certainly one of the best picks for directing Ghost of Tsushima, he is clearly booked and busy. Even if Sony does opt to wait for him, it still means that the Ghost of Tsushima movie could be a 2028 or 2029 movie at the earliest.
Thankfully, Ghost of Tsushima has had a script, if not multiple, at some point. The film hired a writer back in 2022 and it wouldn’t be surprising if other writers have come in and taken a crack at it since then. That would at least help Stahelski get the ball rolling faster. However, it seems more likely a different director will probably come in and do Ghost of Tsushima which is mildly disappointing.
There are other great action directors out there that could probably do a good job such as Gareth Evans, but it remains to be seen who would accept the task.
Who do you think should direct Ghost of Tsushima if not Chad Stahelski?
The World of Video Game Adaptations
The world of video game adaptations has grown a lot since the start of the decade. It seems a lot of Hollywood studios have cracked the code on how to make solid adaptations with The Last of Us, Fallout, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie all being well respected hits that don’t compromise on what people love about the source material.
It’s one of PlayStation’s newest franchises and a follow-up is due out later this year via Ghost of Yotei on PS5.
Another thing we’ll have to wait to find out is if Stahelski’s adaptation will be in black-and-white like the game’s optional “Kurosawa” mode, which pays tribute to the legendary filmmaker responsible for many of the great Samurai films.
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