Anime
Adieu Galaxy Express 999: 4K Return in December 2026
Toei and Filmarks are bringing the second Galaxy Express 999 theatrical film back to the big screen; besides a return screening, visitor bonuses and further campaigns are also planned.
Adieu Galaxy Express 999 returns to cinemas nationwide across Japan in December 2026 as a 4K restoration. The re-release marks the 45th anniversary of the second theatrical film in the series, which premiered in 1981; a precise start date and the participating cinemas are to be announced later.
Anime!Anime! and the official announcement of the Filmarks revival confirm that Toei and Filmarks are bringing the restored version to cinemas together. Depending on the cinema, the period and screening days may differ. Additional campaigns and dedicated visitor bonuses for the re-release have also been announced; details are still pending.
Second Theatrical Film of Galaxy Express 999
The film originally premiered in 1981 and runs about 130 minutes. Rintaro directed it, and the source material comes from Leiji Matsumoto. Masako Nozawa voices Tetsuro Hoshino, and Masako Ikeda again voices Maetel. In terms of story, the film continues the journey after the first theatrical film: Tetsuro receives a message from Maetel and boards the Galaxy Express 999 once more, while the conflict with the Machine Empire continues.
The re-release follows a renewed cinema run of the first Galaxy Express 999 film in December 2024. For the series, it is also part of a larger anniversary year: aninew.de recently announced the anniversary stage for Galaxy Express 999, which opens in Tokyo in March 2027.
More Details to Follow
The exact start date of the 4K version in December and the list of Japanese cinemas showing it have not yet been published. Filmarks intends to provide these details through the official channels of the revival project.
Re-releases of older anime films thus remain a visible part of the Japanese cinema program. THE FIRST SLAM DUNK is also getting a re-release in spring 2027. For Adieu Galaxy Express 999, it is currently confirmed that the restored version will return to the big screen as a regular release 45 years after its original premiere.