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Exclusive: Ansel Elgort (Tokyo Vice) is attached to star in If You Could See Me Now, an adaptation of the 2005 novel from Cecelia Ahern, to be directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Prisoner’s Daughter).

Hailing from Constantine Film and Canyon Creek, the film follows Elizabeth, whose mother disappeared when she was a little girl. On the same night, Ivan arrived — her invisible friend, a boy her age that only she can see, sent to support her during a difficult time. Years later, Ivan and Elizabeth are miraculously reunited, though neither remember the bond they once had. Ivan quickly begins to fall for Elizabeth, unsure why she is able to see him — but something tells Ivan that he must help her once more…

The book is just the latest to make it to screen for Ahern, the Irish novelist behind titles like Ps, I Love You and Where Rainbows End, which were respectively...

Whenever a new streaming service shows up, it brings with it a myriad of exciting new shows that are charged with carving a brand identity for the platform, and offering something unique to stand out from the Too Much TV era. When it came to Max, the one to watch for canceled shows, one of the most exciting titles that not many people watched was "Tokyo Vice."

This moody thriller with a narratively complex story of crime and journalism boasted Michael Mann as an executive producer, and also the director of the pilot episode. It was a lavish production with unparalleled access to filming locations in Japan. Indeed, the most unique thing about "Tokyo Vice," and reason alone to watch the show, was that this was the first major American TV show to film entirely in Japan — which not even "Shogun" managed to accomplish. Never before has a scripted production...

Tokyo Vice built an extensive and detailed world of late 20th-century Tokyo for two seasons. The story was crafted to span two seasons as Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) investigated the Yakuza and succeeded in taking down one of the biggest crime bosses. While the story was tied up nicely at the end of Season 2, there was still much more to explore. Max opted not to proceed with a third season despite both seasons' outstanding reception from critics and the audience. Variety caught up with Alan Poul and J.T. Rogers, the minds behind the show, and they talked about what they had planned for the show before the Max news.

When the news broke earlier this month that Japan-set crime drama “Tokyo Vice” had been canceled, it came as a blow to fans, but not exactly a surprise. For two seasons on Max, the show — adapted by showrunner J.T. Rogers from journalist Jake Adelstein’s memoir of the same name — stood out as an increasingly rare gem in a contracting, decidedly post-peak TV landscape. Starring Ansel Elgort as a fictionalized version of Adelstein, a journalist who embeds with the yakuza as a reporter at the country’s largest daily paper, “Tokyo Vice” delivered an immersive, detailed portrait of the global capital at the turn of the millennium.

Better yet, “Tokyo Vice” improved over time. Season 2 broadened the story’s focus from Jake to a larger ensemble, while also bringing his long-simmering conflict with ascendant boss Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida) to a head. The finale offered a satisfying conclusion, ending on Jake...

Netflix Announces Premiere for Zack Snyder’s “Twilight of the Gods”

The gods are smiling down at Netflix, where Zack Snyder’s highly anticipated “Twilight of the Gods” has set its premiere date.

The all-new Norse mythology-centered animated series from the “Rebel Moon” director is set in “a mythical world of great battles, great deeds, and great despair” where the mortal king Leif is saved on the battlefield by the iron-willed warrior Sigrid, with whom he falls in love. On their wedding night, they survive a wrath of terror from Thor that ends them and a crew of crusaders on a mission for vengeance.

Watch the date announcement video for “Twilight of the Gods” below:

The voice cast will be led by Sylvia Hoeks, Stuart Martin, Pilou Asbaek, John Noble, Paterson Joseph, Rahul Kohli, Jamie Clayton, Kristopher Hivju, Peter Stormare, Jamie Chung, Lauren Cohan, and Corey Stoll, among others.

“Twilight of the Gods...

“Tokyo Vice” creator and executive producer J.T. Rogers had a two-season story mapped out from the beginning, so much so that he had to make sure that the first season of the Max drama seeded the details and Easter eggs that wouldn’t pay off or become important until the second season.

“The pressure for me at least was having an idea going on for a few years now and really champing at the bit to get to the places we wanted,” Rogers tells Gold Derby (watch the exclusive video interview above). “Hikari, our wonderful director on Episode 4 in Season 1, said, ‘I don’t think we have time to get that shot of the watch.’ I said, ‘You need it because 11 hours from now on television, there’s going to be a reference to it.’ So there are so many things we set up narratively, and to have the luxury...

“Tokyo Vice” , the 2022 crime drama TV series based on the 2009 book by Jake Adelstein, starring Ansel Elgort ("Baby Driver"), Ken Watanabe ("The Last Samurai") and Rinko Kikuchi ("Babel") has been canceled after 2 seasons on Max:

“… Set in the late 1990’s, journalist ‘Jake Adelstein’ relocates to Tokyo to join the staff of a major Japanese newspaper as their first foreign-born reporter.

