The End of Evangelion—the mecha anime film written by the creator of “Neon Genesis Evangelion” Hideaki Anno, directed by Anno and Kazuya Tsurumaki, and animated by Gainax and Production I.G.— is scheduled to screen in North America for the first time.
The film serves as an alternate ending to the 26-episode television series “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” which was originally broadcast in Japan from 1995 to 1996. The experimental direction of the last two episodes had been polarizing among critics and audiences at the time. Theatrically released only one year later, The End of Evangelion tells the story of SEELE’s plan to attack NERV after failing to create a Third Impact (this is a very IYKYK situation, but it matters). Fan favorite character Asuka returns and begins the counterattack, even as new enemies descend from the heavens.
In 1998 the North American company A.D. Vision declined an offer to acquire distribution rights for the film because the fee seemed too high at the time. In 2001, four years after its original Japanese release, Manga Entertainment purchased the rights for $2 million, but the planned release of October 2001 was postponed until September 2002, and ultimately only released on home video.
While The End of Evangelion was included in the Standard Edition, Collector’s Edition and Ultimate Edition Blu-ray Disc releases of the television series in 2021, the film itself has never been released theatrically in North America. This unequivocal work of animated science fiction cinema will screen on Sunday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 20 in Japanese with English subtitles. See showtimes below.
The End of Evangelion (1997)
Rated R
87 minutes
Sunday, March 17
AMC Stonybrook 20
2745 S. Hurstborne Pkwy.
3:00 p.m.
Cinemark Tinseltown Louisville and XD
4400 Towne Center Dr.
4:00 p.m.
6:15 p.m.
8:15 p.m.
Cinemark Preston Crossings 16 and XD
9700 Preston Crossing Blvd.
4:00 p.m.
4:55 p.m.
Wednesday, March 20
AMC Stonybrook 20
2745 S. Hurstborne Pkwy.
7:00 p.m.
Cinemark Tinseltown Louisville and XD
4400 Towne Center Dr.
7:15 p.m.
9:20 p.m.
Cinemark Preston Crossings 16 and XD
9700 Preston Crossing Blvd.
7:15 p.m.
This article appears in Mar 13-27, 2024.
