So, Sony was here at CinemaCon after all. In a way. Sony domestic distribution chief Adrian Smith took the stage to introduce the first ever Crunchyroll presentation at the Las Vegas exhibitor and studio confab. Smith beamed that the label “has exceeded all our expectations and everyone at Sony is excited about the future and what’s coming.”
During the show, Crunchyroll SVP of Global Commerce Mitchel Berger rolled out a host of new acquisitions, theatrical release dates and teasers for upcoming features.
Among new films the company has acquired for North America and select international markets are the highly anticipated Blue Lock The Movie – Episode Nagi, the isekai adventure Overlord – The Sacred Kingdom and HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle, the latter releasing May 31 in North America.
Berger also showed off 10 minutes of footage from Spy x Family Code: White, the first film installment of the popular television series which Crunchyroll and Sony are releasing in North American cinemas on April 19.
Speaking on stage, Berger offered a primer on anime and its massive popularity around the globe, calling it “truly a lifestyle.” Overall, the exec said that anime counts one billion fans worldwide and grossed $14 billion last year, on its way to $37 billion this year at the global box office.
Crunchyroll and Sony will release HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle in North American theaters on May 31, 2024 with rollout in offshore markets from late May through late June (see full list of dates below).
HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle originally released in Japan on March 29 and has grossed over $60M to date to make it the biggest local title of the year so far.
It follows Shoyo Hinata who joins Karasuno High’s volleyball club to be like his idol, a former player known as the “Little Giant.” But Hinata soon finds that he must team up with his middle school nemesis, Tobio Kageyama. Their clashing styles turn into a surprising weapon, but can they beat their rival Nekoma High in the highly anticipated “Dumpster Battle,” the long awaited ultimate showdown between two opposing underdog teams?
The Production I.G. film is directed and written by Susumu Mitsunaka from an original story by Haruichi Furudate.
Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom is the first theatrical film from the fan-favorite franchise based on the light novels by Kugane Maruyama, and is a continuation of the series picking up after the conclusion of season 4. The story follows Momonga, a regular salary man who finds himself transported into his favorite video game.
The film is directed by Naoyuki Ito from an original story by Kugane Maruyama. A Madhouse production, release dates are to be set.
Here are the additional international dates for HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle:
● May 30: Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, Switzerland (Italian-speaking), Netherlands, Argentina, Brazil, Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama), Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru
● May 31: Canada, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States
● June 7: Turkey
● June 12: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland (French-speaking)
● June 25: Austria, Germany
● June 27: Switzerland (German-speaking)