“Taken under the wing of a veteran detective in the vice squad, he starts to explore a dangerous life in the Japanese underworld…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Tokyo Vice will not be returning for a third season. Max has confirmed the cancellation of the crime drama after two seasons on the streaming service. The 10-episode second season premiered in February.

The Tokyo Vice series, which stars Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe, Rinko Kikuchi, Rachel Keller, Show Kasamatsu, Ayumi Ito, Yosuke Kubozuka, and Miki Maya, follows the first-hand account of the Tokyo crime scene by American journalist Jake Adelstein (Elgort).

Read More…...

Quick Links Tokyo Vice Season 3 Is Canceled Tokyo Vice Season 3 Cast Tokyo Vice Season 3 Story Tokyo Vice Season 3: Further News & Info Tokyo Vice has not been canceled before its third season. The main cast members, including Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe, were expected to return for season 3. The storyline for season 3 was uncertain, but it could have involved a new twist in Jake and Detective Katagiri's exploration of Tokyo's criminal underworld.

The HBO drama series Tokyo Vice has earned a strong reputation in its first two seasons thus far, but the crime thriller was canceled before its third season. Debuting in 2022, the series follows American journalist Jake Adelstein as he relocates to the Japanese capital where he quickly falls in with a seasoned detective and learns the dark truth about the supposedly safe city. Though it is hardly the first series to be labeled as neo-noir, its unique...

Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe starrer Tokyo Vice impressed viewers when it premiered its first season back in 2022. The series based on the memoir by Jake Adelstein chronicles Elgort’s character, who is introduced into the dark and dangerous yakuza world in Japan, with Watanabe’s character being his guiding light.

Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe in Tokyo Vice | Max

The show recently completed airing its second season in April, with audiences deeming it a satisfying conclusion to the compelling narrative that started with season 1. With the story drawn to a close, Max has canceled the show after season 2. However, the creators of the show want to develop more stories within the world, but fans are not thrilled about it.

Tokyo Vice Creators Have More Stories To Tell Despite the Show’s Cancellation on Max Tokyo Vice season 2 was a wild ride that compelled audiences till the end | Max

Tokyo Vice...

Max has done it again. The Warner Bros. Discovery streamer has canceled another one of their masterful, underappreciated shows, this time the enthralling, cross-cultural crime period piece “Tokyo Vice.” The news was announced at the PGA’s Produced By conference by the show’s creator and executive producer J.T. Rogers and executive producer and director Alan Poul during a panel with Max original programming chief, Sarah Aubrey.

Despite the series’ short run, the panelists indicated that this was a mutual decision.

“We’re grateful not only to Max, but to our partners Fifth Season, who sold the show around the world, and made it a global success story,” Rogers and Poul wrote in join statement shared by Variety. “They were in the trenches with us always, guaranteeing that we could make the show we wanted to make. The response from both the press and from fans, in particular to Season 2, has been overwhelming.

Tokyo Vice season 3 is cancelled by Max despite being a critically acclaimed show. Series creator J.T. Rogers remains hopeful about the show's future.

Tokyo Vice season 3 is cancelled by Max, but the series creator remains hopeful about the show's future. Loosely based on the 2009 non-fiction book by journalist Jake Adelstein, the crime drama debuted in April 2022. With famed Heat director Michael Mann directing the first episode, and J.T. Rogers developing the adaptation, the story follows Ansel Elgort as an American who wants to become a journalist in Tokyo. But in the show's late 1990s setting, nothing is as it seems. The cast of Tokyo Vice also includes Ken Watanabe, Rinko Kikuchi, Rachel Keller, Ella Rumpf, Hideaki Ito, Show Kasamatsu, and Tomohisa Yamashita.

Deadline now confirms that Tokyo Vice season 3 will not happen, as Max has canceled the show. Read the statement from Max's spokesperson below:

From Tokyo...

One of the most critically acclaimed shows on Max (formerly HBO Max) is coming to an end, with it revealed today that Tokyo Vice’s second season will be its last. The show starred Ansel Elgort as American journalist Jake Adelstein, upon whose memoir the show was based. In it, Adelstein, a crime reporter, relocates to Tokyo and becomes embroiled in the world of the Japanese Yakuza. Ken Watanabe played his mentor, a detective investigating organized crime in the city, while Rachel Keller, Sho Kasamatsu and Rinko Kikuchi co-starred.

The pilot episode for the show was famously directed by the great Michael Mann, who also served as one of the show’s executive producers. It was originally commissioned at a time when Warner-Discovery was hoping to make HBO Max a hub for high-end series, only for many of their shows, including Raised by Wolves, The Flight Attendant, and now Tokyo Vice...

Tokyo Vice’s days on Max have come to a conclusion.

During a panel at the Produced By conference Saturday in Los Angeles, producers confirmed that the recently concluded second season will be the show’s last on the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed platform.

