The midnight screening of Hideaki Anno's Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon A Time was originally slated to take place on January 23, 2021. However, Studio Khara has now pushed the film from that date due to new COVID-19 restrictions in Japan.
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 is the final entry in the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy. The CG-animated film series retells Anno's popular anime Neon Genesis Evangelion while changing elements of the story and characters. Anime buffs hyped up Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 on account of the franchise's success. But with Japan declaring a state of emergency, the film's Twitter account officially announced its delay.
COVID-19 changed the film's release date, and this isn't the first time either. Studio Khara first set it for June 2020. The studio then moved it to January 23, 2021, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. They haven't announced a new release date yet.
The first film in the series, Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, came out in 2007 to critical acclaim and box office success. Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo came out in 2012, meaning it's been more than eight years since the franchise's last installment. Needless to say, fans have high hopes for the next one.
There's a lot riding on how the film does in terms of how it reflects on its franchise as a whole. This is likely to be the final Evangelion project for quite some time, so negative reception could permanently mar its legacy. Still, 1997's The End of Evangelion (the series' original ending, as its name implies) made a sizable impact despite its mixed reviews.
Perhaps more relevant to the delay is how the film will do at the box office. Each Evangelion film has made more than the one before it. However, predictions for Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 are completely up in the air. Obviously, the COVID-19 pandemic sheds a negative light on any new releases. On the other hand, the unparalleled success of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train earlier this year could set a precedent for anime films.
It all depends on when Japan lifts its strict sanctions on movie theaters. Based on how it looks right now, fans might have to wait a while to find out how this new story ends.
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 is slated to release in Japan sometime in 2021.
Source: Comicbook.com