In addition to an animated series that will further elevate the profile of legendary superhero Ultraman outside of his native Japan, ILM will be providing the animation for a Netflix original movie based on the character.
Netflix is also home to an ongoing “Ultraman” animated TV series, also in partnership with Tsuburaya, that continues the storyline from the original live-action Japanese series of the 1960s. But the “Ultraman” feature will strike out on its own with an all-new storyline designed to honor the past mythology while introducing the character to a new potential global fanbase. Similarly, the animation — from Industrial Light and Magic — will be stylized but not strictly animé.
The film will follow Ken Sato, a superstar baseball player who returns to Japan to become the latest hero to carry the mantle of Ultraman. His plans go awry, however, when he is compelled to raise a newborn kaiju monster — the offspring of his greatest enemy — as his own child. Sato will also have to contend with his relationship with his estranged father and the schemes of the Kaiju Defense Force.
Ultraman: Hero’s Brave Statue: Ultraman (Gaia Supreme Version) @ ForbiddenPlanet.com