Originally pitched as a two-season show with the events of the series having ended with its April 4 finale, fittingly titled “Endgame,” star Ansel Elgort also only signed on for two seasons of the series.

“Over the last five years, Max has made sure we got to tell our story. They have supported us through thick and thin. Not only did they give us these two seasons, they said yes when we asked to end season one with a series of cliffhangers, and they said yes when we asked for two extra episodes so we could land the plane in the way [creator] J.T. [Rogers] had always envisioned,...

Max has officially said sayonara to Tokyo Vice.

The crime drama, starring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe, will not be back for a third season, TVLine has learned. The news came out during a panel at Saturday’s Produced By conference in Los Angeles.

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Tokyo Vice‘s Season 2 finale, which dropped on April 4, now serves as its series finale.

Max series Tokyo Vice has ended after two seasons. The news was revealed today during a Produced By panel at the Fox Studios with participants Max Head of Original Content, Sarah Aubrey, Tokyo Vice creator J.T. Rogers and EP/director Alan Poul.

Said a Max spokesperson in a statement in regards to the series farewell, “From Tokyo Vice’s richly written material to the gorgeously composed shots to the lived-in performances, the care and creativity of this enormously talented cast and crew shines in every frame of the show. We thank J.T., Alan, Ansel, Ken, Fifth Season, and Wowow for their partnership on this wholly unique modern noir thriller.”

Added Rogers and Poul, “Over the last five years Max has made sure we got to tell our story. They have supported us through thick and thin. Not only did they give us these two seasons, they said yes when...

The first season of Max’s “Tokyo Vice” introduced audiences to Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), an American crime reporter working in Japan who gets a crash course in both local journalistic practices and the complicated relationship between the police and the yakuza. The filmmakers immersed the viewer in the world of ’90s Tokyo just as Jake was immersed in it, creating a highly kinetic and involving character study that was also a study of a specific time and place. Season 2 retained those qualities but broadened the show’s perspective to provide a more ensemble-oriented look at its world, deepening its exploration of the cops, criminals, reporters, and nightclub hostesses whose lives intersect with or run parallel to Jake’s.

The result was a second season that not only delivered on but surpassed the promise of Season 1, a visually and aurally dense series in which the craft is so thoroughly integrated...

Adelstein's career as a crime reporter in Tokyo faces new dangers, setting the stage for a gripping second season. Jake and Detective Katagiri's fragile alliance hints at a potential reconciliation to dismantle Tozawa's empire. Tozawa's mysterious trip suggests significant plot developments involving complex international dealings.

Spoilers for the Tokyo Vice season 1 finale.

The Tokyo Vice season 1 ending, based on Jake Adelstein's memoir, concludes the first part of this true story-inspired series. Starring Ansel Elgort as Adelstein, the show explores his experiences as a crime reporter in Tokyo during the mid-90s to early 2000s. Adelstein's entanglement with the Japanese mafia, or Yakuza, and his relationships with local police and sources drive the narrative, revealing a perilous underworld. Directed by Michael Mann, the show, though fictionalized, captures the essence of Tokyo's neon-lit crime scene.

Season 1 follows Adelstein's career as a rookie reporter for the world's largest newspaper. He...

Ken Watanabe, the Oscar-nominated actor who is a star of the Emmy-buzzed HBO/Max drama series Tokyo Vice — he plays Hiroto Katagiri, a detective in the organized crime division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and a father-figure to Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), an American journalist in Tokyo — is being entered for Emmys consideration as a leading actor just like Elgort, contrary to widespread reporting that he would be pushed as a supporting actor, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Tokyo Vice is currently in the awards conversation for its second season, which has been even better received (93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) than its first (released in April 2022, it’s at 85 percent), and has been the most widely watched Max original on the platform since it dropped. It is competing in a year in which the Emmys’ drama categories are thin to an almost unprecedented degree, with only one past drama...

This piece contains spoilers about “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters”

Even now, months after she wrapped production on Season 1 of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” breakout star Mari Yamamoto gets admittedly emotional while talking about the show’s finale.

The actress plays Keiko Mura, a Japanese scientist who, in the 1950s, helped start the organization Monarch alongside Bill Randa (Anders Holm) and Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell) to understand and study Godzilla and other Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms (MUTOs). But after a mission gone wrong, Keiko is presumed dead and is only later discovered to have survived, barely aged for decades, within a part of Hollow Earth she’s coined Axis Mundi. It’s there, in the show’s finale, where Keiko reunites with an elder Lee and realizes that her 57 days spent in Axis Mundi have translated to literal decades on Earth.

See‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ reviews: ‘Riveting’ series features ‘impressive’ VFX,...

