According to Variety, the company acquired the remake and sequel rights from Koike Kazuo Gekiga Sonjuku, Inc, which produced the film Kozure Okami: Sono Chisaki Te Ni in 1993. That film was based on the manga series written by Koike Kazuo and illustrated by Goseki Kojima. The manga series has long been published in the U.S. by Dark Horse.

The plot follows Ogami Itto, a noble samurai who serves as the Shogun’s executioner. Itto is framed in an assassination conspiracy which sees everyone in his household but his newborn son slaughtered, and is forced to become an assassin for hire, taking his child in tow.

SP International Pictures is currently producing the live-action Ghost in the Shell adaptation starring Scarlett Johansson (see “First Live-Action 'Ghost in the Shell' Image”).

In the context of recent criticism for casting Johansson in the role of an Asian character, Paul said he plans “an essentially Japanese cast” for the Lone Wolf and Cub film.

Back in 2003, Darren Aronofsky was tapped to direct a live-action adaptation of Lone Wolf and Cub, but that project never materialized (see “Pi Helmer Gets Lone Wolf”).