Carl Erik Rinsch To Direct 47 Ronin

Carl Erik Rinsch To Direct 47 Ronin

By Peter Sciretta/Nov. 17, 2009 4:56 pm EST

Variety says that the film is a “priority” “large budget” project for Universal, which makes it all the more unusual that the studio is entrusting a first time feature director with the potential tentpole feature. Wanted screenwriter Chris Morgan has described the project as a “great, Gladiator-esque, 300-like big action movie with samurai and ninja.”

Based on a true 18th Century Japanese story, the film follows a band of samurai swordsmen who are shamed into becoming the titular ronin – a Japanese word meaning lordless samurai, and must avenge the death of their master. The construct a huge plan and sacrifice everything to see it through.

I was really excited to see Rinsch direct a sci-fi project, as his commercials suggest he would be great at creating imagery in that visual arena. I’m not sure how I feel about Keanu playing a samurai, but if the project is even half as good as Morgan is hyping it up to be, combined with the potential of Rinsch, count me in.