Quick Links What Happened in the Season 2 Finale of Tokyo Vice? Tokyo Vice's Creators Already Have Ideas For a Third Season Tokyo Vice's Chances of a Third Season Just Got Even Stronger

The second season of Tokyo Vice has recently come to an end, and its finale has had the fans buzzing not just over its quality, but over whether they'll get to see more of Jake Adelstein's investigations in the future. With the events that unfold in the finale, it appears that it has managed to wrap up the main storyline and most of its surrounding subplots in a more than satisfactory manner. Because of this, it may not seem like a third season would even be necessary, but it still leaves the door open for more. Given just how popular the show has become, along with a few other contributing factors behind the scenes, it...

Season 2 of Tokyo Vice blurs ethical lines for justice, with the "good guys" forced to dirty their hands. Tozawa's dishonorable actions lead to his downfall, restoring balance and honor among the yakuza clans. Jake finally gets his story published, while Katagiri retires, hinting at future collaborations despite different paths.

Following last season’s intense cliffhanger, the conclusion of Tokyo Vice’s latest season felt much more resolute but satisfying, nonetheless. While there remains plenty of stories to tell in future seasons, Season 2 was undoubtedly a proper bookend to the narrative introduced in Season 1. Inspired by the memoir of the same name by American journalist Jake Adelstein, the series follows Jake (Ansel Elgort) as he investigates the dangerous underworld of the Japanese yakuza. The first foreign-born journalist to work for the Meicho, a major Japanese newspaper in Tokyo, Jake strives to report on what’s really happening in the city.

Jake makes risky choices for justice in Tokyo Vice, sacrificing friendships and betraying sources in the dangerous world of yakuza investigations. Katagiri's retirement is short-lived as viewers eagerly await his return to combat new threats in Tokyo's shifting underworld landscape. Samantha's resilience shines as she rises above defeat, paving her own way as a successful nightclub owner with the potential for a romance subplot.

Warning: Spoilers for Tokyo Vice.

Tokyo Vice follows Jake (Ansel Elgort), an American living in Tokyo who becomes the first foreign-born journalist to land a job at a major Japanese newspaper, the Meicho. There, he encounters a tough boss, Eimi (Rinko Kikuchi), and a corporate culture shock he eventually settles into rather quickly, given his passion for reporting on what’s really happening in the city. Based on a true story detailed in a memoir by Jake Adelstein, the series chronicles his experiences as he...

[This story contains spoilers from the season two finale of Tokyo Vice.]

Many heroes brought down ruthless yakuza crime lord Shinzo Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida) in the season two finale of Tokyo Vice.

But for many faithful fans of the Japan-set and American-produced crime drama on Max, watching Akiro Sato (played by Show Kasamatsu), the young resilient yakuza member of the Chihara-Kai clan, deliver proof of Tozawa’s treachery to the oyabuns of various clans was a greatly satisfying ending to the 10 episodes that have been soaked with violence, honor, dishonor, loyalty and betrayal.

And of all the yakuza portrayed in the series about the Japanese organized crime world, Sato was the one member who sought quiet and peace, in his own way.

Tokyo Vice fandom pages indicate that Kasamatsu’s portrayal of Sato leaps off of the screen, similar to the series’ main star Ansel Elgort, who plays real-life American journalist Jake Adelstein, who moved to Japan in the ‘90s...

Tokyo Vice‘s conclusion in Season 2 echoes a particular moment from Season 1, something that the show’s writers and creators designed to distinguish the story from an American production, which would have had a different ending had it been so.

A still from Tokyo Vice

The story of the two-season show (as of now) follows American journalist Jake Adelstein, who explores the dark underbelly of Tokyo, uncovering mysteries of the Japanese Yakuza as the first foreign journalist in the country. He works with the Vice squad of the city, working with Hiroko Katagiri, a senior officer in law enforcement.

Season 2 of Tokyo Vice echoed a particular Season 1 moment

Tokyo Vice Season 2

Season 2 of Tokyo Vice ends with Ken Watanabe‘s character sitting and having a conversation with Jake, echoing Season 1 when the character met for the first time. This was by design, as stated by J.T Rogers to Entertainment Weekly:

“I knew for many,...

Patricia Highsmith’s thrilling novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley” has been adapted for the screen multiple times since its publication in 1955, most notably in the 1999 film of the same name starring Matt Damon and Jude Law. But now the story of a con man taking over the life of the wealthy playboy he’s been sent to bring home is being given the limited series treatment, and it’s must-see TV.

Initially developed for Showtime by Oscar winner Steven Zaillian, the eight-episode “Ripley” has moved to Netflix, where the highly bingeable but tense series is able to be devoured all at once, just as it should be. Andrew Scott’s portrayal of the titular character is less charming than it is full-on sociopath, but it really works, while Johnny Flynn steps into the shoes of rich boy Dickie Greenleaf. One might quibble about the ages of the actors versus the...

