Banijay Americas’ BD4 documentary label has partnered with theatrical distributor Fathom Entertainment and Major League Baseball production shingle MLB Studios to produce the doc “Homecoming: The Tokyo Series,” which is set to premiere in movie theaters on February 23 and 24.
The film, directed by Emmy winner Jason Sterman (“13th”) and also produced by Supper Club, looks back at the historic MLB 2025 World Tour — which opened this past baseball season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs facing off in Tokyo. The two-game event in March, which saw the Dodgers win both matchups (setting the stage for its back-to-back World Series win in November) was also personal for several MLB players who made the journey back home: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki of the Dodgers joined Seiya Suzuki and Shōta Imanaga of the Cubs.
In its logline, “Homecoming: The Tokyo Series” promises to explore “how baseball mirrors Japan’s values of craft, discipline, and devotion, while revealing the emotion, pride, and artistry that define the country’s deep connection to the game.”
“In Japan, baseball is part of everyday life. It’s work, craft, and pride,” said Sterman, who is also a producer on the project. “We focused on the places where the game really lives, from workshops to local fields to people’s homes. The Tokyo Series gave us a clear look at how baseball sits inside the country’s identity. Getting close to the people who carry the game every day shaped the way we told this story.”
Leading up to the Dodgers/Cubs games, the vérité-style documentary also looks at Japan’s baseball heritage, including Little League players and coaches, superfans, master craftsmen, journalists and families who have made it a part of their lives. That includes the unique take on American baseball as it has been infused with Japanese values, rituals and spiritual relationships.
Tickets for “Homecoming: The Tokyo Series” will go on sale in January via Fathom Entertainment.
“Major League Baseball continues to transcend around the globe,” said MLB deputy commissioner, business and media Noah Garden in a statement. “The 2025 season started in grand fashion with five Japanese-born MLB players returning home as larger-than-life sports figures. It ended with the great Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and the Dodgers winning the World Series, watched by record-setting global audiences. Collaborating on this film to showcase how America’s pastime has become a world game is an opportunity we couldn’t pass up and are excited for fans everywhere to see.”
Added Fathom Entertainment programming lead Charles Kane: ”Coming off perhaps the greatest game 7 in World Series history with the Dodgers repeating and Yoshinobu Yamamoto winning the World Series MVP, what a wonderful opportunity for Fathom to bring ‘Homecoming: The Tokyo Series’ to theatres nationwide in advance of the 2026 World Baseball Classic and the 2026 MLB regular season. The game has evolved into a showcase for the greatest talents in the world and a true cultural bond between those in Japan and us here in North America. ‘Homecoming: The Tokyo Series’ is a special look at the story behind some of Japan’s greatest superstars coming home and competing in front of their native fans.”
Said BD4’s Dan Silver: “BD4 was built to make nonfiction with scale and intention, and ‘Homecoming’ is a clear example of that ambition. This story demanded a real theatrical presence, and Fathom was the ideal partner to bring that scale and shared audience energy to life. MLB’s foresight in supporting a theatrical-first release for a story this layered and globally resonant speaks to how they see the sport and its audience. Making this film with my longtime friends at Supper Club, who match our creative drive, made the experience even stronger.”
Here’s a first look at the doc:
AloJapan.com