In attendance at the recent CinemaCon festivities, CrunchyRoll announced they have acquired the theatrical rights for three upcoming anime feature films in North America and select international regions: Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, Blue Lock the Movie -Episode Nagi- and OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom, all of which fans can hopefully expect to see hit the silver screen, and eventually CrunchyRoll streaming or home video formats in the near future. Scroll down to read more about each of the acquisitions:
Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle
Shoyo Hinata joins Karasuno High’s volleyball club to be like his idol, a former Karasuno player known as the “Little Giant.” But, Hinata soon finds that he must team up with his middle school nemesis, Tobio Kageyama. Their clashing styles turn into a surprising weapon, but can they beat their rival Nekoma High in the highly anticipated “Dumpster Battle,” the long awaited ultimate showdown between two opposing underdog teams?
Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle is based on the popular volleyball media franchise, and features direction and screenplay by Susumu Mitsunaka, with an original story by Haruichi Furudate and production by Production I.G.
A range of theatrical release dates spanning May – June have already been confirmed, and include:
May 30: Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland (Italian-speaking),
Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama), Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico,
Peru
May 31: Canada, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United
Kingdom, United States
June 7: Turkey
June 12: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland (French-speaking)
June 25: Austria, Germany
June 27: Switzerland (German-speaking)
Blue Lock the Movie -Episode Nagi-
“That’s a hassle.” That was second-year high schooler Nagi Seishiro’s favorite phrase as he lived his dull life. Until Mikage Reo, a classmate who dreamed of winning the World Cup, discovered Nagi’s hidden skill, inspiring him to play soccer and share his outstanding talent. One day, he receives an invitation to the mysterious BLUE LOCK Project. What awaits him there is an encounter with the finest strikers assembled from across the country. Nagi’s dream of becoming the best, alongside Reo, will take this prodigy to a world he’s never known.
A prodigy can only be shaped when someone discovers him….now, striker Nagi Seishiro’s incredible talent and persona will set the soccer world ablaze.
Blue Lock the Movie -Episode Nagi- is the first film in the wider Blue Lock franchise, the first season of which is currently streamable on CrunchyRoll. The film is directed by Shunsuke Ishikawa with an original story by Muneyuki Kaneshiro, original manga by Kouta Sannomiya, chracter designs by Yusuke Nomura, composition and screenplay by Taku Kishimoto and music by Jun Murayama. Eightbit is confirmed as the animation studio.
CrunchyRoll and Sony Pictures Entertainment are set to begin screening Blue Lock the Movie -Episode Nagi- in cinemas across North America beginning 28 June 2024 with both the original Japanese audio and a new English dub. International screenings are planned but more information is to follow.
OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom
After twelve years of playing his favorite MMORPG game, Momonga logs in for the last time only to find himself transported into its world playing it indefinitely. Throughout his adventures, his avatar ascends to the title of Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown.
Once prosperous but now on the brink of ruin, The Sacred Kingdom enjoyed years of peace after construction of an enormous wall protecting them from neighboring invasions. But, one day this comes to an end when the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth arrives with an army of villainous demi-humans.
Fearing invasion of their own lands, the neighboring territory of the Slane Theocracy is forced to beg their enemies at the Sorcerer Kingdom for help. Heeding the call, Momonga, now known as the Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown, rallies the Sorcerer Kingdom and its undead army to join the fight alongside the Sacred Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy in hopes to defeat the Demon Emperor.
OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom features an original story by Kugane Maruyama, direction by Naoyuki Ito, character designs and chief animation direction by Satoshi Tasaki, illustrations by so-bin and music by Shuji Katayama (Team-MAX). Animation comes from MADHOUSE.
OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom is the first theatrical film in the OVERLORD anime franchise, which is based on the light novels of Kugane Maruyama. CrunchyRoll has confirmed they’ve acquired the theatrical rights to the film in North America and select international rights in EMEA and Latin America regions. Dates for these screenings have yet to be announced.
