Funimation announced early Wednesday that the Sword Art Online Progressive Movie (Aria of a Starless Night) will get a theatrical release. This release will be in both the U.S. and Canada.
Funimation released the first details about the movie’s international release, revealing that the film will get a limited theatrical release. This scheduled theatrical run is December 3. Tickets are available for preorder on November 5. The movie will also be released in Australia and New Zealand on December 9, with preorders starting a month before. The company also plans to release the movie in the United Kingdom and in Latin America at an unspecified date.
At the same time as this news, a new English subtitled trailer has also been released. At the time of its release, there will be tickets for an English dub and a Japanese dub with English subtitles.
Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night takes place in the same continuity in the Sword Art Online series. Instead, the film shows the beginning of the series through the perspective of Asuna, the main heroine. She is also accompanied by her classmate Inase, who initially introduced her to the game. When the game starts killings its players, Inase dedicates herself to protecting Asuna before she meets Kirito.
What We Know about Aria of a Starless Night
Aria of a Starless Night is directed by Ayako Kohno. Kohno has previously worked on other movies such as Seven Deadly Sins The Movie and the Bleach franchise. Yuki Kajura, a longtime anime and video game composer, will provide the music for the film. Singer LiSA will also perform the theme for the Sword Art Online Progressive movie.
Haruka Tomatsu will reprise her role as Asuna’s original voice actor. Kirito’s voice actor, Yoshitsugu Matsuoka is also reprising his role. The original Sword Art Online anime is available to watch on Funimation, Netflix, and Hulu. The spinoff series Gun Gale Online is also available to watch on the same platforms. Aria of a Starless Night will release in theaters on December 3.