After the very underwhelming Terminator: Dark Fate, we proposed that the next most logical place for Terminator to continue would be as a TV series. After all, one of the last decent Terminator-related entries was The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
It seems Netflix was thinking along the same lines, going one step better and pushing the franchise into an anime series.
As the project is still in the early stages, plot details are being kept under wraps. Netflix has partnered with Skydance on the series, with Skydance having produced the last two “Terminator” films. The series is produced in partnership with Production I.G , who Netflix has had a production line deal with since 2018. Production I.G’s past anime credits include “Ghost in the Shell,” “B: The Beginning,” and “Eden of the East.”
Have also read recently that James Cameron wants to get back full control of the Terminator IP. I don’t know if this means after he gets out of Avatar land, that he’ll be directing another Terminator movie, but suggests he’s still interested in the franchise. It seems like that cow has been milked and it’s time for some fresh perspectives which maybe with this anime TV series project will happen.
Crunchyroll subscription join page (pictured above) — currently being shopped around
Anime continues to be a hot content commodity among streaming channels with AT&T in a position to keep its Crunchyroll but instead wanting to sell it.
Among the bidders, Sony is rumored in the first position to make a deal, according to Variety sources.
The Sony angle emerged from a report late last week in Japan’s prestigious Nikkei newspaper. The Nikkei said that talks have advanced sufficiently that Sony now has exclusive negotiating rights on a Crunchyroll purchase.
The deal would have a price tag of JPY100 or $960 million at current rates of exchange. That is a significant step down from a $1.5 billion asking price reported by The Information in August.
Here’s another first for our FIRST LOOK: a film we’re looking at exclusive released in another country with no official release date in the United States announced. There is hope, though, so keep reading.
It’s currently the #1 film in Japan’s theaters.
Domestic box office sales for a film, prior to the pandemic, used to be a good indicator of performance. Studios and even movie theater chains base their results at least in strong part by domestic sales.
Since the market in the US has been severely handicapped by a wide variety of factors — theaters closing, uncertainty from moviegoers about returning, local government restrictions, etc — box office performance internationally is dramatically outperforming success in the United States.
Case in point, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. A movie that’s made over $100 million in its Japan only debut so far this month.
Currently, Demon Slayer has the biggest opening day and opening weekend at the [Japan’s] box office. The movie is already the highest-grossing flick of 2020 and even managed to top the global box office upon its opening. Now, fans are wondering if Demon Slayer can overtake Spirited Away and Your Name to become the highest-grossing anime movie to date.
This release strategy is puzzling to me given our current times. I realize movies traditionally are released in foreign markets all the time and never appear in the United States. The thinking is that it won’t appear to a wide enough viewing audience in America. We’re a melting pot of moviegoers here, however. Yes, it might not be a large audience that’s pays to see films like these in America, but there are definitely interested moviegoers. Yes, especially in the middle of a pandemic.
Bring Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. to US theaters and other international markets ASAP. Bring all new foreign movies to American theaters, even if its only for a brief screening cycle.
I mean, seriously, we’re in a drought of new films in theaters — according to the theaters themselves — and the #1 theater chain in the world, AMC, isn’t showing this film everywhere that it can globally?
(I get it, they can’t .. it’s not been made available yet — and that’s dumb)
Official trailer:
Over 9.2 million views for the official trailer on YouTube — and yes, this is subtitled
Given it’s just the trailer, but this looks good. I’m a fan of anime, having covered some of it here at this site and interested in expanding that coverage. I’m not deeply immersed in the genre, but more than a casual fan and interested in watching more and digging deeper into the genre. Fortunately, some of this is being made available on streaming channels.
Kara might not be as interested in seeing this, but I’d reserve a ticket to watch this right now, if only it was playing in theaters.
A little digging around revealed this:
Aniplex of America and Funimation revealed at the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Panel at New York Comic Con 2020 that the highly anticipated Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train is headed to U.S. and Canadian theaters early 2021!
Can somebody please take a minute or two and explain the logic of delaying release in the US in the comments? (Artificial scarcity, maybe?) I get that this is based on a popular anime TV series in Japan and the film will obviously be met with the most familiarity and likely sell the best there, but why nor share that success worldwide immediately? Or at least within a few weeks or month of the exclusive release? Share it!
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is available in Japan theaters only as of October 16, 2020 and scheduled for release in the United States and Canada in early 2021.
Joker inside Arkham on Harley Quinn S2:E6 via DC Universe, the sister service of HBO Max
The anime is coming, the anime is coming — to HBO Max, courtesy at least in part of Crunchyroll.
One adult animated series that I’ve enjoyed — Harley Quinn — has led me back into the adult animated world, as well as comics, with more increased interest and excitement. A year ago, I had little to no interest in animated films. This shows how one great movie or TV series can alter where one spends their time.
HBO Max has also commissioned an adult animated holiday series called Santa, Inc with voice roles by Sarah Silverman and Seth Rogen (source). With Rogen involved especially, visions of the extremely adult Sausage Party are coming to mind.
As for the anime that will be available on HBO on May 27 launch?
HBO Max subscribers will be able to stream 17 different anime series currently available on Crunchyroll, including Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-(Director’s Cut), and Keep Your Hands off Eizouken. Crunchyroll will curate new anime content for HBO Max subscribers every three months, according to WarnerMedia, with popular series Hunter x Hunter and Death Note coming to HBO Max later this year.