Creator J.T. Rogers hints at Tokyo Vice season 3, exploring moral themes if renewed by HBO. Positive reception may lead to season 3 renewal, with potential conflicts and new stories ahead. The cast is likely to return for season 3, promising to delve deeper into the Japanese underworld.

Tokyo Vice creator J.T. Rogers addressed the possibility of Max's crime drama returning for season 3. Initially premiering in 2022, the thriller series follows Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), an American journalist who might fight and learn to earn his place after becoming the first foreign-born journalist ever to join a Japanese newspaper. After a successful season 1 which received a glowing reception from both critics and audiences, HBO renewed the show for season 2, which recently aired its final episode.

Speaking with The Wrap, Rogers revealed that he started to ideate Tokyo Vice season 3 but cautioned "we’ll get to see if we get to make it." The...

Are you a fan of the gripping crime series Tokyo Vice? If so, you are probably wondering if there will be a third installment following the shocking finale of the second season. Well, you’re in luck because the creator of the Max series has, at last, opened up on the matter.

Note: Spoilers for Tokyo Vice’s Season 2 finale can be found below.

As followers of this crime drama series may recall, Shinzo Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida) aspired to be the sole supreme oyabun (leader) of the Japanese crime syndicate. However, he met his violent end at the hands of himself in the Tokyo Vice season two finale, capping off his dreams.

A still from Tokyo Vice

Following the terrifying cliffhanger finale of season 2, many viewers were left wondering if the story would continue. The good news is that a third season is officially in the works, as confirmed by the creator.

Tokyo Vice is a crime drama series that explores the dark criminal underbelly of Tokyo through the lens of an American journalist. The series depicts the lives of those involved with the Japanese mafia known as the Yakuza. After the show recently concluded its second season, creator J. T. Rogers sat down for a conversation and discussed different aspects of the show.

A still from Tokyo Vice

During an interview, Rogers was asked about the show’s depiction of Yakuza and revealed whether the crew received help from actual members of the criminal organization. At the same time, Rogers also discussed the challenges of filming the series on location in the city of Tokyo. Here is everything Rogers said about working on Tokyo Vice.

Tokyo Vice Creator J. T. Rogers Reveals if the Yakuza Were Involved in the Show

Based on Jake Adelstein’s book of the same name, Tokyo Vice...

[This story contains major spoilers from the finale of season two of Tokyo Vice, “Endgame.”]

Shinzo Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida) had dreams of becoming the one supreme oyabun (leader) of the yakuza crime syndicate in Japan.

In the season two finale of Tokyo Vice (now streaming on Max), those dreams ended with his violent demise — by his own hands.

Initially, it appeared in the series — which is filled with twists and turns of the bloody yakuza subculture in Japan, as it’s covered by American journalist Jake Adelstein, played by Ansel Elgort, who co-stars alongside Ken Watanabe — that Tozawa played a winning hand by murdering rival clan leaders, and threatening to kill police officers and reporters (and their families) who appeared to hurt his climb to absolute power in Tokyo and beyond.

But in all the yakuza leader’s ruthlessness, Tozawa made one major misstep. He showed blatant disrespect and dishonor toward his wife, Kazuko Tozawa (Makiko Watanabe), who fell in love with...

Warning: Major Spoilers ahead for the Tokyo Vice season 2 finale.

Tozawa's downfall in Tokyo Vice season 2 finale was orchestrated by his wise wife Kazuko, leading to his ultimate demise. Sato emerges as the new yakuza leader after a shocking death during season 2, showcasing honor and resilience in the crime world. Jake's relentless pursuit of the truth leads to betrayals and losses of friendship in Tokyo Vice season 2 despite pushing the narrative forward.

The Tokyo Vice season 2 finale answered many lingering questions that went as far back as the season 1 finale. The acclaimed crime series has chronicled the rise of American journalist Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) at the prominent Tokyo newspaper Meicho Shimbun and his investigation into the underbelly of the yakuza culture of organized crime. Along the way, Jake befriended fellow American Samantha (Rachel Keller) who developed from a glorified waitress and "ex-Mormon missionary turned yakuza gun moll" into a formidable club owner.

Spoiler Alert: This interview contains spoilers for the Season 2 finale of “Tokyo Vice,” now streaming on Max.

Season 2 of “Tokyo Vice,” the neo-noir crime drama set in Tokyo, Japan, and loosely based on a memoir written by journalist Jake Adelstein, has come to a close in an explosive finale that both sent off the series’ main, two-season running antagonist — and laid the foundation for what could potentially come from the Max thriller if a third season were to be greenlit.

The show stars Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe, and tells the story of a Japanese-fluent American writer (Elgort) who works his way into covering crime for one of Tokyo’s most prominent newspapers. In the process, he forges an unlikely bond with a dogged local police detective, Hiroto Katagiri (Watanabe), with the duo sharing information and working together to untangle sordid yakuza activities.

