Action flick "The Beekeeper," starring Jason Statham, hit Japanese theaters on January 3, 2025. To celebrate the release, distributor Clock Works rolled out a special theatrical bonus: "Statham's New Year's Red Envelope," packed with coin-style stickers featuring Statham's mug. Plot twist! The flip side of these stickers revealed omikuji (fortune slips), and some unlucky moviegoers pulled a "Daikyo" (great bad luck) fortune. This didn't sit well with audiences, who slammed the move as "ill-considered."
Facing the heat, Clock Works issued a statement on January 4, admitting they hadn't clearly disclosed the omikuji content beforehand. They apologized to moviegoers and vowed to improve labeling for future giveaways to prevent similar issues.
On January 14, the company doubled down with another apology. They emphasized that audiences had no choice in receiving the bonus and were not informed of its contents, and that including "Daikyo" omikuji could negatively impact viewers' moods, deeming it an "extremely inappropriate decision." The company stated, "We are deeply sorry for this incident and will take it very seriously, reflecting deeply. Moving forward, we will plan promotional activities with greater care to ensure a pleasant movie-watching experience for all our audiences."