Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment have secured international distribution rights to the next feature from acclaimed Japanese anime filmmaker Makoto Shinkai, even though the project remains almost entirely under wraps. The untitled film will be co-distributed by the two companies across territories outside Asia, with India included in the international distribution footprint. The film’s title, story details and release timing have not yet been announced.
The deal places Shinkai’s next film within the same international theatrical distribution framework that Crunchyroll and Sony used for his previous feature, Suzume. That film was released internationally through a partnership involving Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures and Wild Bunch International, and went on to become one of the biggest global successes of Shinkai’s career.
Very little is currently known about Shinkai’s eighth feature. There is no confirmed title, plot, cast or release date. The filmmaker indicated in a New Year message in January that he expected to be able to share more concrete information about his next film during 2026, but the current distribution announcement does not reveal any further details about the project.
The lack of information has done little to reduce anticipation. Shinkai has established one of the strongest theatrical records in contemporary anime, particularly with his last three original features. Your Name. became his international breakthrough in 2016, earning around $358 million worldwide. Weathering With You followed in 2019 with approximately $193 million, while Suzume, released in 2022, crossed $300 million worldwide during its initial theatrical run.
That three-film run has turned Shinkai into a global theatrical brand rather than simply a celebrated Japanese animation director. Each of those films was an original feature rather than an adaptation of an established international franchise, yet each generated significant overseas theatrical business.
The new agreement also reflects how Shinkai’s international audience has expanded. The previous Suzume distribution arrangement covered North America and a wide range of international markets through Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures and Wild Bunch International. The companies subsequently brought the film to Crunchyroll’s streaming platform across territories including North America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East and the CIS.
The latest agreement is particularly notable for India because the country is being treated as an exception to the broader Asian exclusion. The new film’s international rights cover India, potentially giving Shinkai’s next feature a direct theatrical distribution route in a market where anime fandom has expanded significantly in recent years.
The timing is also notable for Shinkai’s established working rhythm. His three most recent features arrived at roughly three-year intervals—Your Name. in 2016, Weathering With You in 2019 and Suzume in 2022. The wait has now extended beyond that previous cycle, making the announcement of international distribution the first significant commercial development surrounding his next project.
The deal represents another step in Crunchyroll’s growing role as a theatrical distributor of Japanese animation. The Sony-owned anime company has increasingly moved beyond streaming to build a significant cinema business, working with Sony Pictures on releases ranging from new anime features to repertory titles. Most recently, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures announced a 4K and IMAX theatrical re-release of Akira in the United States and Canada beginning September 4, 2026.
The company’s broader anime business has also continued to expand. Sony reported that Crunchyroll had more than 21 million paid subscribers globally as of March 2026, underscoring the scale of the audience now available to support both streaming and theatrical anime releases.
Shinkai’s next film therefore arrives with an unusual commercial advantage: audiences do not yet know what the movie is about, but the companies responsible for taking it to international theaters have already committed to its global distribution.
For now, the film remains a mystery. Its title, premise, characters and release date are still being kept secret. What is already clear is that when Makoto Shinkai’s next feature is finally ready, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures will be positioned to take it to audiences around the world, with India among the territories included in the international rollout.
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