NETFLIX EXPANDS JAPANESE LIVE ACTION PROGRAMMING GROWING LOCAL CONTENT LIBRARY

Tokyo, Japan -- June 26, 2019 -- Netflix showcased a slate of upcoming live action series and films at Netflix Originals Festival held in Tokyo, Japan on 25 June. Since launch in September 2015, Netflix has been growing its library of locally produced stories. Today, an ensemble of cast and creators from Japanese original series and film joined over 280 media attendees in the event which featured 30 upcoming original titles from both Japan and beyond.

In 2019, we will launch Japanese originals The Naked Director and The Forest of Love, followed by FOLLOWERS among many upcoming originals in 2020 and beyond. Our mission is to identify untold stories of Japan and bring them to audiences around the world in the most compelling ways, said Kaata Sakamoto, Content Acquisition Director, Netflix. Today, we're thrilled to bring the best entertainment to Japanese members by working with the most talented local cast and creators, supporting their artistic vision and creativity, he said.

The festival consisted of five content panel sessions - Stranger Things, FOLLOWERS, The Forest of Love and The Naked Director - all of which will become available exclusively on Netflix in more than 190 countries. Additionally, top creators from three Japanese originals spoke to bringing stories to life in ways only a platform like Netflix can.

Stranger Things cast members Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo and Sadie Sink recognized the series as a global phenomena as real. Creators of the series The Duffer Brothers, who sent event attendees a video message revealed Japanese anime and manga like influenced the show.

The following talent and creators were invited to the event:

Stranger Things: Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo and Sadie Sink

FOLLOWERS: Director Mika Ninagawa, leading actress Miki Nakatani and Eliza Ikeda

The Forest of Love: Director Sion Sono, main character actors Kippei Shiina, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Denden and producer Hiroshi Muto

The Naked Director: Director Masaharu Take, leading character actors Takayuki Yamada, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Tetsuji Tamayama and actress Misato Morita

Terrace House: Producer Dai Ohta

Midnight Diner: Producer Hitoshi Endo

The following content were featured at the event:

Films:

[Japan] The Forest of Love

[International] 6 Underground, The Irishman, The Laundromat; Untitled. Chris Hemsworth, Wonderland, Earthquake Bird

Series:

[Japan] The Naked Director, Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories Season 2, JUON, FOLLOWERS, Queer Eye: We're in Japan!, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, AINORI Love Wagon: African Journey, TERRACE HOUSE TOKYO 2019-2020

[International] Stranger Things, The Witcher, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Arthdal Chronicles, Baahubali: Before the Beginning, Giri / Haji, Cowboy Bebop

Licensed Documentary:

[Japan] Hikaru Utada Laughter in the Dark Tour 2018

Details of Netflix original titles showcased at Netflix Originals Festival:

Stranger Things 3

It's 1985 in Hawkins, Indiana, and summers heating up. School's out, there's a brand new mall in town, and the Hawkins crew are on the cusp of adulthood. Romance blossoms and complicates the group's dynamic, and they'll have to figure out how to grow up without growing apart. Meanwhile, danger looms. When the town's threatened by enemies old and new, Eleven and her friends are reminded that evil never ends; it evolves. Now they'll have to band together to survive, and remember that friendship is always stronger than fear.

Creators: The Duffer Brothers

SERIES STARS: Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, David Harbour as Chief Jim Hopper, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Dacre Montgomery as Billy, Sadie Sink as Max, Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair.

NEW CAST: Maya Hawke as Robin, Jake Busey as Bruce, Cary Elwes as Mayor Kline

Launch: July 4, 2019

The Naked Director

This entertaining series explores the meteoric rise and feverish drive of pornography pioneer Toru Muranishi and his associates, who set out to take the adult entertainment industry by storm.

Director: Masaharu Take

Cast: Takayuki Yamada, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Tetsuji Tamayama, Misato Morita

Launch: August 8, 2019

The Forest of Love

After the shockingly outlandish Cold Fish and Guilty of Romance, visionary director Sion Sono has a new bag of tricks up his sleeve. An examination of the darkness of human behavior, The Forest of Love introduces Jo Murata, a merciless man who uses his charisma to manipulate the people around him. Murata meets Shin and a group of aspiring filmmakers who decide Murata and his turbulent relationship with Mitsuko would be the perfect subject for their film. As the group grows closer during filming, lies become indistinguishable from the truth and the limits of humanity are tested resulting in acts as shocking as they are gruesome.

Producer: Hiroshi Muto

Director: Sion Sono

Cast: Kippei Shiina, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Denden

Launch: 2019

FOLLOWERS

Tokyo: a place where theres so much to gain, and so much to lose. In this city, fraught with trials and occasional dangers, some women manage to seize the moment and find success, while others struggle to see their dreams take flight. The only thing connecting these two groups of Tokyo-ites is social media. Photography sensation Rimi has a good career, but is still no closer to realizing her dream of being a mother.

However, when she meets an aspiring actress Natsume on a photography shoot, shes reminded of her naive but determined younger self. Instinctively, she clicks the shutter and uploads the photo to Instagram, instantly tr

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