After nearly four years since his last film, Oscar-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda is set to return to theaters with a brand-new animated movie called Scarlet. Sony Pictures just announced on X, formerly Twitter, that the movie will hit U.S. theaters on December 12th, 2025, and they released a new poster alongside the announcement. This is great news for all the fans who have been waiting for Hosoda’s next project.
While the full plot is still being kept secret, from what we know so far, it follows a princess who travels through time and space. It’s the kind of ambitious storytelling that helped make Hosoda one of Japan’s most celebrated directors today. He’s directing the film, writing the screenplay, and conceived the original idea, so it’s fully his own vision. Fans of Hosoda’s work can check out the movie’s announcement post on its official X account below.
After Four Years, Hosoda Is Back
Hosoda’s coming back to theaters after his 2021 film Belle, which was a huge success and garnered international acclaim from fans and critics around the world. Scarlet is scheduled to release on November 21 in Japan and December 12 in North America. The film is his first new project in four years, making it one of the most anticipated animated releases of 2025.
The movie is about a brave princess named Scarlet who can travel through time and space. Her father, the king, gets murdered, and when she tries to take revenge, she ends up waking up in the Land of the Dead, a place filled with chaos and madness. The story feels way heavier than Hosoda’s usual films, touching on themes like grief, revenge, and redemption.
The director’s previous works have consistently pushed the boundaries of animated storytelling, like exploring the digital world in Summer Wars or showing time travel in Mirai. His 2018 film Mirai even got nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. And placed him alongside some of the top animation directors in the world.
A Strategic Partnership with Sony
The animated film is being produced by Hosoda’s Studio Chizu, along with Nippon TV. This is the first time Sony Pictures has teamed with Studio Chizu, which has produced Hosoda’s hit features Wolf Children and Belle. This partnership shows that Sony really believes in Hosoda’s vision and thinks the movie could be a big hit both with critics and at the box office.
The collaboration combines Studio Chizu’s animation expertise with Sony’s global distribution network, making sure that Scarlet gets the international attention it deserves. Sony is also co-producing and co-financing the film and will release it in the U.S. on December 12. That’s right during the holidays and awards season, which is the perfect time for a major movie release.
The December release window has proven successful for animated films in recent years, with Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron having found both critical acclaim and awards success in 2023. Sony is doing the same with Scarlet, which shows they really believe it has a shot at winning awards. They clearly have a lot of confidence in the film and think it’ll stand out among other big releases.
The Legacy Continues
Hosoda has been in the animation world for over 30 years, starting out as an animator at Toei Animation in 1991 before becoming one of Japan’s most respected directors. A lot of people compare him to Hayao Miyazaki because of his beautiful visuals and relatable stories, but Hosoda has built a voice and style that’s completely his own. Hosoda has talked about how Miyazaki inspired him, though he’s also been open about not agreeing with everything, especially Miyazaki’s depiction of female characters.
Scarlet represents not just a return to form for Hosoda but potentially a new creative chapter for him. The story touches on deeper topics like revenge, loss, and traversing between worlds, showing how his storytelling is still growing. With the movie dropping in December, fans and film enthusiasts everywhere will be watching closely to see if it becomes another award-winning hit that strengthens his legacy.
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