The Ghost of Tsushima movie is a real thing, and fans have reportedly learned of its first casting. According to reliable movie insider DanielRPK, Hiroyuki Sanada is rumored to be in talks for a role. Sanada is an extremely famous Japanese actor, who most recently was part of FX’s Shogun series. What role he may be cast in has not been detailed.

Hiroyuki Sanada (Shogun) is in talks for a role in the Ghost of Tsushima movie, according to @DanielRPK pic.twitter.com/IFUly532ZV — The Game Awards (@thegameawards) June 2, 2024

Ghost of Tsushima, which was released in 2020 for the PlayStation 4, recently made its way to PC via Steam, where it became Sony’s biggest single-player launch. Prior to that, it received a Director’s Cut enhanced version on PlayStation 5. When it did release during the height of the pandemic, it was an immediate success among fans and critics. To date, the original release sports an 83 on Metacritic and a 9.1 user score.

At the time, it represented Sucker Punch’s first game since Infamous: Second Son — a launch window title for the PS4 that released in 2014. Since then, rumors of a sequel title have been swirling, though nothing has been confirmed. What has been confirmed is a movie based on the game’s plot. That endeavor was greenlit all the way back in 2021, just a year after the game’s release.

Everything We Know About The Ghost Of Tsushima Movie So Far

Up until Sunday’s rumored casting announcement, details about the adaption have been relatively scarce. In the initial announcement, it was confirmed that Chad Stahelski would be directing the film. Stahelski is most famous for being the director for all four John Wick films, which have been massive successes.

A year later, it was revealed that Takashi Doscher would be penning the movie’s script. Doscher has a handful of smaller films on his resume, as well as a sports documentary for ESPN. Whenever the movie does begin shooting, Sucker Punch will serve as an executive producer and PlayStation Productions will also assist.

As far as casting is concerned, Bullet Train’s Andrew Koji revealed in 2022 that he was going after the role of Jin Sakai. He told Entertainment Weekly, “I think I can do a really good Jin Sakai. I can bring my own spin to it.” However, casting rumors have been relatively silent since.

There is no reported role for Sanada, though he could fill a number of spots. For one, he could serve as the movie’s Lord Shimura or Sensei Ishikawa. Either role would suit him, given his age (63 years old) as well as his status as a renowned actor. Both of those roles would offer him loads of screentime, which would appear to be the goal, if they’re making a push for his services.

Either way, given how The Last of Us, Uncharted, Gran Turismo and Twisted Metal have turned out, fans should have plenty to be excited about when it comes to a Ghost of Tsushima adaption. And if you can’t get enough samurai action, then Assassin’s Creed Shadows will be dropping in the fall. We also have a handy list of the best samurai games to check out.