HiGH&LOW THE New World Announced as Final Film Chapter, Set for 2027
After a decade of expansion across media, the HiGH&LOW franchise is concluding its film series with a chapter that promises to resolve the long-running mystery of the "Bulge" and reunite original cast members.
Reporting from 4 sources: Eiga Natalie, KAI-YOU, Denfaminicogamer, Cinema Today.
The final chapter of the HiGH&LOW film series, "HiGH&LOW THE New World," was announced on June 24 at a 10th anniversary event in Tokyo. HIRO, the series' planner and producer, surprised attendees with a teaser video and confirmed the film will release in 2027. The story takes place several years after the 2017 film "HiGH&LOW THE MOVIE 3 / FINAL MISSION." Returning cast members include AKIRA as Kohaku, NAOTO as Jesse, and Alan Shirahama as Bernie, all reprising roles after nine years. Kazuma Kawamura and Hokuto Yoshino also join the cast. Directors Norihisa Hiranuma and Motoaki Kuba are helming the project. Hiranuma stated that the film will feature overseas artists and cast members. The teaser video, now on YouTube, shows hand-to-hand combat and armed groups, suggesting a harsher world. The series has drawn 6.21 million cumulative viewers and earned 8.9 billion yen at the box office. A live event, "HiGH&LOW 10th ANNIVERSARY FEVER," will be held at K-Arena Yokohama on September 22 and 23, featuring LDH artists including EXILE THE SECOND and THE RAMPAGE.
The teaser video shown at the event depicts intense hand-to-hand combat between delinquents and a group armed with firearms, indicating a more violent setting than previous installments. The film is set several years after the 2017 entry, and the teaser suggests the identity of the mysterious "Bulge," a plot element foreshadowed throughout the series, will finally be revealed after about 10 years.
Directors Norihisa Hiranuma and Motoaki Kuba are co-directing. Hiranuma said the film will include overseas artists and cast members to expand the series globally. The returning cast includes AKIRA as Kohaku, NAOTO as Jesse, and Alan Shirahama as Bernie, though Shirahama noted his character has undergone a major transformation and does not appear in the teaser. Kazuma Kawamura and Hokuto Yoshino, who appeared in the spin-off films "HiGH&LOW THE WORST" and "HiGH&LOW THE WORST X," also join.
The live event "HiGH&LOW 10th ANNIVERSARY FEVER" on September 22 and 23 at K-Arena Yokohama will feature performances by EXILE THE SECOND, DOBERMAN INFINITY, THE RAMPAGE, FANTASTICS, BALLISTIK BOYZ, and PSYCHIC FEVER. AKIRA said the event will inherit the series' legacy while delivering new entertainment.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.