The Sword Art Online franchise is preparing for a return to the big screen. In the project's official X-account, the creators revealed the title, first poster, and release date of the new full-length film, subtitled Integral Domain.
Unlike the recent film duology "Sword Art Online: Progressive," which brought viewers back to the events of Aincrad and retold them from Asuna's perspective, the new film will continue the main storyline of the franchise. The action of Integral Domain will unfold after the events of the massive "Alicization" arc.
The film will be based on a completely original story, the concept and script of which were prepared by Sword Art Online creator Reki Kawahara. The author specifically clarified on social media that, despite the coincidence of names, the film is not related to the mobile game Sword Art Online: Integral Factor.
The project's director will be Shingo Adachi, who previously worked as the lead character designer for the anime series "Sword Art Online" and directed "Lycoris Recoil." Yumiko Yamamoto is responsible for character design, and animation production will be handled by A-1 Pictures and the studio's internal division, Psyde Kick Studio.
The premiere of the film Sword Art Online: Integral Domain is scheduled for 2028.