Studio Mappa has had a busy few years, and 2025 is just as busy. Having experimented with creating anime series of different genres, this year’s focus will shift to anime films. Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory / Premature Death will be the studio’s first theatrical release on July 16, but that is a retelling of the anime’s second season with a reworked sound design and improved visual mastering for the big screen. However, Chainsaw Man, another wildly popular title in the Studio Mappa lineup, will move forward with a new canon film.
Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc will hit U.S. theaters on October 29, and is a project Studio Mappa President Manabu Otsuka, Executive Animation Producer Hiroya Hasegawa, and Business and Licensing Director Scott Dolph share excitement over.
Notably, this film will be distributed by Sony Pictures in a unique new distribution partnership forged with the goal of expanding Chainsaw Man‘s reach. “We wanted as many people as possible around the world to see this in theatres, and we actually found out that a lot of the staff at Sony also love anime and Chainsaw Man, so the partnership naturally came to be,” Dolph shared. “The creative team and everyone have been working very hard on this,” Hasegawa added on.
For the new film, Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu will be in charge of the theme song once more. The new song “IRIS OUT,” was created with the new story and characters in mind. “Yonezu read the manga over and over to have a strong understanding of this new arc,” Ostuka began. “During our first meeting, he already had ideas for the direction we should take, so it was just a matter of making sure we were all on the same page.” Mentioning the anime’s opening theme for season one, “KICK BACK,” Otsuka also brought up their collective desire to create something different yet similar at the same time. “”KICK BACK” had such a strong impact, so we wanted to make sure this was still stylistically accurate, but not exactly alike. I really think he song was made based on the story of the Reze Arc.”
When asked to describe the new film and arc, Hasegawa had just one word to share: epic. For Dolph, it’s a story that’s diverse. “Of course there are a lot of action scenes and explosions, but it’s also a film that makes you want to fall in love,” he said as a hint to fans. For Otsuka, he believes that the story won’t be the only thing to capture the audience’s hearts. “Even the length of the film will make it an easy watch, as there won’t be any waiting between episodes. Please look forward to it.”
