Look Back (2026 film)

Look Back
Teaser poster
Katakanaルックバック
Revised HepburnRukku Bakku
Directed byHirokazu Kore-eda
Screenplay byHirokazu Kore-eda
Based on
Look Back
by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Produced byDaiju Koide
Starring
CinematographySenzo Ueno
Edited byHirokazu Kore-eda
Music byYuta Bandoh
Production
company
K2 Pictures
Distributed byK2 Pictures
Release dates
  • 7 September 2026 (2026-09-07) (Venice)
  • 11 September 2026 (2026-09-11) (Japan)
Running time
99–100 minutes[a]
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Look Back (Japanese: ルックバック, Hepburn: Rukku Bakku) is an upcoming Japanese coming-of-age drama film[4] written, directed, and edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda. It is the second adaptation of the 2021 one-shot manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, following the 2024 anime film adaptation. The film stars Natsuki Deguchi, Aju Makita, Furi Nanase, and Rokka Okada.

The film will premiere in competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on 7 September 2026. It will be released theatrically in Japan by K2 Pictures on 11 September.

Plot

The story follows Fujino, a popular and outgoing student, and Kyomoto, a shut-in with severe social anxiety, who bond over their shared love of creating manga. Kyomoto idolizes Fujino for her work drawing manga for their elementary school's newspaper, wishing to befriend her, however Fujino initially resents Kyomoto's natural artistic talents. The pair grow close through their shared love, with the work following their bond as they grow into adulthood.

Cast

Production

Development

In December 2025, it was announced that Tatsuki Fujimoto's 2021 one-shot manga Look Back will be adapted into a live-action film, with Hirokazu Kore-eda serving as the director, screenwriter, and editor.[6] The film is the first live-action adaptation of Fujimoto's works and comes after the manga's 2024 anime film adaptation.[6] Kensei Nakayama was announced as the assistant director and Ryōko Taguchi as the script supervisor.[5][7] Daiju Koide will serve as the producer under K2 Pictures.[8]

Kore-eda discovered Look Back after seeing its cover at a bookstore at Shinagawa Station and being attracted to "a figure's back". He read the manga in one sitting and "felt the desperate resolve" behind it, adding: "I could feel, almost painfully, that Mr. Fujimoto simply couldn't move forward without creating this piece. For me, Nobody Knows was that kind of work".[8] Koide approached Kore-eda with an offer to adapt the manga into a live-action film.[8] After receiving the offer and meeting Fujimoto, Kore-eda said that he "had no choice but to do it".[6]

Casting

Toshie Tabata and Yōko Yamashita are in charge of casting.[7] In June 2026, it was announced that Natsuki Deguchi and Aju Makita would portray the main characters Fujino and Kyomoto.[5][9] They had previously co-starred in the Netflix series The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, which was also directed by Kore-eda.[5] Prior to filming, they had practiced drawing manga for around four months.[9] Furi Nanase and Rokka Okada were also revealed to be portraying the younger versions of Fujino and Kyomoto. Nanase and Okada are real-life classmates, with Kore-eda stating after auditions that they were the only two who could play the roles.[9] The film serves as Nanase's acting debut.[9] In July 2026, Masaki Suda, Kankurō Kudō, Kayo Noro, Ryō Ikeda, Miyu Sasaki, and Maho Yamada joined the cast.[1]

Filming and post-production

Look Back was shot on 35mm film at Kore-eda's request, with Senzo Ueno serving as the cinematographer.[10] It was primarily filmed in Fujimoto's hometown of Nikaho, Akita, and around 300 local residents participated as extras.[6][11] The winter and spring scenes were shot from February to May 2025; the summer scenes were filmed in July, and the autumn scenes were filmed in November.[10] The film also utilized rotoscoped animation that was directed by Yōko Kuno and produced by Shin-Ei Animation. Studio Ghibli animator Yōichi Nishikawa handled the background art, and Kazuo Oga and Tatsuya Kushida created paintings that appeared in the film.[12] Look Back was in post-production at the time it was officially announced;[6] in July 2026, the film was reported as being completed with a runtime of 99 minutes.[2][a]

Music

Yuta Bandoh will compose the film's music.[5] It is his first project with Kore-eda and was produced in conjunction with the latter's film Sheep in the Box (2026).[13][14] The composition process began prior to filming and took about one and a half years. Bandoh stated that the film crew's images of Nikaho served as inspirations for the music.[14] Participating musicians include guitarists Kyuhee Park, Takuya Okamoto, Gensuke Kanki, and Ohzora Kimishima; the Ensemble FOVE; violinist Kyoko Ogawa; violist Rachel Yui Mikuni; percussionist Shun Ishiwaka; and bassist Marty Holoubek. Nippon Columbia is set to release the soundtrack on CD on 12 September 2026.[14][15] Tōko Miura will serve as the vocalist for an insert song,[12] and Kenshi Yonezu will provide a guitar performance for one of the film's scenes.[16]

