A lot of people here in NA region might not realize it, but France has been a significant source of animation for a very long time now. Ever since as far back as the 1930s, really. Unfortunately, not many of these French animated films/series ever makes it here to NA. Certainly not to the extent of Japanese anime, much to our shame, since France has produced some very interesting animated films/series. Fortunately, one of those French animated films in the form of Mars Express is all set to make the transatlantic crossing here to NA region. All thanks to GKIDS, of course.

Mars Express: Details

Mars Express poster.
This is giving me such strong Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell vibes here.

GKIDS is proud to announce that they have acquired the NA distribution rights for the French animated sci-fi film Mars Express. This debut film for director Jérémie Perin (CO2, Nini Patalo, Lastman) originally made its NA premiere at the 2023 Cannes and Annecy film festivals. However, since those were film festivals, most people wouldn’t have been able to see it. GKIDS fully intends to do that by giving this animated film a theatrical release here in NA region.

So when will that be, you might ask? Well, in France, that would be sometime in November 2023. However, GKIDS mentions they plan to release Mars Express in theaters sometime in 2024. Said theatrical release will be in both the original French audio with English subtitles, and a brand new English dub. Alas, that’s all the release information they have for us so far. Tune back in to THS to find out more about this and other French animation when we hear about them.

Bonus: Synopsis

Mars Express image 2.
In a world where robot blood is blue…presumably.

Want to know what Mars Express is about? Well, GKIDS has an official synopsis for us along with that announcement. You can check it out below:

In 2200, private detective Aline Ruby and her android partner Carlos Rivera are hired by a wealthy businessman to track down a notorious hacker. On Mars, they descend deep into the underbelly of the planet’s capital city where they uncover a darker story of brain farms, corruption, and a missing girl who holds a secret about the robots that threatens to change the face of the universe. 

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