Arsène Lupin III has been a Japanese character since he first appeared in Weekly Manga Action on August 10, 1967. Over the decades Lupin has been a master thief in more Manga before making the leap to movies and television shows. The first major motion picture directed by animation legend Hayao Miyazaki was The Castle of Cagliostro featuring Lupin III. But after all these years, Lupin III is finally coming to CGI with Lupin III: The First. The movie will be out on digital download at the end of 2020 and be available on DVD and Blu-ray in 2021. Here’s the press release from Shout! Factory and GKIDS:
GKIDS AND SHOUT! FACTORY PRESENT
LUPIN III: THE FIRST
ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD-TO-OWN DECEMBER 15, 2020
ON STEELBOOK, BLU-RAY AND DVD JANUARY 12, 2021
“Eye-popping action steals the show” – Maggie Lee, Variety
Los Angeles, CA – One of the most influential characters in anime returns with a new adventure. The exciting new film Lupin III: The First makes its way to home entertainment this winter following a North American theatrical run. Introducing the beloved characters in CG animation for the first time, the film will be released on digital download-to-own on December 15, 2020 and on Blu-ray™ + DVD combo pack, as a standalone DVD, and as a SteelBook™ edition of the Blu-ray combo on January 12, 2021 from GKIDS and Shout! Factory.
This release will be presented in both the original Japanese version and a new English dubbed version, featuring the return of the beloved English cast that has voiced previous Lupin films and series. Bonus features exclusive to the Blu-ray include interviews with director Takashi Yamazaki and the Japanese voice cast, and much more. The SteelBook edition also includes a beautiful, 16-page booklet featuring character concept art. Fans who order their Blu-ray + DVD combo pack or SteelBook copies from shoutfactory.com will receive an exclusive 18×24” lithograph, while supplies last.
The iconic “gentleman thief” Lupin III returns in an action-packed, continent-spanning caper, as Lupin III and his colorful underworld companions race to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Bresson Diary before it falls into the hands of a dark cabal that will stop at nothing to resurrect the Third Reich. The gang undertakes trap-filled tombs, aerial escapades and daring prison escapes with the trademark wit and visual finesse that have made LUPIN THE 3RD one of the most storied animation franchises in the world, in this electric adventure that is sure to steal the hearts of fans old and new.
The all new English language dub film will feature the voices of Tony Oliver, Doug Erholtz, Michelle Ruff, Richard Epcar, and Lex Lang returning to their roles within the franchise, and Laurie C. Hymes, J. David Brimmer, and Paul Guyet joining the cast for this latest adventure.
SteelBook, Blu-ray & DVD Bonus Features:
● *Interviews with Director and Japanese Cast
● CG Model Gallery
● Animation Breakdown
● Yellow Carpet Premiere
● Theatrical Trailers and Promos
*exclusive to the SteelBook & Blu-ray releases
About GKIDS
GKIDS is a producer and distributor of award-winning feature animation for both adult and family audiences. Since 2010, the company has scored an astounding eleven Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations with The Secret of Kells in 2010, A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita in 2012, Ernest & Celestine in 2014, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and Song of the Sea in 2015, Boy and the World and When Marnie Was There in 2016, My Life as a Zucchini in 2017, The Breadwinner in 2018, and Mirai in 2019. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and others. GKIDS also produces the annual LA-based film festival, ANIMATION IS FILM, which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of their work to the fullest range of expression that the medium is capable of.
