Madoka Magica’s Next Film Is Coming to IMAX in Japan

After a lengthy wait, Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising is scheduled to arrive in Japanese cinemas on 28 August. For the first time in the franchise, the film will also be shown in IMAX.

The official Madoka Magica X account confirmed that IMAX screenings will begin on the same day as standard cinema sessions. More than 60 Japanese theatres are expected to participate.

Where to find the IMAX screenings

Japanese fans can check participating cinemas and locate their nearest screening through the official Madoka Magica theatre listing. With demand for premium-format film tickets already high in Japan, early booking may be sensible for viewers hoping to see the film on a larger screen.

A darker take on magical-girl anime

Studio Shaft’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica began as a 12-episode television anime in 2011. The story centres on Madoka Kaname and other schoolgirls who enter contracts to gain magical powers and battle creatures known as witches.

As the series unfolds, the girls learn that these contracts come with devastating consequences. Magical girls are ultimately consumed by despair and transformed into the witches they once fought. The series is consequently often compared with Neon Genesis Evangelion for its influential, unsettling approach to genre conventions.

How the film series reached Walpurgisnacht: Rising

The franchise moved into cinemas in 2012. The first two films, Beginnings and Eternal, largely retold the events of the original television series, while the third film, Rebellion, continued the story with a new narrative.

Walpurgisnacht: Rising was first teased in 2015 and officially announced in 2021. Several delays followed before the film received its current August release date.

The production has not been officially described as the conclusion of the series. However, its trailers strongly suggest that it could function as a finale. The possibility of another major reversal remains open, particularly given the way Rebellion dramatically changed the story’s status quo.

What Australian fans need to know

Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht: Rising is set for release in Japan on 28 August. At the time of the announcement, no international release details had been confirmed.

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Fans interested in the wider series can also explore Puella Magi Madoka Magica before the new film arrives.