Before diving into the specifics of the finale,...

This article contains spoilers for Tokyo Vice season 2.

The second season of the acclaimed Max original series Tokyo Vice featured a bloody power struggle between different yakuza clans for control of Tokyo’s criminal underworld in the late ‘90s. At the center was Shinzo Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida), the head of the Tozawa clan who viciously murders any rivals that won’t concede to his rise to power, while pulling the strings of the Japanese government and major news media outlets. Scrambling to dethrone Tozawa are investigative journalist Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort), veteran police detective Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe), and rival yakuza boss Akiro Sato (Show Kasamatsu).

In an exclusive interview with Den of Geek, Tokyo Vice creator, showrunner, and executive producer J.T. Rogers and director and executive producer Alan Poul unpack the twists and turns of season 2, explain how they set up the season’s grand finale, and reveal their...

Baby Driver is a unique blend of genres praised for its direction and cast. Ansel Elgort, Lily James, and the supporting cast deliver impressive performances in Baby Driver, bringing the intriguing story to life. Baby Driver's sequel is in the works, but the cast is unknown.

Baby Driver was a critical and commercial success following its premiere in 2017, partly due to the performances given by its talented cast. The action film, directed and written by Edgar Wright, revolves around Ansel Elgort's titular character's pursuit to escape his life of crime as a getaway driver for bank robbers by paying off a debt to a crime syndicate's kingpin. However, quitting isn't as effortlessly easy as he first believes, of course. Meanwhile, in the midst of the complex conflict, a romantic subplot between Baby and Lily James' Debora transpires in the action movie.

Baby Driver, considered one of Edgar Wright's best movies,...

This is a highly competitive filmmaking industry, and there are often numerous obstacles that must be overcome in order to bring a project to life. Few, however, have faced a far more daunting challenge than the team behind the HBO Max series Tokyo Vice. The behind-the-scenes making of this project—created by J. T. Rogers—is a truly inspiring tale that merits a drama series of its own.

Starring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe, the crime drama series aired its second season in February of this year. The show’s plot revolves around an American journalist ( Jake Adelstein) stationed in Tokyo who, with the help of a seasoned detective, tracks down the city’s yakuza-run criminal underworld.

Ansel Elgort in Tokyo Vice season 2 trailer | Max – YouTube

Nevertheless, there is no better way to introduce Tokyo Vice than by having it filmed in Tokyo, Japan. Although it first appeared to be an exciting adventure,...

The HBO crime drama Tokyo Vice offers more than just a captivating story. Following a journalist Jake Adelstein (Ansel Elgort) immersing himself in the neon-lit landscape of Tokyo’s criminal underbelly, the show is set against a backdrop of Japan’s capital city in 1999. And it’s attention to detail extends to its use of period-correct Japanese cars, delighting Jdm car enthusiasts with every scene.

Tokyo Vice

Among the ensemble cast of the show is Ken Watanabe taking on the role of Hiroto Katagiri, a seasoned detective in the organized crime division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department who also serves as a mentor to Adelstein. And his character’s ride, an S130 Nissan Fairlady Z, has also garnered significant attention from enthusiasts.

Ken Watanabe’s Nissan Fairlady Z Steals the Spotlight in Tokyo Vice

Although the HBO crime drama primarily focuses on Ansel Elgort’s Jake Adelstein, the Japanese...

Tokyo Vice is back with its highly anticipated season two. Not only are fans and critics describing the second venture as highly addictive and better than its first season. Yet apart from its entertaining and intriguing dive into the Japanese Yakuza culture, the crime show has been hailed for shooting the mixed language show in the land of the Rising Sun itself.

Tokyo Vice official poster

While many shows or movies would avoid filming in the country, using soundstages instead, the Ansel Elgort-starrer series is receiving praise for showing and covering the real Tokyo. But doing so was a mammoth of a task, yet even more difficult was shooting one real-life element that became absolutely crucial for the HBO show.

Tokyo Vice and How It Successfully Shot One Dangerous Real-Life Element of Japan

Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe in Tokyo Vice

Based on the memoir written by journalist Jake Adelstein,...

Tokyo Vice is the newest trend in the world of masterpiece series. Though its start wasn’t one too commended by fans, with its first season somewhat being received on a rocky note, the second season has defied all of those fans’ expectations and more. And as this sequel season heads to its finale, the gripping sequences have gotten all the better.

Tokyo Vice.

This comes after the most recent episode of the series, i.e. episode 9, Consequences. Not only did this shocker addition deliver perfectly through its actions and magnificent storyline, but it further made fans look all the more forward to the season finale. That being said, Tokyo Vice Episode 9 Spoilers Ahead!

Tokyo Vice Season 2 Episode 9 was the Epitome of Perfection!

With a new episode every week, the Ansel Elgort-starrer series continues to leave fans baffled.

