TOKYO -- Warner Bros. Japan has announced the production of ""Ginmaku Ban Sushi Ouji! ~New York e Iku~" (Silver Screen Version: Sushi King! Goes to New York), a pic based on a popular TV Asahi show set in the world of sushi.

Yukihiko Tsutsumi ("Memories of Tomorrow") helms and Koichi Domoto of the boy band Kinki Kids stars as a genius sushi chef who goes to New York to perfect his sushi rice-making skills -- and face off against the local competition.

The pic also stars Yumiko Shaku, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Lina Ohta and vet Kinya Kitaoji, making his first screen appearance in 10 ten years as a New York sushi shop owner. Half the dialogue will be in English, much of which will be handled by Shaku, a host of an NHK English conversation show.

Warner is skedded to release the pic in Japan in April 2008, in time for the Golden Week holiday period.

According to sources at TV Asahi, Warner is handling overseas sales, but that nothing has yet been decided about a US release. Warner, TV Asahi and Dentsu are among the members of the production consortium.

The studio has previously announced that it will jointly release “Goemon,” the fantasy actioner by Kaz Kiriya with Shochiku in March 2009 (Variety Asia, Aug 21, 2007.) Other Hollywood studios are also becoming more involved with Japanese productions. Universal Japan has also reached an agreement with Shochiku to co-produce actioner "Midnight Eagle," and to give the Izuru Narushima-helmed pic a North American release. (Variety Daily, Oct 8, 2007)