Kevin Penkin Returns to Score Made in Abyss Trilogy
The Made in Abyss Film Concert recently gave fans something big to talk about by unveiling the teaser trailer for Made in Abyss: Mezameru Shinpi (which translates to Awakening Mystery). This is going to be the very first film in a brand-new trilogy that everyone has been waiting for quite some time now. The teaser did more than just show off some visuals; it confirmed that the first movie is hitting theatres in Fall 2026. Along with the release date, they also introduced some fresh faces in the production staff who will be working on this project.
New Faces and Returning Legends in the Production Team
It is really good to see that the core team is staying strong, but some new additional staff have been brought on board to make this trilogy even more special. The newly disclosed staff list includes some very big names in the industry:
- Design Leader: Takeshi Takakura
- Art Directors: Osamu Masuyama, Teru Sekiguchi, and Asaki Nakamura (Inspired)
- Color Key Artist: Miyao Yamashita
- Compositing Director of Photography: Tsunetaka Ema from T2 Studio
- Editing: Masayuki Kurosawa
- Sound Director: Haru Yamada
- Sound Effects: Tōru Noguchi
- Music: Kevin Penkin
- Music Producer: Hiromitsu Iijima
- Music Production: IRMA LA DOUCE
- Music Production Collaboration: Kadokawa
Apart from these, Masayuki Kojima, who we know from Black Bullet and Tibetan Dog, is once again sitting in the director's chair at Kinema Citrus. The scripts will be handled by Hideyuki Kurata, while the duo of Kazuchika Kise and Yuka Kuroda are coming back to take care of character designs. It’s clear that they are putting a lot of effort into ensuring the exploring the abyss experience remains as top-notch and hauntingly beautiful as it has always been.
The Voices We Love are Coming Back
What is a Made in Abyss movie without the original cast? Fans will be relieved to know that the main voice actors are all set to reprise their roles. This includes Mariya Ise as Reg, Miyu Tomita as Riko, Shiori Izawa as Nanachi, and Misaki Kuno as Faputa. Having the same voices is so important to maintain that emotional connection we have with these characters as they go deeper into the unknown.
If we look back, Kadokawa had already teased a sequel way back in January 2023, following the end of The Golden City of the Scorching Sun. The franchise has come a long way since the original series first aired in Japan in July 2017. Since then, it has grown into a global phenomenon, with Sentai Filmworks releasing the Blu-rays and even bringing the Dawn of the Deep Soul movie to U.S. and Canadian theatres in 2020. That movie did quite well at the box office and even featured 4DX screenings for a more immersive feel.
The Made in Abyss series is famous for its very unique contrast—cute character designs paired with a dark, punishing world that never stops testing its protagonists. This is exactly why Made in Abyss is a must watch for anyone who loves high-stakes fantasy. With this new movie trilogy on the horizon, the anticipation is only going up. Fans are really eager to see how the mysteries of the 7th layer and beyond will finally unfold on the big screen. We just have to wait for 2026 now!
