Digimon the Movie (2000) and how the English version was made
Digimon: The Movie took three Japanese films running about two hours in total and cut them down to under 90 minutes for American theaters on October 6, 2000. The result made $16.6 million worldwide on a $5 million budget, and many fans still love it. This guide explains how Saban Entertainment built it, what was cut, and how you can legally watch it in 2026.
Key takeaways
- Digimon: The Movie (2000) is a dubbed compilation of three Japanese Toei Animation films. More than 40 minutes of the originals were cut.
- It earned $9.63 million in the US and $16.64 million worldwide on a $5 million production budget.
- As of November 2026 it isn’t on any streaming service. Your legal options are the Discotek Blu-ray or the old DVD.
- Discotek’s 2024 Blu-ray has all three films uncut with a new dub by the original cast, plus the 2000 American cut in HD.
- No new Digimon film has been announced. The next big project is the 30th-anniversary TV anime planned for 2027.
Fact-checked
We checked these key facts against the sources named, on November 13, 2026:
- The Adventure films alone run from the 1999 short to 02: The Beginning in 2023 (source: en.wikipedia.org)
- Warner Bros. released the album on September 19, 2000, according to Wikimon’s listing (source: wikimon.net)
- Ink19’s 2000 review called the Less Than Jake track the most curious choice on the disc (source: ink19.com)
- The result made $16.6 million worldwide on a $5 million budget, and many fans still love it (source: the-numbers.com)
- It took three separate Toei Animation releases from 1999 and 2000, dubbed them, and joined them into one 2000 feature (source: en.wikipedia.org)
Digimon: The Movie (2000) at a glance
Digimon: The Movie is the 2000 American theatrical release of the first three Digimon Adventure films. Saban Entertainment produced it and 20th Century Fox distributed it, with English-language direction by Jeff Nimoy and Bob Buchholz. The table below gives the facts most viewers want.
| Detail | Answer |
|---|---|
| US theatrical release | October 6, 2000 |
| Distributor | Twentieth Century Fox |
| English production | Saban Entertainment |
| Japanese animation | Toei Animation (franchise owned by Bandai) |
| Japanese directors | Mamoru Hosoda (acts 1–2), Shigeyasu Yamauchi (act 3) |
| English directors | Jeff Nimoy, Bob Buchholz |
| Runtime | 82 to 88 minutes, depending on the listing |
| Lead English voices | Joshua Seth (Tai), Lara Jill Miller (Kari) |
| Budget / worldwide gross | $5 million / $16,643,191 |
| Rotten Tomatoes | About 25% critics (40 reviews), about 66% audience |
| How to watch in 2026 | Not streaming; Discotek Blu-ray or old DVD |
Runtime listings disagree because databases measured different versions. Wikipedia and The Numbers say 88 minutes, AllMovie and Anime News Network say 82, and FilmAffinity says 84. Any of these is right for the theatrical cut, depending on whether the credits are counted.
How three Japanese films became one American movie
Saban did not make a new film. It took three separate Toei Animation releases from 1999 and 2000, dubbed them, and joined them into one 2000 feature. According to the Dubbing Wiki, the source films ran about 20, 40 and 60 minutes and were cut down to roughly 85 minutes.
Wikipedia says more than 40 minutes of Japanese animation was removed. Saban did not have the money for a full two-hour release, so the longest and last film lost the most.
Did you know?
According to the Dubbing Wiki’s production notes, the three Japanese films ran roughly 20, 40 and 60 minutes. That is close to two hours of animation squeezed into an American release of about 85 minutes.
