'Look Back' Manga Movie: Kore-eda Directs! Teaser Posters Revealed!

Hirokazu Kore-eda, the acclaimed director behind the Palme d’Or winner "Shoplifters," is taking on a new challenge: a live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga "Look Back." The film is currently in post-production and slated for release in late 2026, which, admittedly, feels like a lifetime away.

'Look Back' Manga Movie: Kore-eda Directs! Teaser ...

For those unfamiliar, "Look Back" is a coming-of-age story that resonated deeply with readers when it was originally published on Shonen Jump+ in 2021. It follows two young women driven by their shared passion for creating manga. The manga's exploration of artistic ambition, self-doubt, and the struggles of creative collaboration clearly struck a chord, and it will be interesting to see how Kore-eda translates that to the screen.

The film, interestingly enough, was filmed under wraps in Nikaho City. Daiju Koide is producing under the K2 Pictures banner, which will also handle the distribution in Japan. Thankfully, it won't just be a Japanese release – distribution rights have also been snapped up in Taiwan and South Korea. Goodfellas is managing international sales outside of Asia, so hopefully, we'll get to see this in North America as well.

Kore-eda's own words reveal a genuine connection to the source material. He described stumbling upon the manga at Shinagawa Station, drawn in by the figure on the cover. "That night, I read it in one sitting," he said. "Though manga and film are different genres, as a fellow creator, I felt the desperate resolve behind this work... I could feel, almost painfully, that Mr. Fujimoto simply couldn’t move forward without creating this piece." He even compared it to his own deeply personal film, "Nobody Knows," which makes this project seem like a perfect fit for his directorial style.

Fujimoto himself seems more than happy with the choice of director. "If director Kore-eda is going to film 'Look Back,' I have nothing more to say. I’m looking forward to it!" That’s quite an endorsement from the creator himself! Fujimoto, of course, is a name synonymous with dark and compelling narratives, with works like "Fire Punch" and the mega-hit "Chainsaw Man" under his belt. "Chainsaw Man" alone has sold over 34 million copies, and its animated adaptation, "Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc," has pulled in a staggering $173 million globally.

It's worth noting that "Look Back" isn't entirely new to the world of adaptations. In 2024, an animated film directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama and produced by Studio Durian hit Japanese theaters, topping the box office for two weeks before landing on Prime Video. This live-action version, however, offers a completely different lens through which to view the story, which promises to be something special.

Adding to his already busy schedule, Kore-eda also has another feature film, "Sheep In The Box," in development, slated for release in early summer 2026. So, it looks like we have a lot to look forward to from this incredible director in the coming years. Goodfellas is also handling the international sales for this film outside of Asia. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens!