In the wake of John Wick: Chapter 4 earlier this year, it can be easy to forget that director Chad Stahelski is still working on a movie adapting the acclaimed samurai video game Ghost of Tsushima. Well, that film is still coming, and Stahelski has candidly offered the most promising update on its progress so far.

When it was initially announced that the John Wick director would helm a Ghost of Tsushima movie, many were excited. Developer Sucker Punch had already created a gorgeous and well-realized world for the Playstation-exclusive title, and combined with its satisfying story of revenge and redemption, it felt like a no-brainer. Unfortunately, little has been revealed since the announcement over 2 years ago, leaving the idea to stagnate in the minds of many hopeful fans. But now, it looks like things are finally moving forward.

In an interview with Screen Rant, Stahelski revealed that the script for Ghost of Tsushima is all set, and the team is “very close to getting our s–t together.” With the strike still ongoing as the actors of SAG hold out for fair treatment, the folks working behind the scenes of the upcoming film are now patiently waiting until they can start shooting. But there’s a lot more that goes into a movie than filming, as Stahelski knows.

After the mixed reception and arguably low bar set by Peacock’s Twisted Metal series, one may wonder if the Ghost of Tsushima adaptation will take similar risks. But Stahelski’s words indicate that he wants to stick close to the source material, particularly based on his love of the Ghost of Tsushima story. His respect for the game goes even deeper into the Akira Kurosawa films that inspired it, films he also paid homage to in John Wick: Chapter 4. He further detailed this in the interview.

That sort of respect garnered by the Kurosawa influence is likely a big reason why fans want the Ghost of Tsushima movie to keep more than it abandons. The legendary director’s classic films have inspired tons of filmmakers to create classics of their own. Movies like Seven Samurai and Yojimbo remain influential today, with more contemporary takes like The Magnificent Seven, A Fistful of Dollars, and even an episode of The Mandalorian taking direct inspiration from them. Ghost of Tsushima is more straightforward in paying tribute to its source material, which makes the accuracy of the film adaptation all the more important.

Because the actor behind Ghost of Tsushima‘s lead character, Jin Sakai, is willing to reprise his role in the movie, the door is already open for some genuine accuracy to the source material. Filming has yet to start and will stay that way until the striking actors hopefully receive a fair deal. So there’s plenty of time to figure things out. But it’s nice to know the script is ready to go.

Source: Screen Rant