A new trailer for the two-part, live-action Fullmetal Alchemist finale displays a score of fresh content ahead of the official release dates. The Fullmetal Alchemist manga by Hiromu Arakawa was a critical early building block of Western attraction to the medium, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed anime series in history with the 2011 adaptation Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. This success led to a 2017 live-action adaptation which drew criticism from Seiji Mizushima (director of the 2003 anime adaptation released before the manga ended) and generally unsatisfied reactions from fans.
The 2017 production, directed by Fumihiko Sori and starring Ryosuke Yamada and Atomu Mizuishi as protagonists Edward and Alphonse Elric, respectively, covered the first significant portion of the FMA storyline. Edward and Al confront the crazed bio-alchemist Shou Tucker and face off against the homunculi Lust, Envy, and Gluttony for the first time. Despite the lukewarm reception of the adaptation, Japanese distributor Warner Bros. announced a split sequel that aims to complete the Elric brothers' story.
Now, Warner Bros. debuts an even newer trailer that showcases several new scenes and characters, including different shots of Scar, Hohenheim, Father, and the first look at May Chang, Major Armstrong, and the homunculus Sloth. The Japanese footage does not clarify an international release date but reiterates the Japanese dates of May 20, 2022, for the first film, The Avenger Scar, and June 24, 2022, for the second, The Last Transmutation. The 2017 film came to Netflix a few months after the Japanese premiere date of December 1, 2017. Check out the trailer below:
Click here to watch the trailer.
While numerous scenes carry over from the announcement trailer, there are a host of new shots for fans to fawn over, including quick teases of some of the greatest Fullmetal Alchemist fights in the original series, like Edward and Al's first encounter with the killer Scar and Lin/Greed versus King Bradley. Despite the common Western objection to manga and anime adaptations, fans and critics applauded 2017's Fullmetal Alchemist for its use of CG effects, especially when compared to other projects, and the visuals for the two-part Fullmetal Alchemist - The Final Chapter look just as impressive. Likewise, the acting feels compelling, a necessary qualifier for a high-stakes adaptation like Fullmetal Alchemist that deals in human sacrifice, the morality of creating artificial life, and other taboo subjects.
If executed properly, The Avenger Scar and The Last Transmutation's epic conclusion could alter the landscape of live-action manga and anime adaptations, making the concept more appealing for filmmakers and distributors. After all, the Japanese art forms are more popular than ever, and if the influx of upcoming video game adaptations like Super Mario says anything, it's that people are willing to forego past grievances to give new films a chance. Fans won't know if the gambit paid off until the two parts of Fullmetal Alchemist - The Final Chapter premiere later in 2022—hopefully, an international release schedule will come out sooner rather than later.
Source: Warner Bros. (Japan)