Evangelion's Studio Khara Boards Baahubali: The Eternal War Animated Film at Annecy

Studio Khara, the Japanese animation house behind the Evangelion franchise, has boarded the upcoming animated feature Baahubali: The Eternal War Part 1. The studio will produce a dedicated animated sequence for the film, with Akira Honma directing the segment and Evangelion veteran Mahiro Maeda serving as a key creative contributor.

A Global Animation Collaboration

The announcement arrived during the Annecy International Animated Film Festival, where Part 1 was selected for the event's Work in Progress section. Baahubali: The Eternal War is the first of a planned two-part animated feature, tentatively set for a 2027 release. The project is directed by Ishan Shukla, who previously contributed to Star Wars: Visions, with a screenplay by Scott Mosier and a story conceived by Shukla and Sowmya Sharma.

The production spans four countries India, France, the United Kingdom, and Japan bringing together a sprawling roster of animation houses. Alongside Studio Khara, the film involves Mihira Visual Labs, Aniventure, Zaratan Studios, and Alcyde Studios. Japanese production company SlowCurve is coordinating the planning and workflow between the Japanese and international teams.

Studio Khara's Creative Team

For its sequence, Studio Khara has assembled a team rooted in its Evangelion pedigree. Akira Honma takes on the role of animation director, while Noriko Ito handles character design. Mahiro Maeda, whose credits include Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time, rounds out the core creative team as a key contributor. Maeda's experience with large-scale mecha and fantasy sequences makes the pairing a natural fit for a film steeped in mythological warfare.

The Story Behind the Film

Baahubali: The Eternal War picks up with the murdered prince Amarendra Baahubali entering the afterlife, where he is drawn into an ancient cosmic war between devas and asuras across fourteen realms of existence. The narrative expands the mythology of the original live-action Baahubali franchise, which became one of Indian cinema's highest-grossing properties.

Arka Mediaworks, led by producers Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni, is producing the film. Prabhas reprises his role as the voice of Amarendra Baahubali, joined by Ramya Krishnan as Sivagami. Oscar-winning composer M.M. Keeravani, who scored RRR, is handling the film's music.

What to Watch For

The Annecy panel for the Work in Progress presentation features director Ishan Shukla, art director Ajey Lele, co-writer Sowmya Sharma, animation director Antoine Charreyron, and CG supervisor Simon Brown. With Studio Khara's involvement now confirmed, the project represents one of the most ambitious cross-continental animation collaborations currently in production, bridging Japanese anime craftsmanship with Indian mythological storytelling on a cinematic scale.