After nearly two decades of limited availability in North America, two seminal Neon Genesis Evangelion films are getting a theatrical re-release. GKIDS announced it will host the EVANGELION 30th Movie Fest, screening Evangelion: Death (True)² & Rebirth on July 21 and The End of Evangelion on July 22 across U.S. and Canadian theaters. Tickets are available now through GKIDS' website.

Evangelion: Death (True)² & Rebirth, which premiered in Japan on March 15, 1997, compiles the first 24 episodes of the original 26-episode TV series alongside an alternative ending sequence. Director Hideaki Anno's original anime aired from 1995 to 1996 and fundamentally changed how people understood anime's storytelling potential. This version represents an evolved cut of the film that hasn't been widely available outside Japan until now.

The End of Evangelion serves as a theatrical reimagining of the TV series' final two episodes. Rather than retreat into abstraction, the film presents a visceral, action-driven conclusion as SEELE launches a devastating attack on NERV. The story follows Shinji piloting EVA-01 while Asuka fights back against overwhelming odds, culminating in one of anime's most unforgettable and controversial endings.

Both films have been essentially unavailable in North America for years. ADV Films' last domestic release—the "Platinum Edition" DVDs—came out in 2004 and 2005, before the company's closure in 2009. GKIDS acquired the licensing rights to the original TV series and both films in 2020, finally making a re-release possible.

These screenings arrive as the Evangelion franchise continues expanding through multiple media. Director Anno established Studio Khara in 2006 and led production on the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy, which began with Evangelion 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone in 2007. The series has since spawned numerous spinoffs, merchandise collaborations, and a dedicated fanbase spanning decades.

For longtime fans and newcomers alike, this theatrical event offers a rare chance to experience these cornerstone films on the big screen as originally intended.