Studiocanal Boards Pan-Asian Thriller 'kiDnap Game'

Studiocanal has boarded "kiDnap Game," an 11-part survival thriller created and directed by Japan's Yusuke Kato ("Last Friends"), and will handle international distribution including in North America. The company presents the series to buyers at Mipcom in Cannes this week.

Canal+ has also acquired the show for its territories across Europe, French-speaking Africa and Asia. The series is produced by Kato for Fuji Television, Hong Kong's MakerVille and South Korea's Simstory.

"kiDnap Game" premiered on Fuji TV in Japan on October 6 and launched simultaneously across 28 Asian territories, including South Korea on Channel A and Disney+, Taiwan on Hami Video, and Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand through Viu.

Who stars and what is the story?

The ensemble cast is led by Japanese actor Kentaro Sakaguchi and South Korean star Lee Joon-gi. The thriller opens with a wave of simultaneous kidnappings in seven cities: Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok, Naha and Manila.

As the abductions make international headlines, the victims' families receive a message asking how far they would go to save their loved ones — with the warning that only one can be saved. Seven strangers from different countries and backgrounds must compete in a deadly game, each on a different mission to rescue a loved one. As the competition unfolds, they begin to question why they were chosen and who is behind the kidnappings.

What did the partners say?

M-K Kennedy, managing director of Studiocanal Worldwide Television, called the series "an exciting example of how creative ambition and international collaboration are shaping the future of premium television."

"By bringing together outstanding partners from Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea, the series delivers a distinctive proposition for audiences worldwide," Kennedy added. The executive joined Studiocanal in 2024 from Netflix and spearheaded the company's first in-house international series, "Paris Has Fallen" and most recently "Apollo Has Fallen."

Jean-Marc Juramie, Canal+ France's deputy CEO, said the acquisition supports the company's ambition "to bring the best premium content to Canal+ audiences across multiple territories."

Kato said his "initial goal was to create a drama series that would travel around the globe."

"With those initial thoughts, I came up with 'kiDnap Game,' which spans seven cities and portrays characters with different nationalities, backgrounds, and cultures, using different languages," Kato said. "Although each is different in their own way, they all share the same desire – to 'save a loved one.' I believe this is a feeling that resonates with people no matter where they are in the world."

Who is behind the camera?

The series is executive produced by Kentaro Shibuya of Fuji Television, Janice Lee of MakerVille and Song Seon Eui of Simstory, alongside Kato and Kenichiro Hobara. Shogo Miyaki and Hajime Hatakeyama also direct episodes, from scripts by Ken Tate and Kaoru Yoshikawa.

"kiDnap Game" joins a Studiocanal roster of in-house prestige productions that includes "Army of Shadows," a thriller currently shooting in the U.K. and Paris with a cast led by Olivia Colman, Susan Sarandon, Paddy Considine, America Ferrera, Alex Hassell and Kit Harington.

With a Mipcom launch, a Canal+ deal spanning three continents and distribution in North America, "kiDnap Game" now positions Studiocanal to test whether a multilingual, seven-city Asian thriller can travel as far as its creator intended.