A new theatrical film based on Galaxy Express 999, the acclaimed 1970s anime by the late Leiji Matsumoto, has been officially announced nearly 48 years after the original series debuted. The announcement, made via the creator's official account on X on 25 July, confirms that Toei Animation, the studio behind the 1978 original, will produce the film, with veteran director Rintaro returning to provide the story concept. The news matters because Galaxy Express 999 is regarded as one of anime's most influential and emotionally resonant works, and its revival represents the fulfilment of Matsumoto's lifelong ambition, as expressed by his daughter Makiko Matsumoto in a statement marking the occasion.

Galaxy Express 999 follows Tetsuro Hoshino, a boy in a transhumanist future who seeks a mechanical body aboard a legendary space train after losing his mother, accompanied by the enigmatic Maetel. Originating as a manga in 1977 before becoming a landmark 1979 film, the story is celebrated for prioritising emotional depth and coming-of-age themes over spectacle, exploring immortality as a temptation rather than a gift. Alongside Space Battleship Yamato and Captain Harlock, it remains one of Matsumoto's defining works, and Rintaro's original film is still considered a definitive classic of the genre.