Cover Modern work pressure meets high-stakes cinema: Teo Yoo headlines Takashi Doscher’s action-thriller ‘Karōshi’,transforming an entrenched real-world socio-economic phenomenon into a stark battle against unchecked corporate authority (Photo: YouTube)
Modern work pressure meets high-stakes cinema: Teo Yoo headlines Takashi Doscher’s action-thriller ‘Karōshi’,transforming an entrenched real-world socio-economic phenomenon into a stark battle against unchecked corporate authority (Photo: YouTube)
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Teo Yoo leads corporate thriller ‘Karōshi’. Here is the confirmed plot, cast and release details for the action film
Workplace burnout takes a deadly turn in Karōshi, an upcoming dystopian action thriller from Lionsgate and 87Eleven Entertainment. Directed by Takashi Doscher and starring Teo Yoo, the film imagines a near-future Manhattan where corporate power comes with its own code of violence. When an outsider infiltrates a powerful conglomerate following an employee’s suspicious death, he discovers an organisation built on ruthless hierarchies and deadly consequences. With Chad Stahelski, the filmmaker behind the ‘John Wick’ franchise, on board as a producer, Karōshi promises a mix of high-stakes corporate intrigue and hard-hitting action. Its premise also draws on a very real issue in Japanese society: the devastating consequences of working to the point of exhaustion.
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What does ‘karōshi’ mean in Japanese?
In Japanese, ‘karōshi’ (過労死) translates to ‘death from overwork’. The term emerged in Japan during the late twentieth century as a way to describe deaths linked to excessive working hours and prolonged occupational stress. These can include fatal cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, as well as suicides associated with severe work-related mental distress, known as karōjisatsu.
The phenomenon has become a recognised issue in Japan, where labour laws and compensation frameworks provide criteria for determining whether a death is work-related. In cases involving cardiovascular conditions, excessive overtime in the months leading up to a person's death can be an important factor in establishing a connection to their employment.
Today, ‘karōshi’ is also used in wider discussions about workplace culture, highlighting the consequences of excessive workloads, long hours and corporate expectations that leave little room for employees to prioritise their health.
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What is the plot of ‘Karōshi’ the movie?
Written and directed by Takashi Doscher, Karōshi takes place in a near-future Manhattan shaped by corporate power structures and samurai codes of conduct. The story follows an outsider who infiltrates a ruthless conglomerate after an employee dies under suspicious circumstances.
Posing as a job applicant, he makes his way through the company's ranks, only to uncover a violent system operating beneath its corporate façade. What begins as an attempt to investigate a suspicious death soon develops into a fight against the executives responsible for the organisation's brutal treatment of its employees.
The film brings together corporate intrigue, revenge and martial arts action, with its fight sequences shaped by the action team behind the John Wick franchise.
‘Karōshi’ cast and characters
‘Karōshi’ brings together an international ensemble of actors from film, television and theatre. Teo Yoo leads the cast, joined by:
- Teo Yoo: Takes on the lead role as the outsider who infiltrates the powerful conglomerate.
- Isabel May: Appears in a key role alongside the film's central storyline.
- Takehiro Hira: Plays the primary corporate antagonist.
- Cynthia Erivo: Appears as a high-ranking executive caught up in the company's internal power struggles.
- Giancarlo Esposito: Joins the ensemble in a prominent supporting role.
- Bill Camp: Features in the film's supporting cast.
- Shô Kasamatsu: Rounds out the international ensemble.
When is ‘Karōshi’ coming out in Asia?
Lionsgate has scheduled Karōshi for a theatrical release in North America on 5 February 2027, following a change from its earlier January release date.
Asian release dates have yet to be confirmed. This includes markets such as Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia, where individual distributors will announce local theatrical schedules and age classifications closer to the film's release. For now, audiences in the region will have to wait for further updates on when Karōshi will arrive in cinemas.
Chonx Tibajia is a senior editor at Tatler Asia’s T-Labs team, where she writes widely on lifestyle subjects including beauty, style, entertainment and travel. She has a long career in journalism, including roles as a columnist at The Philippine Star, and is the founder of the creative platform Pineappleversed. Beyond Tatler, her bylines appear in regional lifestyle and business publications, showcasing a broad portfolio that spans beauty trends, travel guides and culture pieces.
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