While episode 8 The Noble Path of the currently ongoing season 2 was...

Imagine a Hollywood production shutting down a bustling nightlife district in a city of 37 million people. That’s exactly what the team behind Tokyo Vice managed to achieve in season two. They filmed right in the heart of Akasaka — a spot known for its flashy neon lights and famous hostess clubs.

Tokyo Vice Season 2 (Courtesy of Max)

For one night in March 2023, Akasaka wasn’t just entertaining its usual patrons — it was transformed into a crime scene straight out of the hit TV series Tokyo Vice for its second season.

The whole place was shut down, and the filmmakers recreated everything with incredible detail, making it look like a real crime scene from the show. It was quite a sight to see in a city known for its vibrant nightlife! But it almost gave a Warner Bros. employee close to nervous breakdown.

WB Employee was on Edge During Tokyo Vice...

Ansel Elgort starring Max original series, Tokyo Vice, is just days away from airing its explosive season 2 finale. The dramatized version of real events follows American journalist Jake Adelstein, as he delves into Tokyo’s crime-filled underworld.

The series also focuses on Ken Watanabe’s veteran police detective Hiroto Katagiri and Show Kasamatsu’s Akiro Sato. The season 2 finale may end some of the unsolved mysteries of the season.

Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe, and others in Tokyo Vice official poster

Showrunner J.T. Rogers adapted the series from Adelstein’s book Tokyo Vice: An American Reporter on the Police Beat in Japan. Rogers will also pen the finale episode of the season, making fans excited for some great twists and turns. The finale is expected to address 2 major mysteries.

Mystery 1: Who Started The Meicho Office Fire? Eimi suspected Baku of starting the Meicho Office fire in Tokyo Vice Season 2 Episode...

The Max series Tokyo Vice enthralled audiences with its deep and intricate exploration into the underbellies of Japan. The series is based on the controversial book of the same name by Jake Adelstein and stars Ansel Elgort playing Adelstein along with popular Japanese actor Ken Watanabe. The first season received great reviews from audiences and critics.

Ansel Elgort as Jake Adelstein in Tokyo Vice

The second season of the show is now streaming on Max. The makers of the show were hell-bent on shooting the series on location in Japan rather than constructing sets and recreating the country in other places. Despite a history of difficulties in having a Hollywood production in Japan, Tokyo Vice makers were successful in taking the necessary steps to secure a location for their shoot.

Realizing and Capturing The Real Essence of Japan Was Essential for Tokyo Vice

Unlike most Hollywood productions set in Japan,...

When the skies cleared above Tokyo’s historic Akasaka district late one evening in March 2023, no one in the city of 37 million people could have been more relieved than Masanori Aikawa, the tireless location manager employed by Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max and its hit TV series Tokyo Vice.

The neo-noir crime drama was then two-thirds of the way through production of its second season on location in Japan, and one of its most ambitious shoots was planned for that night. The production was set to take over a full block of Akasaka’s Esplanade, an old nightlife strip famous for the hundreds of bars and hostess clubs that are packed into its narrow mid-rise buildings. No Japanese TV production — let alone a foreign, Western one — had ever been granted police permission to shoot in Akasaka, which is near many of Tokyo’s most important cultural and political sites. The...

In a world saturated with countless streaming options, it is not uncommon for ‘great’ shows to slip through the cracks. And Tokyo Vice is a perfect example of this phenomenon.

About two years have gone by since the premiere of Michael Mann’s (two-time Primetime Emmy winner) crime-drama series, Tokyo Vice, which introduced us to yet another lonely yet determinant male character. Let us first praise a television show that actually knows its place. HBO Max’s crime series raises the bar for audacity by naming the show after its ‘real location’.

Created by J. T. Rogers, this series effortlessly raises the bar, and Tokyo gains the upper hand. The drama coexists with a celebration of all things surrounding Tokyo, from the vividly lit side alleys to the spacious, vibrant karaoke bars in the 17 episodes, especially the first one directed by Mann.

But, despite being hailed as one of the best shows ever created,...

Netflix's Griselda is one of the best hits of 2024 so far, and there's a good reason that the show is breaking ground. Fans and critics alike have sung praises for the six-episode limited series.

The biographical crime drama tells the story of The Cocaine Godmother Griselda Blanco, who ruled the Miami underworld in the '70s and '80s and helped establish cocaine trade links between Colombia and the United States.

Sofia Vergara's role as the titular character is highly praised, and many want more to do with this crime drama. While we may not get more Griselda, there are several shows to watch that are similar to the series.

10. Weeds

Weeds is a funnier, lower-stakes version of Griselda, in a way. Hard times drive Nancy Botwin (Mary-Lousie Parker) into the marijuana trade. A widowed mother of two boys, this mom is willing to do anything for her family.

[This story contains spoilers from season two, episode eight of Tokyo Vice, “The Noble Path.”]

