A new theatrical film based on Leiji Matsumoto's Galaxy Express 999 was announced in July by the creator's official X account. Toei Animation, which produced the original 1978 series, will produce the film, with veteran director Rintaro providing the story concept. Rintaro previously directed the 1979 theatrical release of Galaxy Express 999. A sequel, Adieu Galaxy Express 999, is scheduled to return to theaters in Japan in December for its 45th anniversary. Makiko Matsumoto, Matsumoto's eldest daughter and representative director of his company Leijisha, issued a statement describing the project as a continuation of her father's lifelong dream of creating animated films. She wrote that his passion for animation has endured and that the new work will travel the 'silver rails' of the galaxy he envisioned. The original manga, first serialized in 1977, follows a boy named Tetsuro Hoshino who seeks a mechanical body after his mother's death, traveling aboard the Galaxy Express 999 train with the enigmatic Maetel. The story explores themes of immortality, loss, and the search for meaning, framing immortality as a temptation rather than a triumph. The 1979 film adaptation, directed by Rintaro, remains the primary entry point for new audiences and is available on the Internet Archive. Matsumoto's work is noted for blending science fiction spectacle with intimate emotional narratives, influencing later anime such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Space Battleship Yamato. The upcoming film does not yet have a release date or production timeline. Galaxy Express 999 can currently be streamed on Crunchyroll and the Internet Archive.