Will the mountains of Akina once again ring with the familiar sound of a 4A-GE engine? For some time, we've known Fast & Furious legend Sung Kang has been working away on a film adaptation of Initial D, bringing Takumi Fujiwara to the big screen. However, a report has suggested the project is now on hold.
Details of the Initial D film have so far been scarce anyway, but allow us to detail everything we know so far about it.
Takumi Fujiwara, Toyota AE86
It was already unclear when the Initial D film would be released, given the last official update from Sung Kang was in 2023, but now things are somehow even more uncertain. According to Hypebeast, the actor is working away on a new drift-focused film separate from this project, with the Fujiwara-focused effort now on hold. Whether those two points are related is unconfirmed.
Hopefully, that could change soon enough. We know that Kang’s work on Fast & Furious will soon come to an end, presumably freeing him up for more projects.
Unless Kang decides to completely deviate from the source material, we know the Initial D film will focus on tofu delivery driver-turned-mountain racer Takumi Fujiwara.
Whether it turns out to be an adaptation of the manga or anime is yet to be seen, though its more concise latter form sounds easier to draw two hours' worth of film from.
No word yet on who could be cast in the Initial D film, although we’re not expecting Sung Kang to take the starring role of the young Takumi. However, we can probably all agree he could easily fill the role of the mega-cool Bunta Fujiawara.
We do know the Fujiwara Tofu Shop’s panda Trueno will appear in the film, of course. Kang has also previously confirmed that legendary Japanese Porsche modifier RWB will build the car for it.
Beyond that, we’d expect the usual suspects – including the Takahashi brothers’ RX-7s and hopefully Itsuki’s AE85.
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