Puella Magi Madoka fans will have to wait a little longer for Walpurgisnacht Rising
The official X (formerly Twitter) account of the dark fantasy magical girl franchise “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” has revealed unfortunate news regarding the latest instalment to the anime movie series: the sequel to the 2013 movie “Rebellion”, “Walpurgisnacht Rising” is postponing its February 2026 premiere.
“Walpurgisnacht Rising” is still premiering at a later date
The full announcement, in a machine translation, reads:
Due to production reasons, the release date for “Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie -Walpurgisnacht Rising-”, originally scheduled for release in February 2026, will be changed. The new release date will be announced in February 2026.
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to fans who have been looking forward to the film's release, as well as to the related companies who have supported us. We will continue to work hard to deliver a better film. We appreciate your understanding.
The production committee did not reveal the exact cause of the production issues that caused the delay, nor did they confirm an exact date for the announcement of the new Japanese premiere. The film has also yet to confirm a global distribution.
First announced in 2021, “Walpurgisnacht Rising” is part of a greater collection of movies in the Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime franchise. The anime itself, which originally aired in 2011, has garnered a cult following due to its infamous undoing of the magical girl trope.
Voice actors from both “Puella Magi Madoka Magica” and its spin-off series “Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story” will reprise their roles for “Walpurgisnacht Rising”:
- Chiwa Saitou as Homura Akemi
- Aoi Yuuki as Madoka Kaname
- Emiri Katou as Kyuubey
- Eri Kitamura as Sayaka Miki
- Kana Asumi as Nagisa Momoe
- Ai Nonaka as Kyouko Sakura
- Kaori Mizuhashi as Mami Tomoe
And it’s not only the voice actors coming back at full force–the staff for “Rebellion” are also returning. Akiyuki Shimbo is once again helming as chief director at SHAFT, with Yukihiro Miyamoto directing the movie. Gen Urobuchi wrote the script, while aokiume drafted character designs, with Junichiro Taniguchi finishing them. Yuki Kajiura is composing the film’s music, while Gekidan Inu Curry is designing the Witches’ Spaces.
Crunchyroll describes the anime as:
She has a loving family and best friends, laughs and cries from time to time… Madoka Kaname, an eighth grader of Mitakihara middle school, is one of those who lives such a life. One day, she had a very magical encounter. She doesn't know if it happened by chance or by fate yet. This is a fateful encounter that can change her destiny- This is a beginning of the new story of the magical witch girls-