Dwarf Studios Seeks New Backer for Keanu Reeves Stop-Motion Samurai Film 'Hidari'
Japanese producer Dwarf Studios is looking for a new partner for its stop-motion samurai feature 'Hidari,' which features Keanu Reeves's voice. Producer Matsumoto Noriko told an audience at Busan's Asian Contents & Film Market that talks with a U.S. company stalled; the company had offered to fund the entire budget in exchange for all rights. The film is directed by Kawamura Masashi and produced by Dwarf, Whatever, and Tecarat.
Dwarf Studios is seeking a replacement partner for Hidari after negotiations with a U.S. firm stopped. That firm had proposed covering the whole budget in return for complete rights, producer Matsumoto Noriko said at Busan's Asian Contents & Film Market. The stop-motion samurai film has Keanu Reeves providing voice work and Kawamura Masashi directing.
Matsumoto's remarks came during a Producer Hub session on Japanese co-production, co-hosted by VIPO, with Japan as this year's focus. Questry's Ibe Tomonobu and Knockonwood's Yamaguchi Shin joined her; VIPO's Tanimoto Hiroyuki moderated. Dwarf, Whatever, and Tecarat are producers.
If Hidari secures new financing, it may strengthen interest in stop-motion and international co-productions, potentially expanding opportunities for animators, craftspeople, and Japanese studios. Fans of Reeves and samurai cinema could gain a distinctive release, while rights terms may shape how much control local creators retain. A stalled deal could delay the project, affecting crew schedules and market confidence. The outcome may also influence how smaller producers approach foreign funding and intellectual property negotiations.