CG-animated ‘Ultraman’ feature in development at Netflix
In continuation of the established relationship that brought the anime series Ultraman (now in its second season) to the platform, Netflix have announced that a new Ultraman CG-animated feature is being developed in partnership with Tsuburaya Productions.
Directed by Shannon Tindle with John Aoshima and written by Tindle and Marc Haimes, the film will tell the story of baseball superstar Ken Sato returning to his home country of Japan “to pick up the mantle of Earth-defending superhero Ultraman, but quickly finds more than he bargained for when he’s forced to raise the offspring of his greatest foe, a newborn Kaiju. Struggling to balance the roles of teammate and new father, Ken must confront his own ego, his estranged father, and the conniving Kaiju Defense Force to rise up and discover what it truly means to be Ultraman.”
With Tsuburaya Productions and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) attached as production companies, Ultraman will be produced by Tom Knott and co-produced by Lisa Poole.
Ultraman teaser art (courtesy of Netflix)
Making this film is a dream come true. What began as an original story inspired by my love for Eiji Tsuburaya’s Ultraman somehow became an actual Ultraman film thanks to the incredible trust of the team at Tsuburaya Productions, and the support of the folks at Netflix Animation. We’ve assembled an all-star team and I can’t wait to share our unique take on Ultraman with the rest of the world.
-Shannon Tindle (director/writer, Ultraman)
Ultraman was born in Japan 55 years ago. This partnership with Netflix will be the first full-scale endeavor to reach the global market for Tsuburaya Productions. Ultraman, since it was created, has charmed many people around the world. And Shannon Tindle is one of those people. He was greatly influenced by Ultraman as a child, and he grew up to become a creator himself. I am delighted that families around the world will be able to watch Shannon and his team’s vision for Ultraman on Netflix and foster feelings of courage, hope and kindness.
-Takayuki Tsukagoshi (CEO/Chairman, Tsuburaya Productions)
Having the opportunity to partner with our friends at Tsuburaya Productions to bring this beloved character to our members around the world is an honor. We’re thrilled to be working with Shannon, John and an incredibly talented team of artists and lovers of Ultraman from around the world. We can’t wait to share our film with fans of this iconic Japanese hero and introduce a new generation to what’s sure to become their new favorite superhero.
-Aram Yacoubian (Director of Original Animated Film, Netflix)
Ultraman will be joining an ever-increasing slate of original animated feature film content for Netflix, which also includes Klaus, The Willoughbys and Over the Moon with other upcoming projects including Henry Selick’s Wendell & Wild, Nora Twomey’s My Father’s Dragon, and Aardman‘s Chicken Run sequel.
Read about Netflix’s 2021 animated features slate here