Last year, the filmmakers behind Shin Godzilla revealed plans to reboot another beloved Japanese franchise, Ultraman. There hasn’t been a lot of new info on the project since then. But earlier today, Tsuburaya Productions announced a release window for the new film. The studio has shared that Shin Ultraman will open in Japan early next summer.
Additionally, Tsuburaya unveiled a new Ultraman statue, which features the character striking his famous Specium Ray pose. The statue also gives us a good idea of how Ultraman will look in the upcoming film. However, it doesn’t look like the designers took many liberties with how the character looked in his original 1966 TV series. Check it out for yourself below.
2021年初夏公開決定
『シン・ウルトラマン』立像が初お披露目
“特撮の神様”円谷英二の出身地・須賀川にてシン・ウルトラマンの“スペシウム光線ポーズ”が明らかに！https://t.co/Pwt0z86GWH#シン・ウルトラマン #特撮アーカイブセンター pic.twitter.com/Fp1bUEzmMI
— 円谷プロダクション (@tsuburayaprod) November 3, 2020
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The statue will be on display in front of the newly-opened Sukagawa Archive Center in Japan. The city of Sukagawa also happens to be the birthplace of legendary VFX artist and Tsuburaya Productions founder, Eiji Tsuburaya, who created the Ultraman franchise in the mid-’60s. Tsuburaya was also part of the team that co-created Godzilla for Toho more than a decade prior.
Shinji Higuchi, who directed both live-action Attack on Titan films in 2015, is helming Shin Ultraman. Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno is also working on the film as a producer. Higuchi and Anno previously collaborated as co-directors on Shin Godzilla in 2016.
Are you excited to see what Higuchi and Anno have planned for Shin Ultraman next year? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Ultraman, Vol. 1
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