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Netflix is doubling down on Japanese horror this spring. Riding the sustained global popularity of Re/Member, the streamer is set to debut its long-awaited sequel, Re/Member: The Last Night, bringing the brutal time-loop nightmare back to international screens. For fans of modern J-horror, this release signals Netflix’s continued investment in genre storytelling that travels well across borders.

A Franchise That Refuses to Stay Buried

When Re/Member (Karada Sagashi) arrived in 2022, few predicted how far it would travel beyond Japan. Adapted from the wildly popular manga series, the film blended slasher brutality with a relentless time-loop structure, quickly finding an audience hungry for high-concept horror.

The movie’s Netflix run only amplified its reach. Since its addition to the platform on February 14, 2023, Re/Member has logged an estimated 29 million viewing hours worldwide, translating to roughly 16.7 million views, according to Netflix’s global engagement metrics. That performance helped cement the title as one of the most-watched Japanese horror films on the service.

With demand still strong, a sequel was inevitable.

Netflix Sets a March Premiere for the Sequel

Re/Member: The Last Night will make its U.S. streaming debut on Thursday, March 5, 2026, with availability across Netflix U.S. and select international territories. Unlike the first film, which carried the Netflix Original label, the sequel arrives as a licensed title, reflecting a slightly different distribution arrangement.

The film is produced by Warner Bros. Japan and premiered theatrically in Japan in September 2025. Netflix’s existing partnership with the studio ensures that global audiences won’t have to wait long to catch up with the next chapter of the franchise.

Notably, the original Re/Member remains on Netflix and is licensed through 2033, keeping the full saga accessible for both new viewers and returning fans.

What Re/Member: The Last Night Is About

Spoiler advisory: The following section references key events from the first film.

The original movie concluded with protagonist Asuka Morisaki vanishing just as the deadly time loop was finally broken. The Last Night revisits that unresolved mystery, while expanding the scope of the horror in unsettling new ways.

Set three years after the high school massacre, the sequel shifts its primary location from classrooms and corridors to the eerie remains of Kijima Starland, an abandoned amusement park. A fresh group of high school students becomes trapped in the familiar “Body Search” ritual, forced to recover the scattered remains of a victim before midnight, or face another gruesome reset.

The group soon encounters Takahiro Ise, a survivor from the first film who has spent years searching for the missing Asuka. His return bridges the two stories and raises unsettling questions about whether the curse ever truly ended.

Netflix’s official synopsis hints at escalating danger:

Three years after the deadly game at the high school, a new nightmare begins. Trapped in a time loop at a desolate amusement park, five students must work with a survivor of the past to complete another Body Search, while something even darker hunts them.

A Familiar Creative Hand Behind the Camera

Director Eiichiro Hasumi returns for the sequel, maintaining stylistic continuity with the original film. Hasumi’s approach, fast-paced editing, stark lighting, and unflinching violence, was central to the first movie’s appeal and remains intact here.

Early reactions from Japanese audiences following the theatrical release suggest that The Last Night leans even harder into spectacle. The amusement park setting introduces new visual set pieces, from abandoned Ferris wheels to distorted mirror halls, giving the “Red Person” more inventive terrain to stalk its victims.

Horror critics in Japan have noted that the sequel feels “larger and more vicious,” while still respecting the emotional stakes established in the original story.

Cast: Returning Faces and New Victims

The sequel balances continuity with fresh blood. Several key actors reprise their roles, while new characters anchor the expanded narrative.

Returning cast

• Kanna Hashimoto as Asuka Morisaki

• Gordon Maeda as Takahiro Ise

New additions

• Kaito Sakurai as Rikuto Ichinose

• Fuku Suzuki as Yamato Tanabe

• Seira Anzai as Misaki Hayakawa

• Marin Honda as Arisa Kinoshita

Hashimoto’s return, in particular, has drawn attention from fans, given her character’s ambiguous fate in the first film.

Why the Sequel Matters for Netflix

Netflix’s global audience has shown a consistent appetite for non-English horror, from Korean thrillers to Indonesian slashers. Re/Member stands as one of the clearest examples of how Japanese genre films can thrive on the platform when paired with strong word-of-mouth.

By securing Re/Member: The Last Night, Netflix reinforces its position as the primary international home for contemporary J-horror. The decision to license rather than brand the sequel as an Original also reflects a broader shift in how the streamer collaborates with major studios in Asia.

For Warner Bros. Japan, the Netflix release ensures sustained international exposure long after the theatrical run, potentially setting the stage for future installments.

What Comes Next for the Franchise

While no third film has been officially announced, the sequel’s ending reportedly leaves narrative doors open. The manga source material remains popular, and the franchise’s streaming performance will likely influence whether the story continues on screen.

For now, Netflix’s March rollout positions The Last Night as one of the platform’s most notable international horror releases of early 2026.

Final Take

Re/Member: The Last Night arrives with momentum, expectations, and a built-in global fanbase. By expanding its setting and deepening its mythology, the sequel aims to prove that the “Body Search” curse still has teeth. For viewers who embraced the original’s mix of gore, suspense, and time-loop tension, this next chapter promises a darker, more expansive descent into fear.

 

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