| Segment in US film | Japanese source film | Approx. original length | Japanese director | Key Digimon / Digivolution | Main changes in the 2000 cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Act 1: Tai and Kari’s Digi-Egg | Digimon Adventure (1999 short) | About 20 min | Mamoru Hosoda | Agumon to Greymon vs Parrotmon | Narration added, new English score and songs |
| Act 2: Diaboromon on the internet | Digimon Adventure: Our War Game! (2000) | About 40 min | Mamoru Hosoda | WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon to Omnimon vs Diaboromon | Trimmed, dialogue rewritten to link Diaboromon to Willis, licensed pop-rock |
| Act 3: Willis and the 02 team | Digimon Adventure 02: Hurricane Touchdown!! / Supreme Evolution!! The Golden Digimentals (2000) | About 60 min | Shigeyasu Yamauchi | Terriermon, Kokomon/Wendigomon, Golden Digi-Eggs | Cut the most; Golden Digimentals subplot heavily shortened |
Digimon Adventure (the 1999 short)
The first act is Mamoru Hosoda’s short film from Japan’s 1999 Toei Anime Fair. It shows the event that happens before the TV series. A young Tai Kamiya (Taichi Yagami) and his little sister Kari Kamiya (Hikari Yagami) find a Digi-Egg that comes out of their family computer. The creature that hatches grows into Agumon.
The short has very little dialogue and relies on silence, light and small domestic moments. The dub adds narration and music to these quiet stretches, so this act feels the most different in tone.
Our War Game! (Hosoda’s internet battle)
Our War Game! (Bokura no War Game!) is the act most fans mean when they say the movie is good. Hosoda moved the fight onto the early internet. A rogue Digimon hatches online, eats data, causes havoc in real-world systems, and the older DigiDestined fight it through their computers.
Hosoda later reused the same idea in his original film Summer Wars (2009), with an online avatar war and a countdown to disaster. If you know Summer Wars, Our War Game! will look familiar.
Hurricane Touchdown!! / The Golden Digimentals
The third film is a Digimon Adventure 02 feature directed by Shigeyasu Yamauchi. In Japan it was split into two parts, Hurricane Touchdown!! and Supreme Evolution!! The Golden Digimentals. It is the longest source and the most melancholy, a quiet road movie about a lost partner and the wish to turn back time.
It also lost the most in the cut. That explains a common question about the American version, “why does the movie feel so choppy?” The final act races through character setup and the Golden Digimentals subplot that the original took time to build.
What Saban cut, rewrote and added
Saban changed the films in three main ways, and together they made the 2000 release its own work.
- Cuts for length. More than 40 minutes was removed, mostly from the 02 film, so some motivations and transitions were lost.
- A rewritten link between acts. In Japan, Our War Game! and the 02 film are separate stories. The English dub rewrote Diaboromon so he is connected to Willis, so the internet battle seems to lead into the American adventure. Anime News Network forum discussions have pointed this out for years. It is the answer to the reader question “why was Diaboromon looking for Willis in the dub?” He wasn’t in the original. The link was invented for the English version.
- New narration, jokes and music. The dub adds narration, a lot of jokey ad-libbed dialogue typical of Saban’s Digimon, and a pop and ska soundtrack in place of the Japanese score.
Did you know?
According to discussions archived on Anime News Network’s forums, the Japanese Diaboromon has no connection to Willis. The English dub created the link to join two unrelated films into one plot.
Plot summary, segment by segment
The 2000 film is a three-act story about two generations of DigiDestined. Spoilers for all three acts follow.
Act 1: Tai, Kari and the first Digi-Egg
Young Tai and Kari watch their computer produce a Digi-Egg, which hatches into Botamon and soon grows into Koromon. One night the creature, now Agumon, wanders out into the neighborhood. Then a huge Parrotmon appears in the sky, and the two monsters fight through the streets.
When Kari blows her toy whistle, Agumon digivolves into Greymon and defeats Parrotmon. Then Greymon disappears. The act explains why Tai and Kari were chosen years before the TV series, and it starts the “first Digi-Egg” theme that the third act comes back to.
Act 2: Diaboromon takes over the internet
Some years later, Izzy finds that a Digi-Egg has hatched on the internet. The creature quickly digivolves into Diaboromon (Diablomon in Japan), feeding on data and taking over computer systems around the world. Tai and Izzy send Agumon and Tentomon after it, while Matt and T.K. are stuck far from a computer, which leads to many tense, comic scenes.
