New anime movie Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution is facing trouble with Japanese fans recording the film in theaters before its overseas release, to the point that the studio has threatened legal action against anyone caught pirating the movie.
"Filming a movie inside a theater is a crime under the Law for Prevention of Unauthorized Recording of Films," said the Jujutsu Kaisen team via Twitter. "If copyright infringement occurs in violation of the Film Piracy Prevention Law or the Copyright Act, penalties may include up to 10 years imprisonment, or a fine of up to 10 million yen, or both."
Threatening prison time seems quite extreme, but the movie has yet to be released overseas, meaning that viewers who are posting clips are completely ruining the experience for fans who haven't yet seen the movie. Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution hit theaters in Japan on November 7, but won't hit the UK until November 14. Worse yet, fans in the US have to wait until December 5 to see the film.
Some fans have claimed they can't really see what they are doing wrong, though, as Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution is not really a movie at all – it's a compilation of Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 and 2, covering the Shibuya Incident. This is to get viewers prepared for season 3, which will hit Crunchyroll in January 2026. "It's not a 'movie', it can't be a crime, remarked one fan," and another replied, "Release it worldwide simultaneously then."
But, it is important to note that although the majority of Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution is made up of clips we have seen before, the compilation film also includes the first two episodes of season 3, meaning there is plenty to be spoiled there. Based on the Culling Game arc from the hit manga, Jujutsu Kaisen season 3 will catch up with Goju and see a battle royale (Culling Game) break out across Japan between sorcerers.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution arrives in UK cinemas on 15 November, and US theatres on December 5. For more, check out our guide on how to watch Jujutsu Kaisen in order, and keep up with new anime heading your way.