Marketing

Along with the film's announcement, two promotional posters photographed by Hideaki Hamada were released, featuring the two leads with their faces obscured in both and their actresses unidentified.[6][17] A teaser trailer was unveiled at the Jump Festa 2026 event in December 2025.[18] A second trailer and two teaser posters were released in June 2026.[5][19] The film's main trailer was unveiled the following month along with two additional posters.[1]

Release

Look Back will premiere in competition at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on 7 September 2026.[20][21] It will be released in Japan by K2 Pictures on 11 September.[5] GKIDS will release the film in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland in 2026.[19][4] The film will have its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2026.[22] Goodfellas is handling international sales outside of Asia.[8]

In October 2026, it will screen at the 2026 BFI London Film Festival in official competition.[23]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Several sources state the film's runtime as 99 minutes.[1][2] The Venice Biennale website lists the runtime as 100 minutes.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Komatsu, Mikikazu (15 July 2026). "Look Back Live-Action Film Reveals Main Trailer, Visuals, Additional Cast". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 是枝裕和×藤本タツキ「ルックバック」本予告公開！ 菅田将暉、宮藤官九郎、野呂佳代らが出演、上映時間は99分. Eiga.com (in Japanese). 15 July 2026. Retrieved 15 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Biennale Cinema 2026 | Look Back". Venice Biennale. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 Roxborough, Scott; Brzeski, Patrick (9 March 2026). "GKids Board Hirokazu Kore-eda's Live-Action 'Look Back'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 出口夏希×蒔田彩珠が実写映画「ルックバック」でW主演、是枝裕和がキャストへの思い語る. Eiga Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 監督・是枝裕和で「ルックバック」実写映画化！2026年公開、藤本タツキも信頼寄せる. Eiga Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 3 December 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  7. 1 2 Mateo, Alex (2 December 2025). "Tatsuki Fujimoto's Look Back Manga Gets Live-Action Film". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Goodfellow, Melanie (2 December 2025). "Palme D'Or Winner Hirokazu Kore-eda Has Directed A Live-Action Adaptation Of Tatsuki Fujimoto Manga 'Look Back'; Teaser Posters Revealed". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 実写映画『ルックバック』9月11日公開 出口夏希&蒔田彩珠のW主演で子ども時代は七瀬ふうり&岡田六花. Oricon News (in Japanese). 9 June 2026. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Live Action Look Back Film Shot Entirely on Film as First Footage Is Revealed at Jump Festa 2026". Japan Anime News. Oricon. 21 December 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  11. ↑ 是枝監督作品の撮影、官民後押し (in Japanese). Kyodo News. 10 August 2026. Retrieved 12 August 2026 – via Saga Shimbun.
  12. 1 2 実写映画「ルックバック」に友情演奏で米津玄師が参加、三浦透子と久野遥子も. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 20 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Bandoh, Yuta (3 August 2026). 『ルックバック』公開控える坂東祐大、「AIでは出せない質感がある」映画音楽へのこだわり. Lmaga.jp (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Yoshimoto, Hidesumi. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 実写映画『ルックバック』オリジナル・サウンドトラック 9月12日発売決定！ (in Japanese). K2 Pictures. 18 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  15. ↑ 「ルックバック」オリジナル・サウンドトラック | ディスコグラフィ | 坂東祐大 (in Japanese). Nippon Columbia. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  16. ↑ "Kenshi Yonezu Joins Live Action Look Back for Special Guest Guitar Performance as Ties to Tatsuki Fujimoto's Works Grow". Japan Anime News. Oricon. 20 August 2026. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  17. ↑ Patches, Matt (2 December 2025). "Chainsaw Man creator's best anime to get a movie from a Japanese legend". Polygon. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  18. ↑ Cayanan, Joanna (21 December 2025). "Live-Action Look Back Film Unveils 1st Teaser Video". Anime News Network. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  19. 1 2 Mateo, Alex (8 June 2026). "Live-Action Look Back Film Reveals English-Subbed Trailer, Posters". Anime News Network. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
  20. ↑ Vivarelli, Nick; Shafer, Ellise (23 July 2026). "Venice Film Festival Lineup: Robert Pattinson's 'Primetime,' Martin McDonagh's 'Wild Horse Nine,' Oasis Reunion Doc and More". Variety. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Calendario delle proiezioni per il pubblico della 83. Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica" (PDF) (in Italian). Venice Biennale. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
  22. ↑ Hazelton, John (20 July 2026). "Chris Rock, Yeon Sang-ho, Peter Farrelly titles among Toronto film festival galas and special presentations". Screen Daily. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  23. ↑ Tabbara, Mona (17 August 2026). "BFI London Film Festival competition lineup includes world premiere of Carol Morley's '7 Miles Out'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 17 August 2026.
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