Masami Nagasawa Pursues New Challenges as Series Sequel Faces Uncertainty

Challenging a new frontier with horror mystery.

Actor Masami Nagasawa (37) will star in the upcoming film Dollhouse (directed, written, and conceived by Fumiyuki Yaguchi), set to be released in the summer of 2025. This announcement was made late last year.

The film, which is a doll mystery penned by Yaguchi, features a seemingly cute doll but gives off an unsettling aura as it delves into the mystery of something is off with the doll. Details about Nagasawa’s role remain undisclosed, with only a visual of her sitting in a chair with long black hair, holding and cradling a doll with a similar appearance to herself, being released.

Nagasawa, who was eager to take on the role after reading the script, commented, “The strange feeling of wondering just how far these people will go never ends, and it continues until the end. It’s truly a terrifying movie.” Director Yaguchi, who is working with Nagasawa for the first time in 11 years since their collaboration on WOOD JOB! Kamigoto Naanan Nichijou (2014), added, “The face she makes, like Munch’s scream, is truly terrifying. Be careful not to get possessed.”

“Director Yaguchi is known for works such as Waterboys (2001) and Swing Girls (2004). He also worked on the Fuji TV horror anthology drama School Ghost Stories (1999, 2000, 2001), but this will be his first attempt at a horror mystery film.

The lead actress, Nagasawa, is also making her debut in this genre, and it seems she took the offer to venture into new territory. As Yaguchi promotes, it’s highly anticipated to see what kind of Munch face she will show. (Movie writer)”

Last September, Nagasawa starred in the film Suomi no Hanashi wo Shiyou, marking her first collaboration with director Koki Mitani. However, the film’s box office grossed about 1.7 billion yen, lower than expected, and it sparked mixed reviews.

On the other hand, her stage performance in Sei Sankaku Kankei—a play by playwright Hideki Noda (69)—garnered attention, especially with her co-starring role alongside Jun Matsumoto (41) of Arashi. The play, which began its Tokyo run in July last year, also had performances in London, making headlines.

Additionally, Nagasawa will star alongside Mirai Moriyama (40) in Odoru Fufu, a stage production by Ryuta Horai (49), which will begin in April. This will mark her first collaboration with Moriyama since their film Moteki (2011), 14 years ago.

As an actor, Nagasawa continues to take on new challenges, but fans are still eagerly awaiting a sequel to her iconic series that made her a household name.

 

At one point, it was said that a sequel would be impossible.

“The Confidence Man JP series, which aired as a Fuji TV drama in April 2018 and became a hit with the three movie installments grossing a total of approximately 10 billion yen, starred Masami Nagasawa as the leader of a group of cheerful con artists, Dako. Nagasawa won several awards, including the Best Actress Award at the 63rd Blue Ribbon Awards. Fans have been hoping for a sequel since the release of the third movie in 2022.” (Industry Insider)

However, at one point, there was uncertainty about the production of the sequel. This was due to the infidelity scandal involving one of the main cast members, Masahiro Higashide (36). In January 2020, his affair with actress Erika Karata (27) was reported by Shukan Bunshun (Shueisha), causing concerns about the release of the second movie, which was slated for May of that year. Despite the setback caused by the scandal, the movie was released in July after a delay due to COVID-19. The third movie, filmed before the scandal, was released in January 2022.

“Higashide has been focusing on film work recently, and in August of last year, he announced his remarriage to former actress Hana Hayashi (29) and the pregnancy of his wife. The couple also made their first media appearance together on the ABEMA program on December 28. Although it’s still difficult for him to appear in terrestrial TV dramas, his involvement in the series may not be an issue as the movies are produced and distributed by Toho, a major studio.

However, the real issue seems to be Nagasawa’s shift in focus toward new genres of work, as she seems less interested in a sequel to the series. Furthermore, the tragic deaths of her co-stars, Haruma Miura and Yuko Takeuchi, who starred in the movie, are believed to have affected her motivation for a sequel.” (Same source)

Unfortunately, for fans eagerly awaiting the return of the series, it seems that the production of a sequel is currently a difficult situation.

Information Form: https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/tips
Official X: https://x.com/FRIDAY_twit