After facing so many delays that it felt as if the film was cursed, Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is finally out in Japanese theaters. According to those who've seen it, the film makes good on its promise as a definitive conclusion and goodbye to the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. However, while the wait is over in Japan, American fans might still be in for a long wait if the release patterns of the previous Rebuild of Evangelion films are anything to go by.
Each of the first three Rebuild films had a roughly two-year gap between their Japanese and American theatrical releases. Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone was released in Japan on September 1, 2007, and began its American theatrical rollout on July 2, 2009. Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance came out in Japan on June 27, 2009, and in America on January 21, 2011. Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo came out in Japan on November 17, 2012, and in America on January 10, 2014.
All of the American theatrical releases were limited, with 3.0 getting the widest release in 82 theaters. American DVD/Blu-ray releases of the director's cuts followed fairly quickly for the first two films (1.11 came out November 17, 2009, and 2.22 on March 29, 2011), but fans who couldn't make it to 3.0's theatrical run had to wait another two years, until February 2, 2016, to purchase 3.33 on home video. This delay was because Khara, the Rebuild films' production studio, requested Funimation redo its entire translation, allegedly in response to a particularly raucous premiere at Otakon.
Much has changed in the theatrical anime landscape in the years since 3.0's release. Anime movies are being licensed and localized faster than ever before. Before the pandemic, anime theatrical releases were also growing wider and making more money than ever before; in the first two months of 2020, My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising and Weathering With You both played in over 1,000 theaters and made $13.3 million and $7.7 million respectively.
Demand for the final Rebuild film has almost certainly grown along with the wait. Even those who've been mixed on the previous Rebuilds are curious to find out how Hideaki Anno has concluded Evangelion once and for all. The original series' streaming debut on Netflix in 2019 introduced the series to a new generation of anime fans as well as people who'd never even considered themselves anime fans before, guaranteeing a wider American audience than ever for 3.0+1.0.
While a faster release schedule should theoretically be easier now than it was nine years ago, there might also be more complications. Funimation released the previous three Rebuild films, but now that Netflix is streaming the original anime and GKIDS has the home video rights, there could be a serious bidding war over the final film. The fact Netflix used a new dub cast for the TV series could also cause more competition, now that there are two sets of actors with an interest in reprising their roles.
Hopefully, a proper American release of Evangelion 3.0+1.0 gets figured out and announced soon. If not, at least Evangelion fans are used to waiting.
