by Christopher Hadley, SJ

Hollywood has been anticipating this new film about 17th century Jesuits in Japan since 2005 but interests peaked this week when it was announced that director Martin Scorsese was courting big name stars like Daniel Day-Lewis, Benicio del Toro, and Gael Garcia Bernal.

Martin Scorsese is the director who brought us The Departed, Kundun, & Raging Bull. It’s been rumored that he has been planning this historical piece since 1995. For film buffs around the world, this will be a remake of the 1971 masterpiece by Japanese director Masahiro Shinoda.

I have not seen the original Japanese film from 1971, but I have read Endo’s novel. It is a vivid story filled with ethical dilemmas from the context of 17th century Catholic missionary activity that are still thought-provoking today.

Shusaku Endo was a passionately devoted Catholic, but one who was also painfully aware of traditional Christianity’s very limited success at becoming inculturated in Japan. With a director of Scorcese’s stature and the cast that he is apparently assembling, this movie promises much. It will be something to watch for, especially for those who are interested in Jesuit missiology and the history of Christianity in Asia.

The production team is scheduled to begin shooting in New Zealand later this year and the film is expected to be released in 2010.

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