Fathom Entertainment, the leading specialty distributor of content to theatrical partners worldwide, and global producer of manga and anime VIZ Media will bring episodes 1–3 of ‘BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Calamity’, from legendary creator Tite Kubo to U.S. theatres nationwide for a limited theatrical premiere engagement prior to broadcast and streaming of the final season of the groundbreaking anime series, June 25–29, 2026.

BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War has firmly established itself among anime elites after taking Anime Trending’s “Anime of the Year” in 2024, with anticipation now mounting for The Calamity. Following its return in 2022 to adapt the franchise’s climactic arc, the series has become a global phenomenon—trending across social platforms and earning MyAnimeList’s Best Anime of 2022—while routinely posting critic and fan ratings as high as 9.4/10.

A special U.S. premiere for The Calamity will screen subtitled and English‑dubbed versions of all three episodes nationwide and feature an exclusive behind‑the‑scenes conversation with creator Tite Kubo and chief series director Tomohisa Taguchi and series director Hikaru Murata about the production.

BLEACH’s resurgence highlights a long-running legacy: one of Shonen Jump’s early “Big 3,” the property originally ran 366 episodes from 2004–2012 and helped define a generation of U.S. anime fandom alongside One Piece and NARUTO. The current run has been widely praised for its animation quality, explosive action choreography and Shiro SAGISU’s score, earning multiple wins at the Fall 2024 Anime Trending Awards and nominations across the 2024–25 Crunchyroll Anime Awards (including Best Action, Best Continuing Series, Best Score and Best English VA for Johnny Yong Bosch).

“”Anime fans are in for a thrilling experience as BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War wraps up its groundbreaking run on the big screen,” said Ray Nutt, Chief Executive Officer at Fathom Entertainment. “Fathom has pioneered the theatrical experience for compelling, non-traditional content with built-in fanbases, and BLEACH fans are in for a treat with the first three episodes and exclusive, behind the scenes content from our friends at VIZ Media beginning June 25.”