Agumon and Gabumon reach their Mega forms, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon, but Diaboromon’s speed and copies overwhelm them. A missile countdown raises the stakes. The two Mega Digimon then fuse into Omnimon (Omegamon), who stops Diaboromon at the last moment. Emails from viewers around the world flood the network and slow the villain down.
Act 3: Willis and the DigiDestined of 02
Davis, Yolei and Cody travel across the United States and meet Willis, a boy from Colorado partnered with Terriermon. His other partner, the twin hatched from the same egg, has been corrupted by a virus into Kokomon and then Wendigomon. It is attacking the DigiDestined and trying to drag Willis back to the past.
The original DigiDestined’s partners are captured, and the younger team cannot win on its own. Golden Digi-Eggs (the Golden Digimentals) let Veemon armor-digivolve into Magnamon and Terriermon into Rapidmon. Together they face the corrupted partner, and Willis gets an emotional ending about starting again.
Cast and crew
The English cast is mostly the same Saban team that dubbed the Digimon Adventure TV series in the US. That is a big reason the film still feels like home to people who grew up with the show.
English voice cast
| Character | Digimon partner (per the anime) | English voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Tai Kamiya | Agumon | Joshua Seth |
| Kari Kamiya | Gatomon | Lara Jill Miller |
| Matt Ishida | Gabumon | Michael Reisz |
| Davis Motomiya | Veemon | Brian Donovan |
| Willis | Terriermon and Kokomon | Bob Glouberman |
Anime News Network, IMDb and Wikiquote agree on these credits. Bob Papenbrook is also in the English cast. Several fan cast pages give different supporting credits, so the table lists only the roles the major databases agree on.
Directors and production companies
The film comes from two production chains. In Japan, Toei Animation made the three films for the Bandai-owned franchise. Mamoru Hosoda directed the 1999 short and Our War Game!, and Shigeyasu Yamauchi directed the 02 film. In the US, Saban Entertainment adapted them, with Jeff Nimoy and Bob Buchholz directing the English version, and 20th Century Fox released it in theaters.
Nimoy also voiced Tentomon and Gennai in the TV dub. Glouberman worked on Saban’s writing team as well as voicing Willis. The dub was largely made by the same small group of people who made the show.
The soundtrack: peak Y2K pop-rock
The soundtrack is a big part of the film’s identity, and for some fans the main reason to watch it. Saban replaced most of the Japanese score with licensed pop, ska and big-beat songs. Warner Bros. released the album on September 19, 2000, according to Wikimon’s listing.
Confirmed tracks include:
- “Digi Rap” by Pea Pod and Paul Gordon, the opener
- “All Star” by Smash Mouth, track two, which also plays in the film
- “The Rockafeller Skank (Short Edit)” by Fatboy Slim
- “Kids in America” by Len
- “One Week” by Barenaked Ladies
- “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads” by Less Than Jake
- Songs by Summercamp, Showoff and Jason Gochin
Den of Geek calls the album very “early aughts” and notes that “One Week” was included for seemingly no reason. Ink19’s 2000 review called the Less Than Jake track the most curious choice on the disc. TheGamer argued that the ska songs land at well-timed moments.
So is the soundtrack good? The honest answer depends on what you want. The Japanese score of Our War Game! is tense and spare, and the pop songs often play over moments Hosoda meant to be quiet. Many American fans heard the pop version first and can’t separate the songs from the film. Both views are fair, and the Discotek set lets you hear both.
Box office and reception
The film did well commercially, critics disliked it, and fans stayed loyal. Box Office Mojo records a $4,233,304 US opening weekend, and the film more than tripled its production budget worldwide.
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic opening weekend | $4,233,304 | Box Office Mojo |
| Domestic gross | $9,631,153 | Box Office Mojo |
| International gross | $7,012,038 | Box Office Mojo |
| Worldwide gross | $16,643,191 | Box Office Mojo |
| Production budget | $5,000,000 | The Numbers |
| Estimated prints and advertising | About $6.25 million | ScreenProfits |
| Rotten Tomatoes critics | About 25% (40 reviews) | Rotten Tomatoes |
| Rotten Tomatoes audience | About 66% | Rotten Tomatoes |
Counting ScreenProfits’ estimated $6.25 million in prints and advertising, total spending was about $11.25 million. The theatrical gross covers that, before cinemas take their share, so the film was a modest success rather than a hit.
