Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht Rising, the long-delayed sequel to 2013’s Rebellion, opened in Japanese and North American theaters on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, after three release-date delays. Directed by Yukihiro Miyamoto for Studio SHAFT, it continues the cliffhanger Rebellion left unresolved 13 years ago and is the franchise’s first movie to get a wide IMAX release.
Aniplex of America confirmed the simultaneous Japan/North America release, and Anime News Network reported the opening-day details on Aug. 28, 2026.
What’s New: Walpurgisnacht Rising Is Finally Here
The film opened wide in Japan and, through Aniplex of America, in North American theaters on the same day — Friday, Aug. 28, 2026 — with IMAX screenings running in 37 countries. That’s a first for the Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise, which has never had an IMAX release before this entry. The movie is billed as the direct continuation of 2013’s Rebellion, reuniting the original creative team: chief director Akiyuki Shinbo, screenwriter Gen Urobuchi, character designer Ume Aoki, and composer Yuki Kajiura, working under Yukihiro Miyamoto’s direction at Studio SHAFT.
The road to release was unusually rocky. Walpurgisnacht Rising was first hinted at in a 2015 concept short and not officially greenlit until April 2021. It was then slated for winter 2024, pushed to winter 2025, pushed again to February 2026, and finally landed on Aug. 28, 2026 — three consecutive delays across five years since the official announcement.
The Story So Far: Why Rebellion’s Ending Left Fans Waiting
Rebellion ended on a deliberately unstable note: Homura Akemi rewrites reality so Madoka Kaname can live as an ordinary human, and the other magical girls appear to get a happy ending inside that new world. But the film’s final scene and post-credits stinger both signal that Homura’s constructed reality can’t hold — a cliffhanger that split fans between reading it as hopeful and reading it as a trap. Walpurgisnacht Rising‘s marketing has leaned into that instability: its first poster showed a post-Rebellion Homura touching a cracked mirror reflecting both Madoka and Walpurgisnacht, and trailers have teased a confrontation between Homura and Madoka with Sayaka, Kyoko, and Mami returning.
The Math on Just How Long This Wait Actually Was
Lay the dates out and the wait is longer than the “13 years since Rebellion” framing most coverage is using. The concept short that first hinted at this film ran in 2015 — 11 years before release. The project wasn’t officially greenlit until April 2021, meaning even after Aniplex and SHAFT committed to making it, it still took five years and three separate delays (winter 2024, winter 2025, February 2026) to reach a theater. That’s a longer confirmed-production-to-release gap than either Jujutsu Kaisen or Demon Slayer have publicly discussed for their own upcoming films, though neither franchise has released a detailed production timeline to compare against directly.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full title | Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: —Walpurgisnacht: Rising— |
| Director | Yukihiro Miyamoto |
| Studio | SHAFT |
| Screenwriter | Gen Urobuchi |
| Character designer | Ume Aoki |
| Composer | Yuki Kajiura |
| Japan release | Aug. 28, 2026 |
| North America release | Aug. 28, 2026 (Aniplex of America) |
| IMAX | First in franchise history; 37 countries |
| Gap since Rebellion | 13 years (2013-2026) |
Where to Watch: US Theaters and What Comes Next
Aniplex of America is distributing the film theatrically in the US, playing alongside its Japanese release rather than on a delayed international rollout — increasingly Aniplex’s standard approach for tentpole releases. No streaming date has been announced; theatrical-first anime films from Aniplex typically hold back a home release for several months. Fans catching up before seeing it should revisit Rebellion, since Walpurgisnacht Rising is a direct continuation and assumes familiarity with where that film left off. If you’re building out your watchlist beyond Madoka, our guide to must-see anime and our breakdown of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3’s release plans cover two of the other biggest franchises still catching up on long-delayed installments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to watch Rebellion before Walpurgisnacht Rising?
Yes. Walpurgisnacht Rising is a direct continuation of 2013’s Rebellion and picks up its cliffhanger ending, so it assumes you already know how that film left Homura, Madoka, and the reality Homura rewrote.
Why was Walpurgisnacht Rising delayed so many times?
The film slipped from an original winter 2024 target to winter 2025, then to February 2026, before finally opening Aug. 28, 2026. Studio SHAFT and Aniplex have not given a detailed public explanation for each individual delay.
Is Walpurgisnacht Rising streaming yet?
No streaming date has been announced as of its Aug. 28, 2026 theatrical release. Aniplex typically holds a home-viewing release back for several months after a theatrical run.
Is this the final Madoka Magica movie?
It has not been confirmed as the franchise’s final installment. Its marketing frames it as resolving the cliffhanger Rebellion left open, but Aniplex and SHAFT have not stated whether further films are planned.
Sources: Anime News Network’s release coverage and the film’s official English-language site.
Can you update your article please. There are no American screenings of the movie as of September 4th, 2026.
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