I know kung-fu – 47 Ronin news

In news that’s sure to please my brother, Carl Erik Rinsch has been announced as the director of Universal Picture’s 18th Century samurai epic, 47 Ronin.

Now personally I think one Ronan is bad enough, especially if it’s Keating, but this movie does sound exciting. 47 Ronin tells the famous real life story of a band of samurai swordsmen who avenge the death of their master in 18th Century Japan. So that’s a whole lot of swordplay.

It’s been filmed many times before, and even popped up as an explanatory speech in John Frankenheimer’s Ronin, but this time it promises to be different. Keanu Reeves adds his star name to the cast in what will be Rinsch’s first feature film. Best know for filming commercials, and dating Ridley Scott’s daughter, it will be interesting to see how he handles the big budget.

Wanted scribe Chris Morgan is on-hand with the script, promising Lord of the Rings-type high fantasy and Gladiator-type battle scenes, with a dash of 300. Universal is quite keen to start shooting right away, so expect to see a 2011 release.