Summary
Mamoru Hosoda, the genius behindThe Girl Who Leapt Through Time, finally has a new movie coming out after four years of silence. The new movie, calledScarlet, is set for release in November in Japan, and December in North America.Scarletdropped a new teaser trailer on Tuesday, which quickly gathered almost 100,000 views in less than 24 hours on YouTube. Hosoda has had a string of internationally popular movies in the last ten years, and news of a new movie has the internet excited.
Not only doesScarlethave a new trailer and release date today, it also has an English-language poster. Considering Hosoda’s popularity and his Oscar nomination a few years ago, it comes as little surprise that the movie isbeing advertised both in Japan and North Americasimultaneously.Scarletstands to have a major release in both regions, and will likely earn plenty of money not only in Japan but abroad as well, with Hosoda’s name attached to the work.
Scarletby Mamoru Hosoda
The New Story of a Warrior Princess
Not a lot of information has been shared aboutScarletyet, but theHollywood Reporterdescribes the film as,
…the story of a brave princess who transcends time and space.
Comic Nataliegoes into more detail, reporting the story as (translated from Japanese),
Scarlet, a princess who failed to avenge the murder of her father, the king, wakes up in the “Land of the Dead”. In this land of the dead, where madness abounds, Scarlet must take revenge on her sworn enemy and reach the “Land of the Unseen” or else she will disappear into nothingness and cease to exist. Scarlett’s “endless” journey of revenge is depicted.
If you are wondering why the word “endless” is specifically in quotes, it is because the movie has a longer name in Japanese. Instead of simplyScarlet, Hosoda’s latest film is calledHateshinaki Scarlet, or"Endless Scarlet." The name was likely shortened to make it easier, though you have to wonder ifsome meaning was lost by changing the namewhen the story will follow her “endless” journey.Scarletis scheduled to release on November 21st in Japan, and December 12th in North America.
The Film Legacy of Mamoru Hosoda
The Mastermind Producing Critically Acclaimed Anime Movies
Most people will think ofStudio Ghibliand Hayao Miyazaki when they think about original anime movies, but Mamoru Hosoda is often a close second. He got his start withDigimon: The Moviein 2000, but has gone on to do so much more since then. Since his success withThe Girl Who Leapt Through Timein 2006, Hosoda has gone on to produce several major anime movies. These includeSummer Wars(2009),Wolf Children(2012),The Boy and the Beast(2015), andMirai(2018). Everything afterSummer Warshas been made by the studio he created, Studio Chizu.
In 2018,Miraiwas actually nominated for an Academy Award, in the Best Animated Feature category. It was the first time that a non-Studio Ghibli animated film from Japan had ever been nominated in the category, and even though it didn’t win, it made history. Mamoru Hosoda has shown thatyou don’t have to be Hayao Miyazakito make incredible animated films, and that other directors and studios can also create amazing works of art that capture hearts around the world.
Scarlethas the potential to do very well at the box office, and hopefully will get an even wider international release announced beyond North America as December approaches. Considering fans have had nothing from Hosoda sinceBellein 2021, it’s no surprise that they are excited and ready for this next story. The trailer already has everyone excited, and that will likely only build as full-length trailers and more posters are released in the marketing lead up toScarlet’s release.
Scarlet, a film by Mamoru Hosoda, will release in theaters in North America on December 12th, 2025.
