'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgQAAICAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABREiBhMSFVEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGEQACAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEABEhQXGx/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCjxDcvS2V25RQw3DNsJjaYiSWVwrRSPOSAHeROpYAZm7a7rxeps7tf6O2PVZlTiK+sUfViOiek/FfwcnjGMIhkcu22Pf3Li7UrJVhKxKCVi59Tef/Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Thursday, April 18, 2023, it was revealed that The First Slam Dunk, the new film based on author and illustrator Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk manga, will be getting a U.S. release this year. While the exact date is currently unknown, domestic movie theater chain Cinemark listed the film as set to receive a release date for the region sometime this year.
The First Slam Dunk follows suit from films such as One Piece Film: Red, Suzume no Tojimari, and more, that have all found incredible success in stateside theaters. Fans feel that the latest anime film craze arguably began with the Demon Slayer: Mugen Train film, first released in 2020 in Japanese theaters before making its way to the United States.
The First Slam Dunk film set to make its way to the U.S. later this year, likely during Summer 2023
Trending
While The First Slam Dunk movie has been confirmed via Cinemark for a U.S. release sometime in 2023, the exact release date or window is yet to be announced. Likewise, U.S. fans are currently unsure whether they’ll be receiving the Japanese dub with English subtitles, or a fully English-dubbed version.
As of April 9, the film had cumulatively earned 12,943,919,490 yen (just under 97 million USD) since opening in December, 2022. The film is now the 25th highest-earning film of all time in Japan, as well as the 11th highest-earning anime film for the nation. Ranked at #1 upon opening, the film sold 847,000 tickets and earned just under 1.3 billion yen in its opening weekend.
The First Slam Dunk film was personally directed by Inoue at Toei Animation, with Inoue also having written the script for the film. Other staff members include character designer/animation director Yasuyuki Ebara (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress) and technical directors Katsuhiko Kitada (Attack on Titan episodes), Naoki Miyahara, Toshio Ohashi, and Yu Kamatani.
The First Slam Dunk will likely open in the United States sometime during the summer at the absolute earliest. However, a Fall 2023 release window is also very likely, which would allow the hype surrounding Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume no Tojimari to die down. While an anime film is unlikely to open at #1 stateside, to do so among all available anime films would be fantastic.
Slam Dunk, written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue, was first serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from October 1990 to June 1996. The series was then adapted into a television anime series produced by Toei Animation, airing from October 1993 to March 1996 and later being broadcast worldwide. The series is particularly popular in Japan, several other Asian countries, and Europe.
Be sure to keep up with all anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
