Madoka Magica Walpurgisnacht Rising Set for IMAX Release in Japan

Fans have waited a long time for Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Walpurgisnacht: Rising. The fourth film in the subversive magical girl anime series is scheduled for release later this month in Japan, and audiences can see it in one of the best formats available.

The official Madoka Magica X account announced that Walpurgisnacht: Rising will receive an IMAX release alongside standard cinema formats. This marks the first film in the franchise to get an IMAX release. The IMAX screenings will launch simultaneously with the regular release on Aug. 28.

More than 60 theaters across Japan will hold IMAX screenings. Fans can find their nearest cinema on the official Madoka Magica website. Given the frenzy surrounding IMAX tickets for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, securing seats early is recommended.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica premiered as a 12-episode anime from studio Shaft in 2011. The series follows a group of schoolgirls who make contracts to gain powers and fight enemies called witches. Madoka Kaname and her friends eventually discover that these contracts are essentially deals with the devil. All magical girls eventually succumb to a deep despair that transforms them into the very witches they hunt.

The franchise began releasing theatrical films in 2012. The first two films, Beginnings and Eternal, served as recaps of the original anime, while the third film, Rebellion, continued the story with a new plot. Walpurgisnacht: Rising was first teased in 2015 before receiving an official announcement in 2021. Following multiple delays, the film received its current August release date. While studio representatives have not explicitly stated that the fourth film concludes the series, trailers heavily suggest it will serve as a finale.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie Walpurgisnacht: Rising opens on Aug. 28 in Japan. No details regarding an international release have been shared.

Source: Polygon