Yakuza (TV series)

Yakuza is a Japanese-language action-crime television series created and produced by Erik Barmack, Roberto Grande, and Joshua Long for a global platform. Named after Yakuza, the first entry in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, the show is a live-action adaptation of its 2016 remake Yakuza Kiwami and spans eight sixty-minute episodes. It is a co-production between the American production companies Wild Sheep Content and 1212 Entertainment.
== Production ==
=== Development ===
The making of Yakuza was first announced on September 24, 2020 in an exclusive Variety article stating SEGA would be developing a live-action adaptation of the Yakuza/Like a Dragon franchise with Wild Sheep Content and 1212 Entertainment. Wild Sheep Content is represented by Erik Barmack, while 1212 Entertainment is represented by Weintraub Tobin Barmack, Roberto Grande, and Joshua Long were set to produce the series.
1212 Entertainment representatives expressed Yakuza/Like a Dragon would offer "a new playground in which to set compelling stories with complex characters in a unique environment that audiences have rarely seen before," and that former series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu's saga "has a built-in cinematic appeal – a mix of kinetic action with bursts of comedy, multiple converging storylines, and a gripping journey towards redemption.”
Barmack previously served as a senior executive and Vice President, Head of International Originals for over eight years at Netflix, focusing on the production and distribution of international content. He stated, "With our background in telling global stories, we are excited to bring this huge project to global platforms."
The Variety article was followed by series creator Toshihiro Nagoshi's comments on September 27 at Tokyo Game Show 2020 confirming the project was going into development. He stated he had no interest in approaching it as a transaction between production company and copyright holder, and was adamant Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio would maintain creative control and were prepared to back out if the show's direction was not satisfactory. The same night, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio posted an announcement of the adaptation on Twitter.
At the time of the announcements, the production companies had not yet found writers for the project. However, according to the project page on the official website, by February, 2022, Yugo Nakamura and Sean Crouch were assigned to write the script, with two scripts having been written already. The project page also stated it was being commissioned by "a global platform." In June, 2023, the project page was changed to remove the line about the scripts, signaling progress.
=== Casting ===
On June 22, 2023, Shukan Josei PRIME reported was cast as Kazuma Kiryu, was cast as Akira Nishikiyama, and was cast as another main story character. 
=== Filming ===
On June 22, 2023, Shukan Josei PRIME reported Yakuza had begun filming by early June. Takeuchi, Kaku, and Aoki were seen on location at a famous, long-established nightclub in , an entertainment district located near , which Kamurocho is based on. A large number of staff were present at the scene. The shoot was described as being pervaded by a "menacing atmosphere," as the actors "towered over everyone else, on top of being dressed to the nines in flashy suits and patterned shirts."
== References ==
Category:Live Action