Ultraman has been around for decades, but in the past year, the Japanese superhero has had quite the glow up. Netflix teamed up with Tsuburaya Productions to bring the icon to life, and Ultraman: Rising was the result. The animated film refreshed the origin of Ultraman for a new generation, and Ultraman: Rising became a cult hit shortly after its launch. Now, the movie’s director is breaking down its sequel, so the time has come to beg Netflix for a follow up.
The revelation was shared at the 2024 Lightbox Expo as Shannon Tindle appeared with John Aoshima. The co-directors detailed the work that went into making Ultraman: Rising, and when asked about a sequel, Tindle was not afraid to address his plans.
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“While a sequel to Ultraman: Rising may never happen, I have an idea I’m excited to share, and have been working on it independently,” Tindle told fans on social media, and his plans for Ultraman: Rising sound nothing short of perfection.
Ultraman: Rising Has a Sequel in the Works (But There’s a Catch)
According to the director, the working title for his sequel is Ultraman: Fallen, and it will tackle some tough topics (via Collider). The movie is already being written on the side, and Tindle says the film would focus on Emiko Sato, Ken’s mom who has been missing for years now. The movie would follow Emiko as she is revealed to be the founder of the Kaiju Defense League, the antagonists of the first film. Ultraman: Fallen would then focus on Emiko’s estrangement from her family as Ken continues to explore his role as Ultraman.
Oh, and there will be new kaiju as well. Don’t worry about that. Ultraman: Fallen would threaten Earth with some more threats, and they could very well come from the kaiju’s birth place. The future is up in the air where Ultraman: Rising is concerned, but fans are hopeful the story will continue.
Clearly, Tindle is hopeful about the future, but the director does recognize that a sequel order is not guaranteed. During Lightbox Expo this year, Aoshima hedged when asked about a sequel himself. Given Netflix’s finicky nature, it is hard to predict whether a movie will be given a sequel, and Ultraman: Rising is in that mess.
It Is Time to Put Respect on Ultraman’s Name
All eyes are on the future for Ultraman, and old-school fans of the superhero are keeping their fingers crossed. It was in 1966 that Ultraman made his first appearance, and the tokusatsu mascot has become a legend across Asia. It has taken Ultraman way too long to make an impact in the United States. While stateside fans grew up with Superman, those in Asia looked to Ultraman as their hero. But thanks to streaming and the globalization of film, Ultraman is just starting to get his due overseas.
In 2022, the superhero made a splash with Shin Ultraman, and we have Hideaki Anno to thank. The writer and co-producer helped bring the blockbuster to life with director Shinji Higuchi. After working on Shin Godzilla, Anno’s big-budget movie brought Ultraman into a new era, and the pair went on to do another revisioning with Shin Kamen Rider in 2023.
Beyond the movies, Ultraman has also found success in comics. Marvel and Tsubaraya have teamed up on Ultraman x Avengers. The hero has also been given an anime treatment through Netflix. Following the release of the 2011 Ultraman manga, an anime adaptation was order for the series, and you can binge the show over on Netflix now. And if we are lucky, the streaming service will expand its catalog with Ultraman: Fallen in the near future.
What do you think about this proposed sequel to Ultraman: Rising? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.