Critics in 2000 mostly saw a confusing cash-in made for kids who already watched the show. To be fair, that is partly true, because the cuts make the plot hard to follow if you don’t know the series. Audiences judged it differently. The 40-point gap between the critic and audience scores comes from people who saw it at eight years old and still remember Omnimon on the big screen.
The cult following grew mainly through home video and through the reputation of Our War Game!. That segment later became known as one of the best things in the franchise.
Where to watch Digimon: The Movie in 2026
As of November 2026, you can’t stream Digimon: The Movie legally anywhere in the US. JustWatch lists it on none of the services it tracks, and Netflix’s title page shows it as unavailable in the US. The legal ways to watch it are physical copies: Discotek’s 2024 Blu-ray or the older DVD.
How to watch the film legally in 2026
- Check that your player supports Region A Blu-ray discs.
- Buy Discotek’s Digimon: The Movies, Movies 1-3 Blu-ray.
- For the 2000 cut, choose the original English version on the disc.
- For the uncut films, play the three movies with the new English dub.
- Without a Blu-ray player, look for the original DVD release.
| Format/service | Version included | Status (Nov 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discotek Movies 1-3 Blu-ray | Three uncut films with new dub, plus 2000 cut in HD | Available, $29.95 SRP | Released Dec 17, 2024; Region A |
| Original DVD | 2000 American cut | Available to buy, used or new | Standard definition |
| Netflix (US) | None | Unavailable | Title page exists, no stream |
| Other streaming services | None | Not listed on JustWatch | No legal stream |
Is it on Netflix, Crunchyroll or Hulu?
No. It isn’t on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu, Disney+ or Prime Video as of November 2026. The movie is a 2000 compilation that includes Saban’s dub, licensed pop songs and Fox’s theatrical distribution, so several rights have to be cleared at once. The soundtrack alone is a strong reason for a streamer not to license it.
That answers the reader question “why isn’t the movie streaming anywhere?” Our guide to where to watch Digimon on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix and Blu-ray covers the TV series, which are much easier to find.
Tamer tip
Skip sites that offer the “free Digimon movie”. They are unofficial and often full of malware ads. In 2026 the only legal options are the Discotek Blu-ray or the old DVD.
Discotek Digimon: The Movies 1-3 Blu-ray: what’s in the box
Discotek Media announced in July 2023 that it would release the first three films with new English dubs featuring the surviving Saban cast. The set came out on December 17, 2024, at a suggested retail price of $29.95, according to Anime News Network’s release listing.
It contains:
- All three Japanese films uncut: Digimon Adventure, Our War Game! and Hurricane Touchdown!! / The Golden Digimentals, with the new English dub.
- The original 2000 English version of Digimon: The Movie. Blu-ray.com reports it in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC at 1.85:1 with English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, which is the HD remaster people search for.
So the answer to “does the Discotek set actually include the OG Digimon movie or only the redubs?” is yes, it includes the original. One item is missing. Blu-ray.com notes that the theatrical short shown with the film in cinemas is not on the disc.
The set has an odd structure. Officially, the 2000 American cut is the bonus feature. The main content is the three uncut films redubbed by the surviving Saban cast.
Region check
Before you order, check your player. The Discotek discs are locked to Region A (the Americas, Japan, Korea and parts of Southeast Asia), so most standard players in Europe and Australia won’t play them. A region-free player will.
Blu-ray vs the old DVD
The Blu-ray is the better buy for almost everyone. It has the 2000 cut in high definition with 5.1 lossless audio and the three uncut films, at a price close to what a used DVD sometimes sells for. The DVD only makes sense as a collector’s item, or if you have no Blu-ray player and only want the version you remember.
Original 2000 dub vs the uncut redub: which should you watch?
