Sony is doubling down on Japanese cinema as Hollywood struggles with a post-pandemic slowdown and what analysts are calling “sequel fatigue”.

A Japanese company wanting to produce more Japanese films might not seem like news. But it’s a significant pivot.

Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan (SPEJ) was once primarily a distributor of US blockbusters.

In 2025, it will produce a record eight Japanese films.

That slate includes Scarlet , a new anime feature from acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda, and Hero’s Island , a live-action adaptation of Junjo Shindo’s prize-winning novel.

The interest in local productions follows the runaway success of Kokuho , a kabuki-themed live-action drama co-produced by Sony subsidiary Aniplex.

The film has grossed more than US$80.9 (A$123 million), makin

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