Former Toei producer Muneyuki Kim has launched K2 Pictures, a production company aiming to revolutionize the Japanese film industry. Partnering with acclaimed directors such as Hirokazu Kore-eda and Takashi Miike, K2 Pictures seeks to create a new funding ecosystem for both animated and live-action features.
Traditionally, profits from Japanese films often remain within film companies, limiting returns to investors and creators. K2 Pictures intends to change this by returning profits to investors and creators, adopting approaches similar to those used in Hollywood.
K2’s CEO, Muneyuki Kim, highlights the challenges faced by many Japanese films due to the industry’s reliance on production committees. To address this, K2 has launched the K2P Film Fund I, aiming to provide support for various projects and enable investors, creators, and crew members to profit from the Japanese film industry.
The company has already lined up collaborations with renowned Japanese directors and creators, including Hirokazu Kore-eda, Shunji Iwai, Miwa Nishikawa, Takashi Miike, Kazuya Shiraishi, and MAPPA animation studio.
The fund boasts a unique structure designed to mitigate the risks associated with content investment, making it an attractive option for investors. K2 Pictures has worked closely with leading Japanese law and accounting firms specializing in entertainment to develop investment contracts.
To unveil the company and the fund, K2 will host a presentation at the JW Marriott in Cannes on May 18, with key figures such as Miwa Nishikawa and Takashi Miike in attendance.
Muneyuki Kim brings extensive experience from his time at Toei, having produced numerous successful films. He is joined by a seasoned leadership team at K2, including Tetsuro Koda and Fred Schmidt.
Kim expresses his vision for K2 Pictures, aiming to make the Japanese film industry more active, fairer, and profitable in the global marketplace. With a commitment to artistic excellence and innovation, K2 Pictures aims to make a significant impact on the global film landscape.
