Sony-owned anime distributor Crunchyroll has acquired global theatrical and streaming rights to Makoto Shinkai’s untitled next feature film, partnering with Sony Pictures Entertainment to handle distribution outside of Asia, according to announcements from both companies. The upcoming project marks the latest collaboration between the director and the studio behind the international box office hit Suzume.
Distribution Strategy and Territory Scope
According to reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will co-distribute the new feature globally, excluding most of Asian markets. India serves as the sole exception to this geographic exclusion, grouped alongside Western territories for the rollout. Specific details regarding the film’s title, plot outline, and release timeline remain under wraps, according to Crunchyroll’s official statements.
The upcoming feature follows the same international distribution blueprint used for Shinkai’s 2022 film Suzume. That project debuted in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, grossed more than $10 million in U.S. theaters, and secured a Golden Globe nomination for best animated feature, according to industry data cited by The Hollywood Reporter.
Track Record of a Blockbuster Director
Makoto Shinkai has released a feature roughly every three years that has consistently yielded massive global returns over the past decade. His breakthrough 2016 feature Your Name grossed $358 million worldwide, serving as a landmark for the global expansion of contemporary anime. That success was followed by Weathering With You in 2019, which pulled in $193 million globally, and Suzume in 2022, which amassed approximately $323 million worldwide, according to box office figures detailed by The Hollywood Reporter. All three titles rank high among the top-grossing anime films of all time.
The 53-year-old director ended speculation during a New Year’s social media message in January, informing fans that he would finally share concrete production details regarding the film sometime this year, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Crunchyroll’s Market Dominance in Western Anime
The acquisition extends a theatrical run that has made Crunchyroll the dominant Western distributor of Japanese animation. The Sony-owned platform currently claims 12 spots among the top 20 highest-grossing anime releases in U.S. history, a lineup that includes last year’s global phenomenon Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, according to company data cited by The Hollywood Reporter.