Film Based on Award-Winning Novel to Screen in U.S. on April 19 & 20

FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS – March 29, 2016. Funimation® Films announced today that advanced tickets for the English dub release of Project Itoh’s “The Empire of Corpses” are now available for purchase at funimationfilms.com/theempireofcorpses. The film is the first in a series of three movies based on novels by award-winning writer Project Itoh and is directed by Ryotaro Makihara. “The Empire of Corpses” will screen in more than 50 theaters across the United States on April 19 and 20, 2016.

“We’re pleased to bring this first in the series of films based on Project Itoh’s novels,” said Gen Fukunaga, founder and CEO of Funimation. “‘The Empire of Corpses’ is a truly captivating sci-fi action thriller – perfect for the big screen – and one that fans will certainly enjoy.”

“Moviegoers will be transported to Itoh’s steampunk vision of an alternate 19th century world occupied by Frankenstein-like laborers,” said Mike DuBoise, EVP and COO of Funimation. “Anime and sci-fi fans alike won’t want to miss this limited, two-day theatrical release and we encourage them to purchase tickets in advance.”

Project Itoh was the pseudonym of popular, Japanese science fiction writer Satoshi Ito. His first novel “Genocidal Organ” was published in 2007 and was followed by “Harmony” in 2009. Both were well received by fans; with the latter winning the 2009 Japanese Science Fiction Grand Prize. Itoh’s brief writing career of 3-years was cut short when he died of cancer at the age of 34. Two of his works were later published posthumously – a novel adaptation of “Metal Gear Solid 4” and “The Empire of Corpses.”

“The Empire of Corpses” was produced by the wildly successful, independent animation house WIT STUDIO. Founded by former Production I.G producer George Wada in 2012, WIT STUDIO has already gained fame, in just three short years, for producing two hit anime series – “Attack on Titan” and “Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign.”

Film Trailer & Synopsis

In an alternate version of 19th century London, the world has been revolutionized by “corpse reanimation technology” creating armies of undead who serve the living as laborers across the globe.

In an attempt to revive his dearly departed friend, young medical student John Watson becomes obsessed with replicating the work of Dr. Victor Frankenstein—the legendary corpse engineer whose research produced the only re-animated corpse to possess a soul. But when his illegal experiments put him at odds with the British government, Watson is drafted into a worldwide race to find the lost research notes of Victor Frankenstein before the secrets of the human soul fall into the wrong hands.