It has been revealed that "The Magic Hour," a film written and directed by Koki Mitani that was a box office hit grossing 3.9 billion yen, will be adapted into a stage play in Hong Kong.
"The Magic Hour" is a comedy that begins when a man who has an affair with the mistress of a criminal boss is ordered to bring in a legendary hitman in exchange for his life being spared. He lies to an unsuccessful actor, telling him it's a movie shoot, and then disguises him as the hitman. The film gained popularity for the comical interactions of its star-studded cast, including Koichi Sato, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Eri Fukatsu, Haruka Ayase, and Toshiyuki Nishida.
In 2022, it was remade in China and released as the film "To Cool to Kill: The Killer Who Can't Be Killed." It was a huge hit, grossing 2.627 billion yuan (approximately 53.38 billion yen) and achieving the highest box office revenue of any Japanese film remade in China at the time of its release. Subsequently, it was adapted into a stage play in Shanghai and other cities, and has been performed more than 50 times since 2024.
The stage adaptation of "THE MAGIC HOUR" will feature Tse Kwan Hou, Eric Kott, Rosa Maria Belasco, Anson Kong, Lo Man Kit, and Christy Choi Hiu Tung. It is scheduled to run at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Opera House from June 5th. All 20 performances sold out immediately, and 9 additional performances have been scheduled.
◇Comment from Koki Mitani
I am overjoyed that my work will be brought to the stage in Hong Kong thanks to the efforts of such a talented staff. And I have nothing but high expectations for the wonderful cast. Comedy is universal. Laughter may be different in language, but it is the same. There would be no greater joy than for the audience to be reminded of that fact once again.
◇Comment from James Chu (Planner and Producer of the Hong Kong production of "The Magic Hour" / Founder of Dharma Workshop)
I saw the movie "The Magic Hour" many years ago and was deeply impressed. Since then, I have enjoyed a wide range of works by Koki Mitani, including movies and television dramas. In Hong Kong, his play "The University of Laughter" has been performed before, but this will be only the second time a work by Koki Mitani has been staged. Through this production, I hope to introduce the charm of Koki Mitani to even more people, and I believe this production will be a great test of that. I would like to continue to bring you Koki Mitani's works in the future.
