Crunchyroll Expands Its U.S. Theatrical Push With New Reincarnated As A Slime Movie

Crunchyroll is continuing to expand its theatrical reach following a string of franchise-led box office hits.

The anime giant announced that That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea will receive a North American theatrical release on May 1, via Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film will open in U.S. and Canadian theaters in both Japanese with English subtitles and an English dub, further cementing Crunchyroll’s growing commitment to big-screen anime releases.

Once known almost exclusively as a streaming destination, Crunchyroll has spent the last several years steadily expanding its theatrical ambitions. With titles like Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Suzume, and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, the company has proven that anime can perform as an event-style theatrical draw and, now, as a sustainable multi-week force. Tears of the Azure Sea continues that strategy, positioning a popular franchise film for a nationwide cinema release rather than a streaming exclusive.

The new movie is a standalone side story set after the events of season three of the anime series. It follows Rimuru Tempest and his companions as a much-needed vacation on a private resort island turns into a new supernatural conflict. The film is directed by Yasuhito Kikuchi, with animation by Eightbit, the studio behind the TV series.

Crunchyroll is also using its Anime Nights program to build momentum ahead of the release. On April 20, the company will re-release That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Scarlet Bond in theaters for one night only, accompanied by an exclusive 10-minute sneak peek of Tears of the Azure Sea.

The theatrical rollout is timed closely with the franchise’s next chapter on streaming. Season four of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime will premiere on Crunchyroll on April 3, underscoring how the company is increasingly coordinating its streaming and theatrical strategies rather than treating them as separate lanes.