New Doraemon Film Sends Nobita to Victorian London

Toho and Shin-Ei Animation confirmed the 46th Doraemon anime film on July 24, unveiling a teaser trailer and key visual on the new movie’s official website. The new film, Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Steam-Powered Time Machine, will open in Japanese theaters in Spring 2027.

Doraemon Nobita’s Steam-Powered Time Machine will follow Nobita, Doraemon, and their friends. The film centers on their journey on a steam-powered time machine.

In an official statement, director Rushio Moriyama described the film as an adventure centered on a steam locomotive-shaped time machine blending “steam” and “time.” He expressed their excitement about the project, citing the excitement he felt while reading and watching Fujiko F. Fujio’s long-form Doraemon stories as a child.

Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Steam-Powered Time Machine Plot and Production

In Nobita’s Steam-Powered Time Machine film, Doraemon, Nobita, and their friends travel from 21st-century Japan to 19th-century London. The super teaser introduces the titular Steam-Powered Time Machine, while revealing Doraemon in Victorian-era attire.

The screenplay comes from Makoto Ueda, founder of the theater company Europe Kikaku and writer of the time-travel stage works such as The Tatami Galaxy and Tatami Time Machine Blues. Ueda said he chose Victorian London because it represented the age when steam engines flourished and, in his words, was “the birthplace of time.”

“Although our daily lives are often controlled by time and spent chasing after it, we can also travel back through time, pursue it, or play beside the river of time,” he further added.

Ueda previously wrote a 2024 Doraemon TV birthday special. Both he and director Moriyama are making their feature-film debuts in the franchise’s movie line. No cast members or staff beyond the director and writer had been released as of Friday.

The announcement follows the strong commercial run of Doraemon the Movie: New Nobita Undersea Ghost Castle, the franchise’s 45th film, which was released in Japan in February 2026. That film held the No. 1 spot at the Japanese box office for five consecutive weekends and became the 20th Doraemon movie since 2000 to cross the ¥3 billion ($18.77 million USD) mark.

With the 2027 film, the Doraemon series extends a nearly five-decade run, one that continues to draw fresh audiences in the 2020s. With its blend of original storytelling, established characters, and multigenerational audience appeal, the franchise continues to stand as one of Japan's strongest family entertainment brands.