FUNimation Picks Up Live-Action Attack on Titan for Domestic Distribution

After making headlines by distributing the two most recent “Dragon Ball Z” animated films, FUNimation Entertainment has announced today that they’ve secured the theatrical, home entertainment, video on demand and broadcast rights to the upcoming Japanese live-action feature film Attack on Titan across the Americas (North America, Central America and South America). Directed by Shinji Higuchi from a script by Yûsuke Watanabe and Tomohiro Machiyama, the film will be released in Japan in two parts by Toho on August 1 and September 19, 2015.

Based on the popular manga series of the same name, Attack on Titan takes place in a world where the remnants of humanity live inside a series of connected cities, isolated by enormous walls. These walls exists to keep the Titans out, gigantic humanoid creatures who devour humans seemingly without reason. These Titans have reduced the world’s population to staggeringly low numbers. The three main protagonists of Isayama’s manga are Eren Jaeger, his adoptive sister Mikasa Ackerman, and their friend Armin Arlert. Their lives are changed forever when a ‘Colossal Titan’ breaches the wall protecting their town, leading to the death of Eren’s mother. Vowing revenge and to reclaim the world from the Titans, Eren, Mikasa and Armin join the Survey Corps, an elite group of soldiers who fight Titans outside the walls.

With more than 50 million copies in print today, Attack on Titan has also inspired four spin-off manga as well as a 25-episode anime series which FUNimation both simulcast and released to home video in North America.

FUNimation has also announced that the film’s director will appear at the San Diego Comic-Con for an autograph session on Sunday, July 12, at 1:00 p.m. PST at FUNimation’s booth (#4135). Following this they will host the world premiere of Attack on Titan Part 1 (in Japanese w/ English subtitles) at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles, CA on Tuesday, July 14. Haruma Miura and Kiko Mizuhara, who portray Eren and Mikasa in the movie respectively, will appear at the film’s premiere along with Shinji Higuchi.

“FUNimation is honored to host the world premiere of Attack on Titan here in the United States with Toho,” said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and President of FUNimation Entertainment.  “Attack on Titan is truly a worldwide phenomenon and we are excited to bring the live action movie to theaters across the Americas later this fall.”

You can check out some new images from the film, along with the previously released trailer, below.