Studiocanal has boarded “kiDnap Game,” a survival thriller series created and directed by Japan’s Yusuke Kato (“Last Friends”) which unfolds across seven cities in Asia.
Produced by Kato for Fuji Television, Hong Kong’s MakerVille and South Korea’s Simstory, the 11-part series will be presented to buyers at Mipcom in Cannes this week.
Canal+ has also acquired “kiDnap Game” for its territories across Europe, French-speaking Africa and Asia, while Studiocanal is handling international distribution, including in North America.
“kiDnap Game” brings together an ensemble cast led by Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi and South Korean star Lee Joon-gi.
The thriller kicks off with a wave of simultaneous kidnappings in Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok, Naha and Manila. As the abductions make international headlines, the victims’ families receive a message asking how far they would go to save their loved ones, with the warning that only one can be saved. Seven strangers from different countries and backgrounds are forced to compete in a deadly game, each facing a different mission to rescue a loved one. As the competition unfolds, they begin to question why they were chosen and who is behind the kidnappings.
The series premiered on Fuji TV in Japan on Oct. 6 and launched simultaneously across 28 Asian territories, including South Korea on Channel A and Disney+, Taiwan on Hami Video, and Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand through Viu.
M-K Kennedy, managing director of Studiocanal Worldwide Television, pointed out “kiDnap Game” is “an exciting example of how creative ambition and international collaboration are shaping the future of premium television.“
“By bringing together outstanding partners from Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea, the series delivers a distinctive proposition for audiences worldwide,” added the executive, who joined Studiocanal in 2024 from Netflix and spearheaded the company’s first in-house international series, “Paris Has Fallen” and most recently “Apollo has Fallen.“
Jean-Marc Juramie, Canal+ France’s deputy CEO, said the acquisition was part of the company’s ambition “to bring the best premium content to Canal+ audiences across multiple territories.“
Kato, meanwhile, said his “initial goal was to create a drama series that would travel around the globe.“
”With those initial thoughts, I came up with ‘kiDnap Game,’ which spans seven cities and portrays characters with different nationalities, backgrounds, and cultures, using different languages,” Kato said. ”Although each is different in their own way, they all share the same desire – to ‘save a loved one.’ I believe this is a feeling that resonates with people no matter where they are in the world.”
The series is executive produced by Kentaro Shibuya of Fuji Television, Janice Lee of MakerVille and Song Seon Eui of Simstory, alongside Kato and Kenichiro Hobara. Shogo Miyaki and Hajime Hatakeyama also direct episodes, from scripts by Ken Tate and Kaoru Yoshikawa.
Studiocanal’s roster of prestige in-house productions include “Army of Shadows,” a thriller currently shooting in the U.K. and Paris with a starry cast led by Olivia Colman, Susan Sarandon, Paddy Considine, America Ferrera, Alex Hassell and Kit Harington.