After more than a year of radio silence, Solo Leveling fans finally have something concrete to hold onto. On May 22, 2026, Crunchyroll CEO Rahul Purini broke the long wait in an exclusive interview with Radio Times. While he stopped short of revealing exact details or a release date, Purini made it clear that the next chapter of Sung Jin-woo's story is already in active development at A-1 Pictures and Aniplex. His words have sparked a fresh wave of excitement across the global fanbase.
"We are just as eager as the fans for the next show! We know the creators are actively working on it, so hopefully we can announce something soon." — Rahul Purini, Crunchyroll CEO
The use of the word "show" has many speculating that a third season is the most likely path forward, though a high-profile movie project remains a strong possibility given recent leaks and the franchise's box-office momentum.
Solo Leveling first exploded onto the anime scene in January 2024 with its debut season, quickly becoming one of Crunchyroll's biggest hits. The story of Sung Jin-woo, the weakest hunter who gains the power of the System and rises to become the Shadow Monarch, struck a perfect chord with viewers hungry for underdog-to-overpowered progression done right. Season 2, subtitled Arise from the Shadow, premiered on January 4, 2025, and delivered even bigger numbers, wrapping up its run on March 29, 2025. The Jeju Island arc and the emotional payoff of Jin-woo fully embracing his new role left audiences desperate for more, yet official word on a sequel stayed quiet for over a year.
That silence ended this month in two separate but connected moments. First, producer Atsushi Kaneko appeared at Mumbai Comic Con on May 9 and 10, 2026, alongside voice actor Taito Ban. When fans pressed him on the future of the series, Kaneko hesitated briefly before replying, "Give us a bit more time and we will share something. They are working on it right now." The comment created an immediate buzz, but left the exact nature of the project unknown.
Purini's statement this week builds directly on that hint and gives it official weight from the streaming platform that has been the series' global home. Crunchyroll's involvement as both streamer and production committee member makes the CEO's optimism especially meaningful. The company has watched Solo Leveling become one of its flagship titles, driving subscriptions and cultural conversations far beyond the usual anime audience.
The speculation around what comes next has already split into two main camps. Some point to a 2025 committee report leak that suggested A-1 Pictures was planning a theatrical movie following the massive success of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle. A film would allow for the kind of cinematic, high-budget animation that could elevate key moments from the manhwa's later arcs. Others, however, note that Purini specifically referred to the next project as a "show," which strongly suggests a television season rather than a movie. Both options are realistic, and the studio may ultimately deliver a combination of the two.
Whatever form it takes, the next Solo Leveling project will arrive against a backdrop of enormous expectations. The manhwa by Chugong and Redice Studio built a passionate international following long before the anime adaptation. When A-1 Pictures brought it to life in 2024, the series introduced Sung Jin-woo to millions of new fans who had never picked up a web novel or manhwa before. The animation quality, Hiroyuki Sawano's powerful score, and Daiki Yamashita's standout performance as Jin-woo turned the adaptation into a breakout success that still ranks among Crunchyroll's top-viewed series.
That level of popularity brings its own challenges. A-1 Pictures has a packed schedule, and delivering the scale and quality fans expect for Solo Leveling's later arcs requires time. Both Purini and Kaneko have been careful to manage expectations around timing. A 2026 announcement feels realistic, but an actual release could land in 2027 at the earliest, with 2028 still on the table if the team wants to avoid rushing the more complex portions of the story.
For fans who have spent the last year rewatching both seasons and diving back into the original manhwa, the wait has been difficult but understandable. The series set an extremely high bar for production values and pacing. Rushing the next chapter could risk undermining everything that made the first two seasons special. The fact that both the CEO and the producer are openly acknowledging the work in progress and expressing shared excitement with the audience shows a level of transparency and respect that many studios fail to deliver.
The broader Solo Leveling franchise continues to expand in other ways as well. The manhwa remains a bestseller, merchandise lines are thriving, and the story's themes of personal growth through relentless effort continue to resonate with a global audience. A new project, whether Season 3 or a movie, would give longtime fans the continuation they have been craving while introducing Jin-woo's journey to an even larger group of viewers.
Crunchyroll's track record with the series gives fans additional confidence. The platform has invested heavily in high-quality dubs, global marketing, and events that keep the community engaged. Purini's comments signal that the company sees Solo Leveling as a long-term flagship title worth protecting and nurturing.
As of right now, no trailer, key visual, or release window has dropped. What we do have is official confirmation from the top that something is actively moving forward and that an announcement is on the horizon. For a franchise that turned a web novel into a worldwide phenomenon in just a few short years, that kind of update feels like the light at the end of a very long tunnel.
Jin-woo's story is far from over, and the Shadow Monarch still has plenty of shadows left to command. Whether the next chapter arrives as a full season or a cinematic event, one thing is certain: when it finally drops, fans around the world will be ready to level up once again. The wait has been long, but the words from both Rahul Purini and Atsushi Kaneko suggest it will be worth every minute. Stay tuned for more updates. Something big is coming.