entertainment

PR starts for DiCaprio-Watanabe film 'Inception'

13 Comments

The promotional poster for the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio action film, “Inception,” will be very different for the Japanese release of the film. The film co-stars well-known Japanese actor Ken Watanabe who gets a prominent position on the poster along with DiCaprio and costars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“500 Days of Summer”) and Ellen Page (“Juno”).

The film marks one of the first times a well-known Japanese actor plays a major role in a large American-only production. Watanabe starred in successful films “The Last Samurai” and “Letters From Iwo Jima,” but these were created in collaboration with Japanese production companies.

“Inception,” directed by Christopher Nolan, cost a reported $160 million to produce, and tells the story of a secret agent (DiCaprio) who infiltrates the dreamscapes of others to steal valuable ideas. Watanabe plays the president of the mega-corporation that funds his missions.

“A door to a whole new dimension has opened. Experience it on the big screen this summer,” Watanabe told reporters during a promotional event for the film a few months ago.

"Inception," which opens in the U.S. on July 16 and in Japan on July 23, was partially filmed in Tokyo.

DiCaprio, who was here in March to promote "Shutter Island," will be coming back to do PR for the film with Watanabe in early July.

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“Inception,” directed by Christopher Nolan, cost a reported $1.6 billion to produce...

Got the decimal place off by one, I believe the correct figure is about US$160 million.

Moderator: It has now been corrected, thank you.

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Cant wait to see this one, looks sweeet!

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Ken Watanabe was also in "Sayuri", or "Memoirs of a Geisha" as it was originally titled... A worldwide success that he was nominated for an Oscar for supporting role in...

The promotional poster for the upcoming Leonardo DiCaprio action film, “Inception,” will be very different for the Japanese release of the film. The film co-stars well-known Japanese actor Ken Watanabe who gets a prominent position on the poster along with DiCaprio and costars Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“500 Days of Summer”) and Ellen Page (“Juno”).

As opposed to what?

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I think the movie "letters from iwo Jima" was made by an American production company and directed by Clint Eastwood.

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I think the key here is "american only production". There were hands in both of those (Iwojima and Gaisha) by Japanese productions.

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who infiltrates the dreamscapes of others to steal valuable ideas.

Might be very interesting if the movie plans to address the issue of intellectual and digital property/copyright. I wonder which side of the fence they'll come down on? If they come down on the side of "immaterial" objects having no copyright/ownership then will they object if people download their movie for free?

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He has also made cameos in other movies, like The Dark Knight, although that's not exactly 'starring' in a movie, granted. Good to see him, and Japanese actors in general, making more and more headway in Western movies and TV. He's a fine actor.

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This movie is going to rock.The trailers look fantastic.

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Ken was in Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, too, but that really was arsegravy of the the very weakest calibre.

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Watanabe Ken is a great actor and respect him not only for his acting ability, but for his perseverance in learning English so that he could expand his appeal. People whine and cry about Chinese actors/actresses being cast as Japanese in American films, but this is only because very few Japanese bother to learn English, where as many Chinese do. If more kids payed attention in English class instead of looking at themselves in the mirror and sending text messages, there could be more Japanese in Hollywood.

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Chris Nolan, Watanabe and Leo...sounds like a winning formula to me.

I agree- they all appear to be hitting their peaks right now. I remember after Titanic, poor Leo seemed to spend the next 10 years in the wilderness trying to live it down; I'm guessing he probably got sick of people shouting "I'm the king of the world!" at him whenever he went out in public. But the man has put together a good run of movies. I've read comments by people who thought his accent in Blood Diamond was completely over the top but I thought it was spot on, as it sounded exactly like a South African guy I used to work with.

Nolan's movies might have the occasional plot hole, but they are still cleverer and more imaginative than 90% of the dreck that Hollywood pumps out.

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He has also made cameos in other movies, like The Dark Knight, although that's not exactly 'starring' in a movie, granted. Good to see him, and Japanese actors in general, making more and more headway in Western movies and TV. He's a fine actor.

It was batman begins, but it was directed by Chris Nolan, so maybe that's why Watanabe san was chosen for this movie... I noticed that Chris Nolan has a tendency for favorites... Christian Bale was in "The Prestige" and then the two batmans...

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