Re: Zero, Mushoku Tensei, and Konosuba are all dominating the 2024 anime season, but let’s not forget about the one and only Overlord.
Overlord anime has consistently delivered on its promise of a more morally ambiguous take on the isekai formula. The series has always been a bit of a cult favorite, but a successful movie could help it break through to the mainstream. Sacred Kingdom movie was announced back in 2021, and fans have been eagerly awaiting its release ever since. The film will cover the Paladin of the Holy Kingdom arc from the light novels, giving us a peek into the nefarious schemes of everyone’s favorite sadistic demon, Demiurge.
While Albedo was busy winning hearts and minds (and maybe a few other things) through diplomacy, Demiurge was busy with some twisted behind-the-scenes experiments. For those keeping track, the Demon’s goal is ultimately to expand his lord, Ainz’s territory. With the help of his loyal Floor Guardians, Ainz has already brought the Empire under his sway and even conquered the Re-Estize Kingdom.
But as any good overlord fan knows, there’s always more territory to be claimed. And if the movie’s setting is any indication, it looks like the Roble Holy Kingdom may just be next on Ainz’s hit list.
When is Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom releasing?
The Overlord movie is slated to hit Japanese theaters sometime in 2024. The official Twitter account for the anime recently dropped two new visuals for the movie, confirming the new setting. While the exact release date for the Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom Movie remains under wraps, the good news is that Crunchyroll has already secured the global distribution rights.
Director Naoyuki Ito from Madhouse is back at the helm, promising to deliver all the dark humor, brutal violence, and existential dread that we’ve come to know and love from the series. The movie will also feature an impressive lineup of four new cast members as per a tweet on March 22. This includes Yoshi Aoyama as Neia, Hitomi Nabatame as Remedios, Saori Hayami as Calca, and Haruka Tomatsu as Kelart.
Sacred Kingdom movie is largely separate from the ongoing political machinations of the main series. But even if it doesn’t advance the main storyline in significant ways, it could still provide an opportunity for some behind-the-scenes worldbuilding. Of course, all of this is just speculation at this point until we get to watch the movie in the theaters.