Cowboy Bebop: The Movie returns to Japanese theaters in 4K on October 30 for its 25th anniversary

Twenty-five years after it first hit Japanese screens, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Knockin' on Heaven's Door) is going back to theaters as a 4K remaster. The official Cowboy Bebop site confirms a nationwide run in Japan starting Friday, October 30, and a short promotional spot for the restored version has been doing the rounds this week.

What's happening in Japan

Nationwide screenings of the 4K remaster begin October 30.
Opening stage greetings are set for October 31 at TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku, with director Shinichiro Watanabe and Koichi Yamadera, the Japanese voice of Spike Spiegel. That follows an advance screening on October 23 where Watanabe appeared alongside composer Yoko Kanno.
Rotating moviegoer gifts: a sheet styled like an old advance ticket (one of three, random) from October 30 to November 5, a clear sheet made to look like positive film (one of three) from November 6 to 12, and a die-cut sticker from November 13.
New theater merch, plus a separate anniversary collection with BEAMS MANGART that also launches on October 30.

The question overseas fans are asking

Can the rest of us see it? Right now, the official page only covers screenings and events in Japan. Nothing about an international theatrical run or a new home release of the 4K version has been announced there, so I wouldn't book flights or preorders based on rumors.

Still, I think this is good news even from a distance. A fresh 4K master has to exist before any new overseas screening, disc or stream could happen, and now it does. Nobody has promised anything beyond Japan yet, though.

If you somehow never watched it: the film slots between episodes 22 and 23 of the series, sends the Bebop crew after a bioterror suspect in Alba City on Mars, and is still one of the best-scored anime movies ever made. Kanno's soundtrack alone deserves a theater sound system.

I'll update you if an overseas release gets confirmed. You can find the film's page on anime.day, and the official screening details are on the Cowboy Bebop site.