As with Toho’s Godzilla, Ultraman is another popular Japanese property that gets rebooted with new content every now and then. Netflix has just revealed a new look at its upcoming animated film, Ultraman: Rising, with a teaser trailer, a series of new stills and a new poster. The film comes from directors Shannon Tindle and John Aoshima. Tindle wrote the screenplay with Marc Haimes and features a cast that includes Christopher Sean (You, Hawaii Five-O), Gedde Watanabe (Sixteen Candles), Tamlyn Tomita (Avatar: The Last Airbender) Keone Young (Men in Black 3, Star Wars Rebels), Julia Harriman (Camp Rock). The animated feature is produced by Tom Knott and Lisa M. Poole.
The official synopsis from Netflix reads,
“With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he is forced to adopt a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans. In partnership with Netflix, Tsuburaya Productions, and Industrial Light & Magic, Ultraman: Rising is written by Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes, directed by Shannon Tindle, and co-directed by John Aoshima.”
Shannon Tindle and co-director John Aoshima released a statement expressing their passion for this project. The statement reads, “Our team has worked hard to craft a story that fans and non-fans of this iconic character can enjoy. ULTRAMAN: RISING is a film for everyone. It’s a funny, action-packed, popcorn movie that tackles family, identity, and the struggle to maintain balance in an insane world. This June, we hope you’ll gather ‘round with the folks you love to see what happens when a titanic superhero rediscovers the power of family thanks to an unlikely ally- a sweet, 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju.”
Ultraman: Rising is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on June 14, 2024.