Previously Saved Version – Watch the trailer for the new sci-fi psychological thriller

Prime Video today announced the exclusive worldwide premiere of the Japanese Original film, Previously Saved Version, streaming from September 26, 2024. Previously Saved Version is a “psychopathic suspense romance” set in space, directed and written by Kei Ishikawa, known for his acclaimed film A Man, which won a total of eight Japan Academy Awards. The film stars Hideaki Ito, renowned for his extensive work in films, dramas, and stage performances, and Yuko Araki, a versatile actress and model, who plays the lead female protagonist in this film.
Previously Saved Version is the latest addition to Prime membership, Prime members in Japan enjoy savings, convenience, and entertainment, all in a single membership.

Set in the year 2200 A.D., the story unfolds in a future where human migration to space and advanced technology enable memory manipulation. Naoki and Mayumi, who live in a luxury floating residence in space, are the perfect couple that anyone would admire at first glance. Mayumi enjoys ceramics as a hobby, while Naoki is devoted to his own research. They are a peaceful, ideal couple who enjoy elegant music, cooking, and dining in the dining room. However, their true nature is the distorted love of the husband, Naoki, who seeks revenge from his wife who used to love him back in the days when he used to love her, and repeatedly turns her into an android to pursue and recreate his own ideal. This psychopathic suspense romance depicts a “form of love” that could happen anywhere in the near future.

The lead role in this film is played by Hideaki Ito, renowned for his diverse portrayals—from a coast guard officer fighting to save lives in the Umizaru series to a brutal and psychopathic murderer in Lesson of the Evil. In this film, he takes on the role of Naoki, a genius scientist who attempts to control his wife with distorted love in his pursuit of an “ideal” life. Yuko Araki, known for her roles in high-profile films such as KINGDOM: Return of the Great General, the drama Roppongi Class, and the movie SEE HEAR LOVE (available exclusively on Prime Video), will portray Mayumi, a ceramic artist and Naoki’s wife.

The film is directed and written by Kei Ishikawa, acclaimed both in Japan and internationally for films like A Man, Honeybees and Distant Thunder, and Record of Follies. This will be his fourth collaboration with Polish cinematographer Piotr Niemyjski, with whom he previously worked on Record of Follies, Honeybees and Distant Thunder, and Arc.

Previously Saved Version was filmed in Thailand with internationally acclaimed science fiction screenwriter Brad Wright as a co-writer. The Canadian VFX team utilized cutting-edge computer graphics technology to recreate the near-future setting. The film will be available exclusively on Prime Video worldwide starting in September 26.

“From the moment I read the script, I knew this film would stand out from other near-future stories,” said Hideaki Ito. “I wondered, ‘How will this setting be portrayed?’ and ‘What kind of technology will be used in the film?’ It was the first time in my career that Ishikawa was directing a film and shooting the entire film in Thailand for two months in a different country than Japan, so I had to concentrate not only on the role but also on my own reaction to the cultural differences. It was also a film that made me keenly aware of the fact that a film is made by the director. I worried about how I should express the world in director Ishikawa’s mind, had fun, and came to love my job as an actor even more as a result. It is a great film that is frustrating, painful, fun, happy, and emotionally-charged.”

“This project was not only large in scale, but I also felt that what Director Ishikawa was looking at and trying to create was very big,” said Yuko Araki. “That’s why I was very nervous, but I was very happy to be asked to work with him. I think it is rare to see a work in which outer space and real space are integrated so well and the border between the two is drawn without any sense of discomfort and enjoy this work.”

“I believe science fiction is a genre where the vision of the future has been somewhat established, but it would be meaningless to simply replicate what has been done before,” said Kei Ishikawa, the director and co-screenwriter. “By setting the story in outer space, where human connections are severed, we were able to tell a straightforward narrative about a married couple. While the film includes elements of entertainment, it also features the unique charm of Thailand. As a Japanese filmmaker, I hope audiences enjoy the story without prejudice and beyond the confines of traditional science fiction.”

“Director Kei Ishikawa dramatically depicts a near future where human migration into space is on the horizon. The film stars top Japanese actors Hideaki Ito and Yuko Araki and was created by an international production team, primarily from Thailand and Canada.” said James Farrell, Head of International Originals at Amazon MGM Studios. “We are excited to present a suspenseful story and a highly realistic sci-fi visual experience to our audience.”