The beast in sheep's clothing: BL manga hits theaters on December 11

The BL manga The beast in sheep's clothing (Hitsuji no Kawa wo Kita Kemono) is getting a live-action film. The adaptation, starring Nobuyuki Suzuki and Yū Kashiwagi, opens in Japanese theaters on December 11, the film's team announced along with its first official poster.

The poster shows the two actors in full tension: Suzuki rests his hand on Kashiwagi's neck with a look full of intent, while Kashiwagi's character responds with a direct expression that makes it clear there's much more here than meets the eye. An image that sums up the tone of the story well.

The story follows Daichi Kusakabe, a university student played by Yū Kashiwagi, who meets Jun Ikawa, his sister's fiancé, a seemingly perfect man played by Nobuyuki Suzuki. Daichi starts to feel attracted to him, but soon discovers that Jun hides a dark side that changes everything.

The original manga, created by Kyūgō, moves away from the sweet romance usually associated with the genre. What starts as a youthful romantic comedy takes a turn into dark, tense suspense, with a pace that alternates tender moments with far more unsettling ones. That's why it's being talked about as a different kind of BL.

An award-winning director behind the camera

Directing duties fall to Yang Liping, who debuted with the film Na mo naki Toritachi. The filmmaker received the Amazon Prime Video Take One Award, a prize created by the Tokyo International Film Festival and Prime Video to boost new talent in Japanese cinema.

The cast brings together Nobuyuki Suzuki and Yū Kashiwagi, a member of the group Chō Tokkyū. The mix between the two promises to give the lead duo interesting chemistry, especially considering how hard it is to bring to the screen a relationship with as many layers as Daichi and Jun's.

No details on international distribution have been announced yet, so we'll have to wait to see if the film reaches Spain or Latin America. For now, the Japanese release is set for December 11.

What do you think of this manga's leap to the big screen? Would you like to see it in theaters? Tell us in the comments.