Shim Hyung-rae’s (also known as Ray Shim) latest film “The Last Godfather” will be released in North American theaters in April, the film’s domestic distributer CJ Entertainment announced Wednesday.

The slapstick, starring producer-director Shim in the lead role opposite Harvey Keitel, will initially open in 12 cities across the United States and Canada on April 1, via Roadside Attractions LLC, before hitting European and Asian theaters.

“We are very interested in films that bridge cultures, and Ray Shim’s hilarious Korean Young-gu character will be fun to bring to North America. We hope to entice both Korean-Americans and the crossover mainstream audience,” said Howard Cohen, co-president of Roadside.

Shim, a former comedian, is known for securing a wide release across the U.S. with the sci-fi fantasy film “D-War” — the first time ever for a Korean.

“The Last Godfather” is a parody of the Francis Ford Coppola gangster franchise featuring Shim’s signature simpleton character Young-gu. It has drawn over 2.5 million viewers in Korea since its release on Dec. 29, 2010.