Versus (2000 film)

Versus
Theatrical release poster
Japanese name
Kanji	ヴァーサス
Transcriptions Revised Hepburn Vāsasu
Directed by	Ryuhei Kitamura
Written by	Ryuhei Kitamura Yūdai Yamaguchi
Produced by	Keishiro Shin
Starring	Tak Sakaguchi Hideo Sakaki Chieko Misaka Kenji Matsuda
Cinematography	Takumi Furuya
Edited by	Shuichi Kakesu
Music by	Nobuhiko Morino
Production companies	Napalm Films Wevco Production
Distributed by	Distant Horizon
Release date	October 29, 2000 (2000-10-29) (Tokyo International Film Festival)
Running time	120 minutes[1]
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Budget	$10,000[2]

Versus (ヴァーサス, Vāsasu) is a 2000 Japanese zombie action film directed and co-written by Ryuhei Kitamura. The film was an independent co–production between Kitamura's company Napalm Films and Wevco Production in association with KSS and Suplex.^[3] In the film, a nameless prisoner, a nameless female and her Yakuza abductors fend off zombies in a forest that resurrects the dead while the Yakuza's mysterious leader attempts to open a supernatural gate hidden within the forest and seize its dark power.

The film was originally intended as a sequel to Kitamura's short film Down to Hell but was re-developed as a new film. Principal photography was originally intended to last 3 weeks but was extended to 7 months due to weather and financial issues.

Versus premiered at the Tokyo International Fantastic Film Festival on October 29, 2000. In 2004, an expanded edition titled Ultimate Versus was released that featured 10 minutes of new footage and improved music, effects, titles, and edits.