Film opens in Japan on August 17

The official website for the upcoming sequel film Gintama 2 (Kari) (Gintama 2 (Working Title)) posted a visual featuring Jiro Sato in his as-yet-unspecified role on Friday. The visual is a parody of The Godfather Part II .

Sato played Takechi Henpeita in the first film, but will play a different role in the sequel.

The film opens in Japan on August 17.

Shun Oguri, Masaki Suda, and Kanna Hashimoto are returning from the first film to reprise their roles as Gintoki Sakata, Shinpachi Shimura, and Kagura, respectively.

The first film opened in Japan last July, and it earned 980 million yen (US$8.9 million) in its first four days. The film also inspired a live-action net show that debuted on Docomo's dTV streaming service one day after the film's opening. The film had its Canadian premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival last July, and Azoland Pictures screened the film in the United States and Canada starting on January 19.

Well Go USA released the first film on DVD, Blu-ray Disc and DVD combo pack, and Digital HD on March 6.

Hideaki Sorachi began the manga in 2004 and it continues to be ranked among the top-selling manga in Japan. The manga has more than 50 million copies in print in Japan. Viz Media published the first 23 volumes in English. Shueisha published the manga's 72nd volume on March 2. The manga reached the "climax" of its final arc in February.

Source: Comic Natalie