The next chapter in the beloved Puella Magi Madoka Magica franchise is finally on the horizon. Titled Walpurgisnacht Rising, the upcoming film is set to premiere in February 2026. Studio Shaft, which has been synonymous with the franchise since its inception, is once again taking the reins for animation. A new key visual and trailer were released this week, giving fans their first major glimpse into the continuation of the dark and emotionally charged story that began more than a decade ago.
At the helm of the film is Akiyuki Shinbo as chief director, a creative force who has helped shape the series’ surreal and haunting visual style. Yukihiro Miyamoto is directing, with Gen Urobuchi returning as scriptwriter. Urobuchi’s storytelling has long been praised for its tragic twists and complex themes. The music will once again be composed by Yuki Kajiura, whose ethereal scores have become a defining element of the Madoka Magica experience.
The original cast also returns, with Aoi Yuki reprising her role as Madoka Kaname, Chiwa Saito as Homura Akemi, Kaori Mizuhashi as Mami Tomoe, Ai Nonaka as Kyoko Sakura, Eri Kitamura as Sayaka Miki, and Emiri Kato as Kyubey. This familiar lineup of voices ensures that the emotional core of the story will remain intact as it delves into new territory.
Walpurgisnacht Rising serves as a direct continuation of Rebellion, the third film in the series which premiered in 2013. That film left fans with a bold and divisive ending that redefined the trajectory of the characters and left many questions unanswered. Now, over a decade later, this new film aims to resolve some of those threads while potentially creating new ones. It promises to dive deeper into the internal conflicts of its characters while exploring the cosmic scale of sacrifice, fate, and agency.
Since its debut in 2011, Puella Magi Madoka Magica has stood out as one of the most genre-defining anime series of the last twenty years. Created by the Magica Quartet Akiyuki Shinbo, Ume Aoki, Gen Urobuchi, and producer Atsuhiro Iwakami the series was initially released as a 12-episode television anime. Its critical success led to multiple manga adaptations, a Nitroplus-penned novel, video games, and three films. The first two films, Beginnings and Eternal, condensed the anime’s original story with additional content, while Rebellion extended the narrative into new and psychologically intense directions.
Walpurgisnacht Rising is expected to take all of that legacy and recontextualize it with fresh tension and philosophical depth. As fans await its February 2026 release, the latest trailer already suggests the return of the franchise’s signature atmosphere moody visuals, layered symbolism, and emotionally driven battles between hope and despair.
For all updates on Madoka Magica and other major anime releases, follow Anime Insider on Instagram and Facebook.
