Apple TV+ series ‘Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters’ and director Josef Kubota Wladyka explore Japan’s landscape

Japan’s location production incentive program has recently granted funding to several exciting projects, including Apple TV+ series Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters, Neuromancer, and a feature from Tokyo Vice director Josef Kubota Wladyka.

Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters, an action-adventure series centered around Japanese icon Godzilla, is gearing up for its second season, set to film on location in Japan in November. The series, which originally filmed in Canada’s British Columbia for its first season, has shifted its production to Australia. The show, licensed by Japan’s Toho Co. to Legendary Entertainment, features stars like Anna Sawai and Kurt Russell and is expected to hit screens in late 2025.

The Japanese incentive scheme, launched in 2023 to attract international productions, is also supporting the adaptation of William Gibson’s 1984 novel Neuromancer. The 10-episode drama, starring Callum Turner as a super-hacker embroiled in digital espionage, is a collaboration between Skydance Television, Anonymous Content, and Japan’s premium pay-TV broadcaster Wowow, with an anticipated release in 2026.

Additionally, the funding extends to Ha-Chan Shake Your Booty, a forthcoming feature from director Josef Kubota Wladyka. The film, which follows a young woman overcoming life’s obstacles through dance, is a US-Japan production set to film in Tokyo from November to December.

These projects join the list of beneficiaries of Japan’s location production incentive, which offers a 50% cash rebate to selected productions meeting specific cost criteria. Recent recipients of this incentive include Rental Family, The Smashing Machine, Yoroi, and What Comes After Love.

While Japan’s new prime minister Shigeru Ishiba has voiced support for the content industry, the country’s recent election results necessitate the formation of a coalition government for him to retain his position. The incentive program, funded by a supplemental budget measure, faces uncertainties due to its non-permanent status in the government’s annual budget. Despite this, Japan Film Commission officials remain optimistic about the program’s future, citing its positive economic impact and momentum.

The diverse array of projects benefiting from Japan’s incentive program highlights the country’s commitment to fostering international collaborations and attracting diverse productions to its picturesque locations.