Hideaki Anno Producing New Ultraman Film

Published by ScreenRant | Daniel Alvarez

Hideaki Anno, the creator of Neon Genesis Evangelion and co-director of Shin Godzilla, is producing a new theatrical Ultraman film. Ultraman has remained one of Japan's biggest franchises, and its latest show premiered last month.

The first Ultraman show premiered in 1966. It followed a giant alien who inhabits the body of a human. Together with a group called the Science Patrol, they fight against evil monsters and aliens that threaten the Earth. Created by Eiji Tsuburaya (the man who helped bring Godzilla to life), Ultraman instantly became a success and inspired countless sequel shows, movies, collectibles, and more. Unfortunately, Ultraman's presence in the North American market has been minimal, outside streaming and a few DVD releases. This is starting to change. Recently, Mill Creek Entertainment announced it would be bringing nearly the entire Ultraman library to North America. Also, Tsuburaya Productions is premiering a YouTube exclusive Ultraman show in both Japanese and English. There's also the Ultraman anime on Netflix. Clearly, Ultraman is beginning to find huge popularity on the other side of the Pacific. The new film could propel the franchise even further.