The highly anticipated “Gokusen: The Movie” opened on 409 screens in Japan this past weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, more than 402,000 fans saw the film in theaters, earning “Gokusen” close to 490 million yen.

According to a statement by distributor Toho on Monday, the movie is projected to gross more than 4 billion yen by the end of its run.

In comparison, the “ROOKIES” movie opened several weeks ago on 428 screens, and it earned over 1.2 billion yen in its first two days.

On the 11th, at the opening day stage greetings of Gokusen THE MOVIE, taking place at Tokyo’s TOHO Cinemas Roppongi Hills, Nakama Yukie (29) and Kamenashi Kazuya (23) made an appearance. Nakama, who plays Yankumi, the story’s protagonist, said, “I think, from the bottom of my heart, that the series continued for seven years thanks to everyone’s efforts.” Kamenashi, appearing after four years since the drama, said, “I’m proud to be able to participate in a work that has history.”

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With “Gokusen: The Movie” less than a couple months away, a new announcement has revealed that six more actors from the drama’s earlier seasons will be returning, including Shun Oguri and Mocomichi Hayami.

The movie is already known to focus on the cast of the show’s third season, which aired in 2008. It was previously announced that Yuya Takaki, Haruma Miura, and Yuta Tamamori are part of the main cast. At the end of last month, it was also revealed that the second season’s Kazuya Kamenashi was added to the cast.

Now, the number of returning alumni has again increased, adding three students each from the drama’s first two seasons. Oguri will represent the first season, along with Yuma Ishigaki and Hiroki Narimiya. From the second season, Hayami will be joined by Teppei Koike and Keisuke Koide.

Although all six played delinquent students in their respective seasons, they have grown up to become respectable members of society. Together with Kamenashi’s character, who has become a teacher in training, these graduates will lend their support to the beloved teacher “Yankumi,” played by starring actress Yukie Nakama. This movie is said to be Nakama’s last time to take on this role.

Filming for the movie finished on May 13. The picture opens in theaters on July 11.

Kazuya Kamenashi is making his big screen debut in the upcoming “Gokusen” movie, it was announced on Wednesday. Kamenashi previously co-starred with Yukie Nakama in the second season of the television drama in 2005.

In the drama, Kamenashi played the role of Ryu Odagiri, the delinquent leader of Class 3D. Now, Odagiri is returning four years later as a teacher in training, teaming up with his former teacher “Yankumi” (Nakama).

The movie’s cast also features students from the show’s third season and subsequent special, including Yuya Takaki, Haruma Miura, and Yuta Tamamori. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on July 11.

No word yet whether or not Akanishi will be in the movie.