Fans of the John Wick franchise can anticipate a new dystopian action film arriving early next year, as franchise creator Chad Stahelski returns with a project titled Karōshi, referencing the Japanese term for death from overwork. Lionsgate recently published a trailer for the movie.
Plot and Setting
The phenomenon of dying from excessive work affects various regions, including Japan, other parts of Asia, and Sweden, with physical causes typically involving stress-induced strokes, heart attacks, or suicide. Writer and director Takashi Doscher adapts this concept into a dark, futuristic corporate setting in Manhattan, centered around a fictional enterprise named Ikigai Technologies.
According to the official premise, Karōshi is an action-thriller set in a near-future Manhattan, where corporate loyalty and cultural tradition have reshaped everyday life. When a mysterious outsider infiltrates a powerful company after a worker’s death, he exposes the violent system hidden beneath its polished surface.
Cast and Production
Teo Yoo, known for Past Lives, leads the cast as a character named Hiro who seeks vengeance against the corporation. The ensemble also features Takehiro Hira from the 2024 miniseries Shōgun, alongside Giancarlo Esposito, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Richard Harmon, Isabel May, and Show Kasamatsu.
