A locked-down Tokyo, a mysterious serial killer and two investigators from different backgrounds will drive Bullfrog, a new psychological thriller from Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike. Jon Hamm and Andrew Koji are set to lead the film as a former FBI profiler and a Japanese detective drawn into a dangerous investigation. Miike will direct the project from a screenplay by Eric Jordan Baker, with principal photography scheduled to begin in Japan in summer 2027. The project brings together an internationally recognised American actor, a British-Japanese performer and one of Japan’s most prolific filmmakers for a crime thriller set in a near-future world.
The film’s setting gives its serial-killer premise a distinctive dimension. Bullfrog takes place in a near-future Tokyo under strict lockdown, where a Japanese detective played by Koji joins forces with Hamm’s former FBI profiler to track down a mysterious murderer. Their investigation unfolds as a tense cat-and-mouse pursuit, with the restrictions imposed on the city adding another obstacle to an already difficult case. The lockdown setting also provides a contained environment in which the investigators must navigate both the threat posed by the killer and the limitations affecting their search.
The contrast between the two central characters forms an important part of the story. Koji’s detective brings local knowledge and experience of Japanese law enforcement, while Hamm’s former FBI profiler approaches the case with a background in understanding criminal behaviour and identifying patterns. Their different professional experiences could offer complementary perspectives as they attempt to understand the killer’s actions. However, further details about their characters, the circumstances that bring them together and the identity of the murderer have not been disclosed. The film’s central mystery therefore remains largely under wraps at this stage.
For Miike, Bullfrog represents another move into the dark and unpredictable territory that has helped establish his international reputation. The Japanese director has made more than 100 feature films, moving across crime, horror, action and drama without being confined to a single genre or filmmaking style. His work frequently explores disturbing subject matter and unconventional characters, often shifting between different tones and approaches. Films such as Audition and Ichi the Killer established his reputation among international audiences for unsettling narratives and bold cinematic choices.
His filmography also includes 13 Assassins, Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai and Shield of Straw, demonstrating his ability to work across different forms of genre storytelling. While these films differ considerably in their settings and narratives, they reflect the range of material Miike has explored throughout his career. A psychological thriller built around a serial-killer investigation in a restricted urban environment provides another opportunity for the filmmaker to work with suspense, violence and the darker aspects of human behaviour.
Bullfrog follows Miike’s recent work on Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2026. The new project keeps the filmmaker in Tokyo but shifts the focus towards a city under lockdown and the pursuit of a mysterious killer. Its near-future setting gives the story a contemporary crime-thriller framework, while the presence of two investigators approaching the same case from different professional perspectives creates the foundation for its central conflict. The contained setting could also allow Miike to build tension around the investigation and the circumstances surrounding the killer.
The project brings together an international creative team behind the camera. Eric Jordan Baker has written the screenplay, while Nathan Ross, David Styne and Misako Saka are producing. Ross’s previous credits include the acclaimed television series Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects, as well as the film Dallas Buyers Club. Japanese studio OLM will oversee production in Japan, providing the local production base for the planned shoot. The collaboration combines Japanese production resources with an international cast and filmmaking team, reflecting the project’s positioning for audiences beyond its primary setting.
International sales arrangements are also taking shape ahead of production. Paris-based mk2 Films has boarded Bullfrog to handle international sales and is presenting the project to buyers at the American Film Market. CAA Media Finance is handling North American sales and financing. The involvement of mk2 Films provides the project with an established international sales platform, while CAA Media Finance’s role covers the North American market and financing arrangements. These sales and financing partnerships place the film before international buyers as it moves towards its planned production period.
Hamm brings considerable television and film experience to the project. He is widely recognised for his Emmy-winning portrayal of Don Draper in the television series Mad Men, a performance that established him as one of the most prominent actors of his generation. Since then, he has appeared in a range of film and television projects, including Top Gun: Maverick and Your Friends & Neighbors. His casting as a former FBI profiler gives him a role within a crime narrative that draws on investigative experience and an understanding of criminal behaviour.
Koji has built an international screen presence through projects including the television series Warrior and films such as Bullet Train, Snake Eyes and Boy Kills World. He is also part of the cast of the upcoming Street Fighter film. His experience across action-oriented projects and television drama brings a different screen background to the pairing with Hamm. In Bullfrog, the two actors will approach the central investigation from contrasting professional perspectives, creating the possibility of an interesting dynamic as their characters work together to pursue the killer.
With Miike directing, Hamm and Koji leading the investigation, and a near-future Tokyo providing the backdrop, Bullfrog is shaping up as an international psychological thriller with a distinctive premise. The combination of a city under lockdown, a serial-killer investigation and two investigators with different approaches gives the project several elements around which to build its suspense. The film is not expected to begin shooting until summer 2027, and no release date or further casting announcements have been made. For now, its principal draw is the creative combination of Miike’s genre filmmaking, an international lead cast and a crime story set in an unfamiliar version of Tokyo.