Toei Animation, the studio behind such legendary anime franchises as Dragon Ball and One Piece, has delayed a major movie associated with one of their biggest IPs. While it's unclear which franchise had a movie in the works that was delayed, this is still a sad sight for fans of any series that Toei works on.

According to financial information released by Toei itself, the animation giant has delayed a movie previously scheduled for 2026 to 2027, meaning that Toei will have no movies releasing in 2025 and 2026. While it's unclear which franchise had a movie in production, it's not outrageous to assume the movie was either for Dragon Ball or One Piece. Regardless of what franchise saw the delay though, it means Toei is not producing any movies for franchises like Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Digimon until 2027 at the earliest.

Toei Delays A Major Anime Movie Until 2027 At The Earliest, But Which Is It?

One Piece And Dragon Ball Are The Top Contenders

Given the vague way Toei has released this information by phrasing the mystery movie just as part of an "International IP", there really is no way of determining which franchise the animation giant is referring to. Toei is responsible for some of the biggest names in anime, including Dragon Ball, One Piece, Digimon, Sailor Moon, Pretty Cure, Saint Seiya, and many more. While it's tempting to say that any of these franchises could have the mystery movie that was just delayed, it really does seem like Dragon Ball and One Piece are the most likely candidates.

Dragon Ball's future is currently uncertain given the ongoing rights battle following the death of series creator Akira Toriyama. After the conclusion of Dragon Ball Daima, it's unclear what comes next for the franchise, with even the Dragon Ball Super manga being delayed until the rights situation between Toei, Dragon Ball publisher Shueisha, and Akira Toriyama's own Bird Studios can be worked out. Given this, it wouldn't be a surprise if the franchise's murky status is responsible for a delayed movie.

Both Dragon Ball and One Piece's last films were released in 2022, so the wait for fans has certainly been long.

That being said, a delayed One Piece movie would also make sense. Series creator Eiichiro Oda has certainly been a busy man between managing the manga, Toei's One Piece anime, the live-action adaptation, and now the WIT Studio One Piece remake. Given this, it wouldn't be outrageous to think a movie could be delayed, if only so Oda can find the time to approve its story beats and new character designs.

Though One Piece Is A Strong Candidate, Toei's Delayed Movie Is Probably Dragon Ball Related

The Legal Rights Could Spell Trouble For the Franchise

Though a strong case could be made for One Piece's latest movie being the subject of the delay, available evidence points far more toward Dragon Ball. One Piece has many active projects in development and still has Oda as the main creative force behind the series, so there is wind in the series' proverbial sails. Dragon Ball, however, is stuck in limbo with no sign of when the issues surrounding it will be resolved.

Regardless of which movie was delayed, it's clear neither franchise is getting a new cinematic entry until 2027. This would be one of the largest gaps between movies in One Piece history, which is definitely disappointing for fans. Still, both One Piece and Dragon Ball are massive, so fans can be sure both franchises will see cinematic outings from Toei Animation in the future.