Sword Art Online Delays New Movie Last Minute Due to COVID-19

By Megan Peters

Sword Art Online has been hard at work on its new film behind the scenes, and until recently, the project was slated to drop this fall. However, a new report has confirmed the movie will not be going live as expected. The team at A-1 Pictures is delaying the new film's release, and the decision was made following COVID-related production issues.

The news comes from Sword Art Online directly as the anime's official social media pages posted a letter to followers. It was there netizens learned the anime's new movie is no longer slated to release on September 10th. Right now, no new release date has been shared, so Sword Art Online: Progressive – Scherzo of Deep Night is delayed indefinitely.

The report goes on to say the delay was prompted due to the "impact" of COVID-19. No specific reasons were shared in relation to the pandemic, but COVID-19 has messed up enough production timelines to piece together the situation. From outsourced animation to scoring and editing, the anime industry was hit hard by COVID-19 as it morphed into a global threat by 2020. And while vaccination efforts have mitigated some of the disease's risk, COVID-19 is still a prevalent concern for many.

READ MORE: Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night Releases IMAX Poster | Sword Art Online Marks 10th Anniversary with Special Poster | Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night Releases New Trailer and Poster

As for Sword Art Online, fans are hopeful the movie will be able to hit theaters before much longer. A spring 2023 release would suit the film, after all. This delay also gives netizens a chance to brush up on Sword Art Online: Progressive if they are behind. So if you need more details on the franchise, you can read the isekai's official synopsis below:

"In the near future, a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online has been released where players control their avatars with their bodies using a piece of technology called: Nerve Gear. One day, players discover they cannot log out, as the game creator is holding them captive unless they reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. However, if they die in the game, they die in real life. Their struggle for survival starts now..."

What do you think about this last-minute delay? Are you excited for Sword Art Online to put out its new movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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