Netflix revealed on Monday that Ultraman: Rising, the highly anticipated Ultraman CG animated feature film produced in collaboration with Tsuburaya Productions, will have its world premiere at this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 12, preceding its streaming debut on June 14.
Alongside the film’s debut, a “Making Of” panel will feature director Shannon Tindle, co-director John Aoshima, art director Sunmin Inn, VFX supervisor Hayden Jones, and composer Scot Stafford on June 13.
The Annecy International Animation Film Festival, scheduled from June 9 to June 15 in the picturesque French town of Annecy, holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest and largest animation film festival, tracing its roots back to 1960.
Shannon Tindle’s Directorial Debut: An Intriguing Collaboration with Tsuburaya Productions and Industrial Light and Magic
Shannon Tindle, known for his work as an animator on renowned films like Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, steps into the director’s chair for his feature directorial debut, with John Aoshima serving as co-director. Tsuburaya Productions and Industrial Light and Magic are credited as the production companies behind the project.
Tindle is also co-writing the screenplay with Marc Haimes, while Tom Knott takes on the role of producer and Lisa Poole as co-producer. The film draws inspiration from characters created by Eiji Tsuburaya, known for his iconic contributions to Godzilla and Ultraman.
The creative team aims to assemble “a mix of Japanese and western stars, coupled with a large number of below-the-line talent from Japan.” Among the notable cast members are Christopher Sean, Gedde Watanabe, Tamlyn Tomita, Keone Young, and Julia Harriman.
Ultraman Universe Expands: New Film “Ultraman: Ken Sato” to Join Netflix’s Anime Adaptation and Studio Khara’s “Shin Ultraman”
Tsuburaya provides the following description of the film:
“Baseball superstar Ken Sato returns to Japan, his homeland, to take on the role of Earth’s defender as the superhero Ultraman. However, he faces unexpected challenges when he becomes responsible for raising the offspring of his greatest enemy, a newborn Kaiju. Juggling between being a teammate and a new father, Ken must confront his own pride, reconcile with his estranged father, and navigate the schemes of the Kaiju Defense Force. Through this journey, he discovers the true essence of being Ultraman.”
In April 2019, Netflix premiered an Ultraman CG anime adaptation based on Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi’s Ultraman manga series (2011). Directed by Kenji Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki, the anime was produced by Production I.G. The final season of the anime, Ultraman Final, was globally released on Netflix in May 2023.
Shin Ultraman, a film by Studio Khara, made its debut in Japan in May 2022, securing the top spot in its opening weekend. The film garnered a total of US$601,490 from its screenings in the United States in January 2023. Additionally, it was screened in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada.
