Warning! SPOILERS for Attack on Titan.
Reportedly, Attack on Titan will continue with season 4, part 3, "The Final Arc," with this implying that the anime will not end with a movie. Attack on Titan sees Eren Jeager go from hero to villain as he gains the powers of the Founding Titan and aims to exterminate life outside his home of Paradis Island to save his friends. During season 4, part 2, the future of the anime remained unclear and many fans speculated that the show would be concluded with a movie. The decision to continue the series in its usual medium is a good decision that will see that the show ends faithfully.
After episode 87 aired on Japanese TV, it was confirmed that Attack on Titan season 4, part 3 will be released in 2023. As the anime currently stands, there are nine chapters of Hajime Isayama's manga left to adapt. Anime films have boomed in popularity in recent times, with Demon Slayer: Mugen Train and Jujutsu Kaisen: 0 smashing box-office records. Whilst the announcement of the Attack on Titan's extension to the show appears to make a subsequent film unlikely, it is not beyond the realms of possibility.
As things stand, the decision to not adapt the manga's final chapters into a movie is the right one. The final episodes of Attack on Titan will stack up to a considerably longer run time than a movie would do. This will mean that the ending of the manga will not be rushed to fit the demands of the film medium. Since anime movies are typically released in Japan before the rest of the world, it is also less likely that fans of Attack on Titan will have the ending of the series spoiled for them. The anime currently stands at 87 episodes, and considering that season 4, part 2 consisted of 12 episodes, the final arc could be 13 episodes long. This would take Attack on Titan to a total of 100 episodes, simultaneously building up considerable hype for the final episode and allowing for the possibility of the series to be syndicated in the U.S. to allow reruns to air in the future.
An Attack on Titan movie had the potential to spoil the experience for fans outside of Japan. Anime films are usually released in Japan before the rest of the world. For example, Jujutsu Kaisen: 0 was released in Japan in December 2021 but American audiences had to wait until March 2022 to see the film in theatres. The gap between releases means that many fans would intentionally or inadvertently find spoilers about how the film ended Attack on Titan. For those that fear spoilers or would not be able to wait to watch the film, many could have streamed the film online. This would diminish the experience of the movie due to the lesser screen size, sound, and image quality. This could have resulted in some fans feeling underwhelmed by the conclusion of Attack on Titan for reasons beyond the story.
The story of the Attack on Titan manga will also be given more room to breathe with the announced season 4, part 3. Generally, a movie adaptation would have to cram the remaining story into 140 minutes, give or take. In comparison, if Attack on Titan's 2023 arc consists of 12 episodes like season 4, part 2, it would equate to approximately 288 minutes. While this may appear too long to adapt the remaining nine chapters, the flashbacks, fights, and dialogue scenes could be expanded upon. This may also be necessary if the anime intends to make adjustments the manga's controversial ending. However, the final arc may include one more episode than season 4, part 2. This would take the anime up to 100 episodes. If the final episode was announced to be episode 100, this would lead to a satisfying sense of finality and build hype in the anime community because of the significance of the episode. If Attack on Titan reached 100 episodes, it would allow the show to be syndicated in the U.S. The possibility of a rerun of the show could ensure its everlasting legacy and introduce it to a new hoard of fans years from now.