A special video played during the USC Trojans Football Team’s season opener game had a big surprise in store for all the One Piece fans in the United States. The video featured, none other than, Luffy, who made an appearance to announce the coming of the film to the U.S. theatres in October 2022.

The exact date of the release is yet to be revealed.

Luffy made a very special appearance at the #USC Trojans Football Team’s season opener game to present the “Spirit of Troy” marching band, performing songs from #OnePiece and #OnePieceFilmRed! 🏴‍☠️🏈🥁@Crunchyroll @BandaiNamcoUS @USC_FB pic.twitter.com/K3FpjkmGZz

— Toei Animation (@ToeiAnimation) September 4, 2022

The University of California’s Football team, USC Trojans collaborated with Toei’s One Piece Film Red to play One Piece Film Red‘s themes during the half time.

This took place at the home opener college football game against Rice University on Sept 3, 2022.

Streaming giants Crunchyroll and TOEI Animation had earlier announced that they will release One Piece Film Red movie in selected theatres in US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand in Fall this year. The movie will be released in both subbed and dubbed versions.

One Piece Film Red will release in India around the same time as the U.S. on Oct 7, 2022.

The movie opened in Japan on Aug 6, 2022, collecting over 2 billion yen in its first weekend.

The One Piece Film Red movie has earned 11.454 billion yen at the Japanese box office, as of now. Thus surpassing 2021’s Neon Genesis Evangelion’s 3.0 +1.0 movie. It also became the 10 highest earning anime film in Japan after it crossed Eva‘s earnings.

Goro Taniguchi returns to the franchise for the first time since 1998 to direct One Piece Film: Red. Tsutomu Kuroiwa will be in charge of the screenplay. TOEI Animation is animating the film with original author Eiichiro Oda serving as executive producer.

The other staff that have been announced for the movie include:

• Character Design & Animation Director: Masayuki Sato
• CGI Director: Kentaro Kawasaki
• Art Director: Hiroshi KatoMusic: Yasutaka Nakata
• Director of Photography: Tsunetaka Ema
• Color Design: Sayako Yokoyama.

The movie features and centers on the mysterious character Uta, who is teased to be Shanks daughter in the teaser. Uta is voiced by Kaori Nazuka (voice cast) and Ado (singing cast).

Crunchyroll describes the movie as:

Uta —the most beloved singer in the world. Renowned for concealing her own identity when performing, her voice has come to be described as “otherworldly.” Now, for the first time ever, Uta will reveal herself to the world at a live concert. As the venue fills with all kinds of Uta fans—excited pirates, the Navy watching closely, and the Straw Hats led by Luffy who simply came to enjoy her sonorous performance—the voice that the whole world has been waiting for is about to resound. The story begins with the shocking fact that she is Shanks’ daughter.

Source: Toei Animation’s Official Twitter