Michael Mann has returned! HBO MAX has just released the trailer for Tokyo Vice, starring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe. Based on the Jake Adelstein non-fiction book of the same name, the series is set in the ‘90s, and follows Adelstein as he moves to Tokyo to work for one of Japan’s largest newspapers. Mann serves as the executive producer, and directed the pilot episode.
Here is the official synopsis: “Based on Jake Adelstein’s non-fiction first-hand account of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police beat, starring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe. The drama captures Adelstein’s daily descent into the neon-soaked underbelly of Tokyo, where nothing and no one is truly what or who they seem.”
Back in 2013, an adaptation of Adelstein’s book was in the works to be a feature film starring Daniel Radcliffe, but the project was eventually shelved. WarnerMedia green-lit the series in 2019 with a 10-episode order, and principal photography on the series began in March 2020, but lasted barely 2 weeks before COVID-19 shut down the world.
The show is co-venture between Endeavor Content and Japan’s Wowow. Kayo Washio, head of Wowow’s Los Angeles office said,
“‘Tokyo Vice’ is a true passion project for me as I’ve had my eyes on the material for quite some time and trusted business relationships with some of the key players involved for an even longer period of time. It is the type of story that deserves and necessitates this pedigree of creative talent assembled to bring it to life.”
The series is expected to have 8 episodes with a two-episode premiere on April 7th.
