‘We have been in talks with a few studios in Japan’

Indian filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli is currently hard at work on his next feature, Varanasi, but his previous action movie could also be returning to theaters in a surprising new form. After debuting in 2022 and becoming a worldwide phenomenon (culminating in an Oscar win for Best Original Song), RRR may return as an anime.

“We have been in talks with a few studios in Japan to make RRR in anime,” Rajamouli tells Polygon. “So I’m waiting for things to get through. Hopefully it happens, and hopefully we can announce a cool continuation of RRR anime.”

This isn’t just a stunt. Rajamouli has become a genuine fan of anime after getting into a few popular franchises like Demon Slayer and Attack on Titan. (He’s also a fan of the Netflix animated series Arcane.)

“I was introduced to anime very recently,” he said, “and what I have seen has blown me away. Why did I miss out on these things for so long?”

While the director has been too busy filming Varanasi to watch any more anime at the moment, he says that what he’s seen so far is already impacting his work for the better.

“It opened up new avenues for me to understand how stories can be told in a more attacking and impressive manner,” Rajamouli said. “How you stun the audience with unexpected moments and with a lot of emotion added to that. It’s not just a surprise, it’s very emotionally driven, compelling movements, which are also surprises.”

While the RRR anime hasn’t been officially announced yet, Rajamouli is also working on adapting another of his films into animated form. His two-part epic Baahubali is getting a two-part animated spinoff, with part one expected to arrive in 2027. Meanwhile, Rajamouli’s next feature film, Varanasi, arrives in theaters worldwide on April 7, 2027.

Disclosure: This article is based on a press event held in India. The producers of Varanasi provided Polygon’s travel and accommodations for the event. You can find additional information about Polygon’s ethics policy here.