The release date for the upcoming North American theatrical debut of The First Slam Dunk has finally been revealed. According to the official AMC Theatres website, the film is set to arrive in U.S. theaters on July 28. This comes nearly eight months after its world premiere in Japan.
The First Slam Dunk will compete against spookier box office fare, such as Disney’s Haunted Mansion and A24’s Talk to Me. In addition, it will also be debut in the same month as other highly-anticipated movies including Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Barbie, and Oppenheimer.
What is The First Slam Dunk?
The First Slam Dunk is based on the popular manga Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue, who makes his directorial debut with the upcoming film. It was first adapted into an anime series by Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon studio Toei Animation from 1993-1996, which consisted of 101 episodes; the studio also produced four anime films while the series was still airing. The First Slam Dunk officially marks the franchise’s first movie in nearly three decades.
“The film follows Shohoku High School’s ‘speedster’ point guard, Ryota Miyagi, who always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure,” reads the synopsis. “In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku basketball team along with Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi, and Mitsui as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship. And now, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School.”
Since its theatrical debut in Asia, it has earned a worldwide gross of over $232 million. As of this writing, it’s the seventh highest-grossing anime film to date. It also recently won the Best Animation of the Year award at the 2023 Japan Academy Prize.
