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Takeshi Koike to Direct 1st New 2D Feature-Length Anime Film in Lupin III Franchise in Nearly 30 Years
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the Lupin the 3rd franchise announced on Friday a new temporarily titled Lupin the IIIrd The Movie film that will open in Japan in 2025. The film will be a completely new work. The end of the below video features the phrase, "You don't yet know the real Lupin III."
The staff state the film will be the first new 2D feature-length anime film in the franchise in nearly 30 years, since Lupin III: Dead or Alive in 1996. Since then other anime have screened in theaters such as Lupin the IIIrd: Jigen's Gravestone, Lupin the IIIrd: Goemon's Blood Spray, and Lupin the IIIrd: Fujiko Mine's Lie, but those were not feature-length films. The 2019 film Lupin III THE FIRST was CG, and the 2013 film Lupin III vs. Detective Conan The Movie and the 2023 film Lupin III vs. Cat's Eye were both crossover films.
Takeshi Koike (Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, Lupin the IIIrd: Jigen's Gravestone, Lupin the IIIrd: Goemon's Blood Spray, Lupin the IIIrd: Fujiko Mine's Lie) is returning to the franchise to direct the film at Telecom Animation Film. Yūya Takahashi (Lupin the IIIrd: Jigen's Gravestone, Lupin the IIIrd: Goemon's Blood Spray, Lupin the IIIrd: Fujiko Mine's Lie, Lupin the 3rd Part 6) is also returning to write the screenplay. James Shimoji is also returning from the three films to compose the music, and Katsuhito Ishii is also returning from the three films as creative adviser. TMS Entertainment is credited with production and writing. TOHO NEXT will distribute the film.
Sources: Lupin III anime's X/Twitter account, Comic Natalie