In many ways, the eighth episode in the second season of Max’s Tokyo Vice could be an extension of the prior episode. And it sets the audience up for the final two installments that promise to be a violent conclusion on power, corruption, loyalty, truth and betrayal within the underside of Japanese culture, the organized crime syndicate known as the yakuza.

But toward the end of this latest hour, viewers may feel some déjà vu from the series premiere, as the events circle around to where the series began. Jake Adelstein (played by Ansel Elgort), the aggressive American journalist who writes for Tokyo’s largest daily newspaper, and Japanese Organized Crime Division Detective Hiroto Katagiri (Ken Watanabe) have their lives threatened by Yabuki (Kazuya Tanabe), the enforcer of Shinzo Tozawa (Ayumi Tanida), who has risen to be the most powerful and deadliest of all the yakuza crime lords.

In the previous episode of Tokyo Vice season 2, Jake Adelstein returned to Missouri, but Detective Katagiri called him and asked him to go to Minnesota to get information on Tozawa. Meanwhile, Sato was banned from the Chihara-kai gang for good, but Kaito continued working as Hayama’s henchman. Kaito and the other members of the Chihara-kai attacked a Tozawa club and killed some of Tozawa’s men. In the latest episode of the series, tensions escalated regarding the leadership of the Chihara-kai gang. Will it finally be Sato who takes over the gang? Let’s take a look at this episode to find out.

Tokyo Vice season 2 episode 2 opened at a Hawaiian resort, where the FBI performed a raid to disrupt the peace of some Yakuza members hanging out. Jake is tasked with writing an article exposing Tozawa’s crimes in the US. Now Jake is torn between two choices:...

Warning: Major Spoilers ahead for Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 7.

Jake reunites with his family in Missouri only to be pulled back into Tokyo's crime beat by new developments. Tensions rise in the Chihara-Kai as Tozawa boldly attends Ishida's funeral, brewing chaos with the new Oyabun Hayama. As secrets unravel, Samantha becomes a suspect in Ishida's murder, while Shinjiro's confession implicates Tozawa.

Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 7 "The War at Home" features Jake Adelstein's long-awaited homecoming to the United States while the investigation into Oyabun Ishida's assassination continues. With only three episodes left of Tokyo Vice season 2, there are still many key questions left to answer regarding Ishida's death, Tozawa's rise, and a number of potential betrayers such as Hayama, Baku, and even Samantha or Nagata. Jake is able to take a deep breath back home in Missouri until further developments pull him right back into Tokyo's volatile underground crime beat.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 6.

Eimi suspects Baku started the office fire based on his right-wing interests and access to the evidence room at Meicho. Possible red herring: Baku is allegedly on Tozawa's payroll but shows no signs of direct involvement in tape destruction. Meicho executive Ozaki encourages Eimi to pursue Tozawa, raising questions about his true intentions and involvement.

One of the biggest and longest-lasting mysteries in Tokyo Vice season 2 is who started the fire in the Meicho office. The seemingly random fire occurred in Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 1, destroying the Yoshino tape and all of its copies after initially being discovered by Jake Adelstein. The tape held visual evidence of Polina's death on a luxurious boat that was owned by Tozawa. Tozawa wisely registered the Yoshino under his mistress Misaki's name, creating a degree of separation between him and the scandalous yacht.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 6.Ishida's final words to Sato in Tokyo Vice season 2 remain one of the biggest mysteries of the exciting new season. Following the shocking ending of Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 5, Sato and the Chihara-Kai are on high alert based on the imminent threat of the Tozawa clan rising in the Oyabun's absence. Jake Adelstein and Hiroto Katagiri work diligently to identify Ishida's killer, which leads to a bizarre encounter in Katagiri's house in season 2, episode 6. Ishida appears briefly in the beginning scenes of Tokyo Vice season 2, episode 6 refusing to go to the hospital.

In the final scene in which Ishida is seen alive, the Oyabun pulls Sato closer and whispers something in his ear that apparently ends up being his final words. Whatever Ishida had said to Sato in his final moments was only accessible to him, likely making the message...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Tokyo Vice season 2.

Tokyo Vice season 2 shifts focus to new protagonists, balancing out character dynamics for a richer narrative experience. The series expertly expands its ensemble cast, adding depth and complexity to the story of yakuza clashes in Tokyo. Tokyo Vice season 2 impresses with its sprawling plot and character development, reminiscent of Game of Thrones' intricate storytelling.

The new season of Tokyo Vice has made a major change to its character focus which has ultimately made it a better series overall. Tokyo Vice season 2 premiered on February 8, 2024, to outstanding critical acclaim, earning an impressive score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. After five excellent episodes leading up to a major plot twist at the end of episode 5, Tokyo Vice is poised to become one of the best returning HBO/Max series of 2024 if the rest of the season proves to be just as high caliber.

Tokyo Vice features...