GKIDS releases Look Back live-action in theaters on December 30
The adaptation directed by Hirokazu Koreeda will arrive in select theaters before its nationwide expansion in January 2027.
Juan Castillo 20 October 2026
Look Back, the first live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's manga, now has a US release date. GKIDS announced that the film directed by Hirokazu Koreeda will arrive in select theaters on December 30, with a nationwide expansion on January 15, 2027.
Along with the announcement, the distributor released a new trailer. The preview shows a story of friendship between two girls who bond over their love of drawing and manga. There are shots that directly reference the original panels and a clear inspiration from the 2024 animated adaptation, written and directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama.
Two girls drawing at a desk.The press release describes the film as "a love letter to the artistic process, handwritten in ink on paper, and a meditation on how the mutual pursuit of a craft creates the deepest marks on our memory."
A festival run
Look Back had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. It then screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and, more recently, at the BFI London Film Festival. Reviews have been warm; Yahoo's praised Koreeda's skill with child actors and his ability to build a visually detailed drama.
Koreeda recently won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and received an Oscar nomination. His move into adapting a manga as beloved as Look Back marks an interesting turn in his filmography, which has mostly focused on family and social drama. Here the source material is brief, intimate, and very centered on the creative process, something that fits his directing style.
GKIDS and its live-action bet
GKIDS is known for distributing prestige animation, including Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning The Boy and the Heron. Now it is expanding its catalog with live-action productions. It has two major releases on the way: 5 Centimeters Per Second, which arrives this Friday, and Godzilla Minus Zero, the sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One, which will debut in North American theaters on November 6.
The animated version of Look Back premiered in 2024 to excellent reception. Its mix of melancholy, friendship, and love for drawing resonated deeply with fans of Fujimoto's manga, the same author behind Chainsaw Man.
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