Film opens in N. America in early 2026

TOHO began streaming on Wednesday the first seven minutes and eight seconds of Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu’s new anime film Scarlet (Hateshi naki Scarlet in Japanese, literally "Scarlet Without Limits") on YouTube:

Image via Studio Chizu’s X/Twitter account

© 2025 スタジオ地図

The film opened in Japan on November 21 in both regular theaters and those with IMAX screens. The film ranked at #3 in its opening weekend.

The film was previously slated to open in the United States on December 12, but has been delayed to an early 2026 release date in North America. The film is still planned to have an awards-qualifying run in North America this year.

The 82nd Venice International Film Festival screened the world premiere with five screenings on September 4-5. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) screened the North American premiere at the 50th annual event as a Special Presentation, with four screenings on September 10-12. The New York Film Festival presented the film with two screenings on October 7-8. October 17-19’s Animation is Film Festival showed the film in competition in Los Angeles.

Sony Pictures describes the film:

From visionary Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (MIRAI) comes a powerful, time-bending animated adventure about SCARLET, a medieval-era, sword fighting princess on a dangerous quest to avenge the death of her father. After failing at her mission and finding herself gravely injured in the Otherworld that exists somewhere between life and death, she encounters an idealistic young man from our present day who not only helps her to heal but shows her the possibility of a future free of bitterness and rage. When confronted again by her father’s killer, Scarlet faces her most daunting battle: can she break the cycle of hatred and find meaning in life beyond revenge?

Mana Ashida stars as the princess Scarlet and Masaki Okada as Hijiri, a nurse from modern Japan.

The cast also includes:

• Yutaka Matsushige as Cornelius, an influential aide of Claudius
• Kōtarō Yoshida as Voltemand, an aide of Claudius who leads the knights
• Kōji Yakusho as Claudius, whose conspiracy led Scarlet onto her quest for vengeance
• Masachika Ichimura as Amulet, Scarlet’s father
• Yūki Saitō as Gertrude, Scarlet’s mother who assists Claudius in his conspiracy
• Shōta Sometani as Guildenstern
• Munetaka Aoki as Rosencrantz, a vassal of Claudius who targets Scarlet
• Kazuhiro Yamaji as Polonius, an aide of Claudius who watches over Scarlet’s movements
• Tokio Emoto as Laertes
• Kayoko Shiraishi as a mysterious old woman
• Noa Shiroyama as a girl whom Scarlet encounters in "The Land of the Dead"
• Michio Hazama as the elder leader of a caravan who aids Scarlet
• Mamoru Miyano as one half of a gravedigger duo who appear in Scarlet’s dream
• Kenjirō Tsuda as the other half of the gravedigger duo
• Toshio Furukawa as an innkeeper

This is Miyano’s third role in a Hosoda work after The Boy and The Beast and BELLE, and Tsuda’s second after BELLE. These are also Hazama and Furukawa’s first-ever roles in a Hosoda work.

Many of these characters share the same names as characters in William Shakespeare’s tragedy play Hamlet.

Hosoda directed the film and writing the screenplay, and is also credited for the original work. Hosoda stated the film is not 2D animation or "Hollywood-style CG," and he is aiming for a completely new look. Hosoda also stated the film will have a different feel to his past works, and will also have action and romance elements. He added that the film is based on a "global classic."

The film’s producer Yūichirō Saitō stated the film will have worldwide distribution. TOHO is releasing the film in Japan, while Sony Pictures is releasing the film outside Japan. Sony Pictures has also invested in the film.

Ashida (voice of Scarlet) performs the theme song "Hateshi naki" (Without Limits) with lyrics by Hosoda. Maya & Ayumu Matsuda of Rikon Densetsu perform the song "Shukusai no Uta" (Festival Song).

Comic Natalie noted that since The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Hosoda’s films have previously opened in Japan in summer, but this new film opened in winter.

Source: TOHO Movies’ YouTube channel