Keanu Reeves Cast as Lead in Hidari Stop-Motion Samurai Film at Cannes

Keanu Reeves has been cast as the lead in Hidari, a full-length stop-motion samurai film from Japan's dwarf studios. The announcement came at the Annecy Animation Showcase during the 79th Cannes International Film Festival on May 17, 2026.

A Viral Short Becomes a Feature

Hidari began as a stop-motion pilot film that premiered online in 2023, quickly amassing nearly five million YouTube views and winning multiple international festival awards. The short's success has now propelled the project into a 90-minute English-language feature, with completion targeted for 2029.

Director Masashi Kawamura, who is also writing the screenplay, brings an impressive creative pedigree that includes a Cristal award at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival and an International Emmy nomination. Co-directing is Iku Ogawa, known for Netflix's Pokémon Concierge. The film is produced by Noriko Matsumoto, Yūsuke Tominaga, and Masami Ouchi, with financing from Questry Co.'s Tomonobu Ibe. Production companies involved include dwarf studios, Whatever, and Tecarat production.

The Story of Jingoro Hidari

Reeves will voice Jingoro Hidari, a legendary craftsman from the Edo era. After betrayal by those guarding the secrets of Edo Castle's reconstruction, Jingoro loses his father figure, his fiancée, and his right arm. Channeling his grief into vengeance, he fashions a lethal mechanical prosthetic limb from his carpentry skills and sets out to prevent the castle from becoming a weapon of mass destruction with a companion known as "the Sleeping Cat" at his side. The story also involves battling mechanical soldiers while uncovering the Tokugawa Shogunate's role in the conspiracy.

dwarf studios' Growing Profile

The Japanese studio behind the project has been steadily building its international reputation. dwarf studios produced Netflix's beloved Rilakkuma series and the stop-motion short Bottle George, which earned a spot on the 2025 Oscar shortlist. Character design for Hidari is handled by Iku Ogawa and Takeshi Yashiro, the latter also overseeing wood carving and art design a fitting role given the film's focus on craftsmanship.

Japan at Cannes 2026

The Hidari announcement carried extra weight given that Japan served as the 2026 Country of Honor at the Marché du Film, Cannes' industry market. The spotlight on Japanese animation at the festival underscores the growing global appetite for the medium beyond traditional 2D anime, with stop-motion offering a tactile, handcrafted visual language that sets Hidari apart.

With Reeves attached, a proven creative team in place, and the viral pilot as proof of concept, Hidari is positioned as one of the most distinctive animated features on the horizon heading toward its 2029 release window.