Celebrated anime director Mamoru Hosoda (Belle, Mirai, The Boy and the Beast) is bringing his latest film Scarlet to international audiences. UK cinema chains, including Odeon, have listed the movie for release on December 12, 2025, just weeks after its Japanese premiere.
Story & Themes
Scarlet tells the tale of Princess Scarlet, who travels across time and space to avenge her father’s murder by her uncle.
While revenge drives her journey, Hosoda has explained that the film also explores deeper ideas: the destructive cycle of hatred, the human need for justice, and the possibility of forgiveness even in the face of betrayal. Critics have already compared its themes to Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
Release & Distribution Details
- Japan: November 21, 2025, via Toho.
- UK: December 12, 2025, confirmed by UK cinema listings.
- U.S.: December 12, 2025, distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.
- World Premiere: Venice International Film Festival 2025.
Production / Key Figures
- Director & Screenwriter: Mamoru Hosoda
- Studio: Studio Chizu
- Producers: Yuichiro Saito, Toshimi Tanio, Nozomu Takahashi
Hosoda has noted that Scarlet avoids both traditional hand-drawn 2D and Hollywood-style CG, instead opting for a hybrid animation style designed to emphasize realism and artistic detail.
Did You Know?
- Scarlet is Hosoda’s first film since Belle (2021).
- Studio Chizu designed a new visual pipeline for this production, blending 2D stylization with advanced CG rendering.
- The Venice premiere highlighted the film as one of the festival’s standout animated features.
- Hosoda has consistently emphasized family and human bonds as core themes across his works, and Scarlet continues this tradition.
With its UK and U.S. releases aligned for December 12, Scarlet is set to become one of the most important anime films of late 2025. For fans of Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu, it promises both a visually stunning experience and a profound emotional journey.
