Highlights
- Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil will debut in Indian cinemas in October.
- The 45th Doraemon film earned more than ¥3B in Japan within 30 days and has grossed over $25.5M worldwide.
- Directed by Tetsuo Yajima, the movie follows Nobita and Doraemon on an underwater quest involving the mysterious Mu Federation.
TV Asahi and PVR INOX Pictures have confirmed the Indian theatrical release for Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil, on Oct 2, 2026. The October debut will mark Doraemon’s first-ever theatre release in the country.
According to Variety, the film will screen in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, replicating a localization effort generally observed for popular long-running franchises. Doraemon: Nobita and the New Castle of the Undersea Devil, the 45th entry in the franchise, debuted in Japan on Feb 27, 2026, before releasing in international markets.
Like other Doraemon movies, the movie is based on the adventures of Nobita, Doraemon, and their friends. It crossed ¥3 billion (~$18.89 million USD) domestically within its first 30 days, becoming the 20th Doraemon film to hit that benchmark since 2000. The new Doraemon film has grossed over $25.5M globally to date.
TV Asahi’s head of animation sales, Maiko Sumida, framed the India release as a long-awaited milestone, saying the studio is “honored to finally bring Doraemon to the big screen in India after 20 years.” Black White Orange’s COO and co-founder, Mitali Desai, has defined the vision to release the Doraemon film as “a grand event in India.”
Doraemon: Nobita and the New Castle of the Undersea Devil Plot: A Deep-Sea Epic Open to Every Audience
The 2026 Doraemon film follows Nobita, Doraemon, and their friends as they embark on an underwater camping adventure using futuristic gadgets during their summer vacation. During the trip, they discover a mysterious sunken world and encounter Eru, a resident of the underwater Mu Federation, a hidden undersea civilization that distrusts humans.
Directed by Tetsuo Yajima, the movie reimagines a 1983 film for modern audiences while retaining its themes and original concept. The narrative is designed to be family-friendly, while being accessible to newcomers.
Longtime fans will be able to identify recurring characters and references; however, the film functions as a standalone adventure with a self-contained narrative. With Doraemon having aired in India since 2005, most audiences will recognize the worldbuilding and characters immediately.
