CRUNCHYROLL ANNOUNCES THE GLOBAL THEATRICAL RELEASE FOR "DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO" THIS SUMMER

Crunchyroll's First Worldwide Release Coming to Theaters Starting August with Global Distribution by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment

CULVER CITY, Calif., May 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Crunchyroll and Toei Animation today announced it will release Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO, the newest film in the worldwide anime blockbuster franchise, which will come to theaters globally in Summer 2022.

This is the first truly globally-distributed theatrical release for Crunchyroll and is distributed in North America by Crunchyroll. Internationally, the film will be distributed by Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film will be coming to theaters across the globe in all continents, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia (excluding Japan, which will debut the film June 11). The film will be released in Japanese with subtitles and dubbed.

"For more than 30 years, the Dragon Ball franchise has delighted fans around the globe who have followed the world's greatest warriors who defend Earth from forces of evil," said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll. "We're thrilled to partner with Toei Animation to bring fans the latest chapter of Dragon Ball Super to the legion of super fans eager to continue the adventure and to grow the anime audiences who are discovering it for the first time." 

Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO is the second film in the Dragon Ball Super franchise. Dragon Ball Super: Broly was released in 2018 to fans around the globe. The film has grossed over $120 million at the box office globally and is the #5th highest grossing anime movie at the box office in the U.S.

The Red Ribbon Army was once destroyed by Son Goku. Individuals, who carry on its spirit, have created the ultimate Androids, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2. These two Androids call themselves "Super Heroes". They start attacking Piccolo and Gohan… What is the New Red Ribbon Army's objective? In the face of approaching danger, it is time to awaken, Super Hero!

The film, with full commitment and deep involvement from Dragon Ball's original creator Akira Toriyama, has the legendary manga creator behind the film's original story, screenplay and character design.

Additionally, the film will be directed by Tetsuro Kodama and the Japanese voice actors for the film include Masako Nozawa (Gohan, Goku and Goten), Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo), Yūko Minaguchi (Pan), Ryō Horikawa (Vegeta), Mayumi Tanaka (Krillin), Aya Hisakawa (Bulma),  Takeshi Kusao (Trunks), Miki Itō (Android 18), Bin Shimada (Broly), Kōichi Yamadera (Beerus), Masakazu Morita (Whis), Hiroshi Kamiya (Gamma 1), Mamoru Miyano (Gamma 2), Miyu Irino (Dr. Hedo), Volcano Ota (Magenta), and Ryota Takeuchi (Carmine). The English voice cast will be announced soon.

The Dragon Ball phenomena began in 1984 when Japan's well-known manga from Akira Toriyama premiered in Shueisha's "Weekly Shonen Jump" – becoming a top ranked title throughout its 10 and a half years of publication. Since then, the manga's popularity has continued to grow with an astonishing record of 260 million copies sold worldwide and counting. And with Dragon Ball's ever-increasing popularity, it has expanded beyond manga to include TV animation, movies, games and merchandising. Now 38 years after the launch of the original manga, Dragon Ball continues to evolve and will reach new heights starting with this new large-scale movie.

Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with the content and experiences they love. In addition to free ad-supported and subscription premium content, Crunchyroll serves the anime community across events, theatrical, games, consumer products, collectibles and manga publishing.

Anime fans have access to one of the largest collections of licensed anime through Crunchyroll and translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Viewers can also access simulcasts — top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast.

The Crunchyroll app is available on over 15 platforms, including all gaming consoles.

Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between US-based Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Japan's Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. Sony Pictures Television operates dozens of wholly-owned or joint-venture production companies around the world. SPE's Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, Sony Pictures International Productions, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html  

Toei Animation Co., Ltd. ranks amongst the world's most prolific animation production studios. The company's operations include animation development and production, and worldwide marketing and program licensing with sales offices in Los Angeles, Paris, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Since its founding in 1956, Toei Animation Co., Ltd. has produced more than 13,316 episodes of TV series (more than 230 titles) and more than 258 long feature films (as of March 2022). For more information, please visit corp.toei-anim.co.jp/en.

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