Netflix Japan will release Bullet Train Explosion on April 23, a modern retelling of the 1975 film The Bullet Train. Directed by Shinji Higuchi and starring Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, the film updates the original’s premise with a present-day setting, new characters, and large-scale practical effects. The timing coincides with Netflix’s tenth year of operations in Japan and reflects its efforts to back high-budget Japanese projects outside the anime space.

The film centers on a Tokyo-bound bullet train carrying passengers unaware of a planted explosive system. If the train’s speed drops below 100 kilometers per hour, the device will detonate. The bombers demand a ¥100 billion ransom while authorities and passengers alike scramble to respond. While the storyline draws direct influence from Junya Satō’s 1975 original, Bullet Train Explosion places stronger attention on those inside the train, pushing character decisions to the forefront.

Kusanagi plays one of several passengers facing immediate consequences as the situation unfolds.