Chad Stahelski, the creator of the John Wick series, is returning to dystopian action cinema with Death from overwork, a new film scheduled for early next year. Lionsgate’s trailer introduces a violent corporate thriller set in a futuristic Manhattan, making the movie an early contender for one of 2027’s most anticipated releases.
A dystopian thriller about corporate violence
Death from overwork is a real phenomenon associated with extreme workplace stress. It has been reported in Japan and other parts of Asia, as well as in Sweden, where around 700 workers reportedly die from overwork every year. Physical causes commonly include stress-related heart attacks and strokes, while suicide is known as karojisatsu in Japan.
Writer and director Takashi Doscher brings that concept to a grim, near-future Manhattan dominated by corporate power. The story centers on a company called Ikigai Technologies. According to the film’s official premise:
Death from overwork is an action thriller set in a near-future Manhattan where corporate loyalty and cultural traditions have upended everyday life. When a mysterious outsider infiltrates a powerful corporation after the death of an employee, he uncovers a system of violence hidden beneath its polished surface.
Cast and story
Yoo Tae-oh (Past Lives) stars as Hiro, a mysterious outsider apparently seeking revenge against the corporation responsible for an employee’s death. The cast also includes Takehiro Hira, known for the 2024 miniseries Shōgun, along with Giancarlo Esposito, Cynthia Erivo, Bill Camp, Richard Harmon, Isabel May, and Sho Kasamatsu.
With Stahelski involved and a premise built around workplace exploitation, corporate secrecy, and revenge, Death from overwork aims to combine contemporary social anxiety with the stylized action associated with the John Wick filmmaker.
Source: arstechnica.com