‘KarōShi’ Gets First Trailer and Release Date From the Team Behind ‘John Wick’

Chad Stahelski built his reputation on stylish, hard-hitting action with the ‘John Wick’ franchise. Now the director is producing ‘Karōshi’, an original action thriller from Lionsgate that brings a samurai edge to a story about corporate power.

The title refers to a Japanese term for death from overwork, when employees die from heart attacks, strokes, or stress caused by extreme workplace pressure. That idea sits at the center of the film’s near-future vision of Manhattan.

Lionsgate has now unveiled a first look. As Film Updates shared, the first trailer for ‘Karōshi’ stars Teo Yoo, Isabel May, Takehiro Hira, Show Kasamatsu, Giancarlo Esposito and Cynthia Erivo.

The official logline teases a mysterious outsider who infiltrates a powerful company after a worker’s death and exposes the violent system hidden beneath its polished surface. The film opens in theaters on February 5, 2027.

The roughly 2-minute trailer opens with sweeping views of a futuristic Manhattan before Hira addresses a crowd about a technology company’s influence on the modern world. According to Comic Basics, an employee then jumps from a roof and lands in front of May’s character.

First trailer for ‘KARŌSHI’ starring Teo Yoo, Isabel May, Takehiro Hira, Show Kasamatsu, Giancarlo Esposito and Cynthia Erivo. When a mysterious outsider infiltrates a powerful company after a worker’s death, he exposes the violent system hidden beneath its polished surface. In theaters February 5, 2027. https://t.co/ZViGdMx4db

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) November 5, 2026

The company is described as following the path of the samurai, and the violence escalates from there. More workers fall to their deaths, others are choked or cut down with blades, and Yoo appears wielding a sword.

The story takes place in a near-future Manhattan where corporate loyalty and cultural tradition have reshaped everyday life. Film Combat Syndicate notes that the costumes, set pieces and action reflect a deep love of Japanese cinema and aesthetics.

The mix of corporate thriller, revenge story and samurai action gives the film a distinct identity. It also marks a fresh, original project from the team behind one of modern action’s most successful franchises.

Every empire fears rebellion. KARŌSHI – Trailer tomorrow. #KaroshiFilm https://t.co/W0oIRpoKh3

— KARŌSHI (@KaroshiFilm) November 4, 2026

Yoo, known for ‘Past Lives’, leads the film alongside May, whose credits include ‘1923’, ‘1883’ and ‘Scream 7’. Hira, known for ‘Shōgun’, plays the villain, while Kasamatsu brings experience from ‘Tokyo Vice’.

Esposito and Erivo round out the headline cast, along with Bill Camp. Erivo, an Oscar nominee for Best Actress, was also recently cast as Afeni Shakur in Universal’s Snoop Dogg biopic ‘Snoop’.

Takashi Doscher wrote and directed the film, with credits that include ‘Chicago P.D.’ and the 2019 film ‘Still’. Stahelski produces alongside Jason Spitz, Alex Young and Nathan Kahane. Stahelski’s company, 87Eleven Productions, is behind the film along with True North. The production shot in Vancouver from June to August 2025 under the working title ‘Koi’.

The film was originally set to open on January 29, 2027. Lionsgate pushed it back a week to February 5, debuting a new poster of a sword-wielding figure in blood-red rain alongside the date change.

According to its Rotten Tomatoes listing, ‘Karōshi’ runs 1 hour and 38 minutes. That tight runtime suggests a lean, action-focused thriller. With Stahelski’s involvement and a striking premise, ‘Karōshi’ is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing action releases of early 2027. Its blend of corporate satire and samurai violence gives it a chance to stand out.

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