Sung Kang to direct movie based on initial D

Sung Kang, known for his role as Han Lue in the Fast and Furious franchise, is set to direct a movie based on the popular manga and anime series, Initial D.

The series is known for its depiction of street racing and drifting, featuring iconic Japanese cars like the Toyota AE86 (Corolla Sport), Mazda RX-7, Toyota Supra, and Nissan Skyline GT-R. The story revolves around the discipline of drifting, a technique also featured in Tokyo Drift, part of the Fast and Furious series.

Sung Kang’s background as a car enthusiast and actor in the Fast and Furious franchise, along with his passion for the Initial D series, makes him a fitting choice to direct this project. The cast of cars for the movie has not been disclosed yet, but it is expected to feature modern-day versions of the original cast, which could include vehicles like the Toyota GR 86 and Nissan R35 GT-R.

Kang described the movie as a fun, big-budget film that expresses his love for cars and likens it to classics like Rocky or Karate Kid. Initial D has a significant influence on car culture and has not had a real-life movie adaptation since 2005, making this new project highly anticipated among fans of the series and car enthusiasts.

If the movie becomes a hit, it could have a similar impact on a new generation of drifting enthusiasts as the Fast and Furious franchise has had on street racing and car culture. This project marks Sung Kang’s third directing gig, following his debut with the 2022 film Shaky Shivers and an upcoming documentary about growing up in a biracial family in the US.