Ace Attorney movie confirmed

Capcom has confirmed reports that a film based on its Ace Attorney series is in production.

News broke earlier this week that the DS courtroom franchise was headed to the big screen when noted Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike revealed his next project was to be a "court drama, based on a videogame."

Now Capcom has formally announced the project, saying that a film based on the series - which has sold more than 4 million units worldwide since its first release in October 2001 - will be released next spring.

Miike is to direct, with Phoenix Wright played by Hiroki Narimiya, whose voice and likeness were used in Yakuza 4 for one of its protagonists, Masayoshi Tanimura. The role of Wright's assistant Maya will be filled by Mirei Kiritani, with rival prosecutor Miles Edgeworth played by Takumi Saito, an actor and model who recently starred in Miike's Thirteen Assassins.

In a press release, Capcom said the film fit with its "single content, multiple usage" strategy which enables it to "maximise our brands to bring maximum satisfaction to as many of our users as possible." That strategy has reaped dividends in the past, with the release of four theatrical and three animated films based on the Resident Evil series. The firm will release a movie based on its Sengoku Basara franchise in Japan next month.

Source: Capcom