If you grew up with Digimon, watch the 2000 cut first and the uncut redubs second. If you are new, start with the uncut films, especially Our War Game!, and treat the 2000 version as a fun piece of history.
The two versions are very different. The 2000 cut is fast, full of jokes, loud, and driven by Smash Mouth and Less Than Jake. The uncut films are slower, quieter and more emotional, with the original Japanese pacing and score. The new dub follows the Japanese script much more closely.
So is the redub “less exciting without the old music”? In terms of adrenaline, yes. The pop songs give the 2000 cut an energy the original score was never meant to have. But the uncut versions let Hosoda’s tension build, so the Omnimon moment hits harder even without a rock song behind it.
Is the original dub still worth watching now that the uncut redub exists? Yes, as its own thing. It shows how anime was adapted for American children’s TV in 2000, and its fans enjoy it for those reasons, not in spite of them.
Watch-order tip
For nostalgia, watch the 2000 cut first, then the uncut Our War Game! redub. Watching both close together makes it clear what Hosoda made and what Saban changed.
Is there a new Digimon movie coming?
No new Digimon film is confirmed as of November 2026. The next official project is a brand-new TV anime. Bandai and Toei Animation announced it on August 1, 2026, for broadcast in 2027, and no title, staff or story has been revealed yet, according to Anime News Network.
That series starts the Digimon 30th Anniversary Project, celebrating the Digital Monster toy line that launched in June 1997. It follows Digimon Beatbreak, whose run ended in September 2026. As part of the anniversary, Fuji TV started airing fan-voted episodes from Digimon Adventure, Adventure 02, Digimon Tamers and Frontier on October 4, 2026.
Here is how reliable the common claims are:
- Official: the 2027 TV anime and the 30th Anniversary Project, confirmed by Bandai and Toei through the official Digimon channels.
- Fan-made, not real: the YouTube videos called “Digimon Movie 2026 Official Trailer”. These are concept edits made from existing footage or AI-generated art. No studio has released them.
- Unverified and stalled: an old Hollywood live-action Digimon project reported years ago, with no public progress since. Don’t treat it as an upcoming release.
A “Digimon: The Movie 2” was never made. The later Japanese films had separate English releases, and Fox did not release a second compiled theatrical film.
Every Digimon movie and how this one fits
Digimon: The Movie is just one stop in a long line of films. The Adventure films alone run from the 1999 short to 02: The Beginning in 2023. The table below covers the major ones and how each relates to the 2000 compilation.
| Film | Year (Japan) | Series | Relation to the 2000 movie |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digimon Adventure | 1999 | Adventure | Act 1 of the 2000 film |
| Our War Game! | 2000 | Adventure | Act 2 of the 2000 film |
| Hurricane Touchdown!! / The Golden Digimentals | 2000 | Adventure 02 | Act 3 of the 2000 film |
| Diaboromon Strikes Back | 2001 | Adventure 02 | Direct sequel to Our War Game! |
| Battle of Adventurers | 2001 | Tamers | Separate Tamers story |
| Runaway Locomon | 2002 | Tamers | Separate Tamers story |
| Island of Lost Digimon | 2002 | Frontier | Separate Frontier story |
| Digimon Adventure tri. (six parts) | 2015–2018 | Adventure | Later sequel to the 02 era |
| Last Evolution Kizuna | 2020 | Adventure | Adult DigiDestined finale; opens with a Parrotmon fight like the 1999 short |
| Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning | 2023 | Adventure 02 | Davis-era story about the first DigiDestined |
Diaboromon Strikes Back is the closest thing to a sequel to Digimon: The Movie, because Diaboromon returns. The Tamers films belong to a separate story covered in our Digimon Tamers anime guide.
Kizuna tip
Before Last Evolution Kizuna, rewatch Our War Game! and the 1999 short. Kizuna’s opening Parrotmon battle and its villain spreading through the network echo those films, and the callbacks work much better when you remember them.
Is Digimon Adventure (2020) the same as 1999?
No. Digimon Adventure (2020) is a TV reboot, not a film and not related to the 2000 compilation. It tells a new version of Tai and Agumon’s story in a modern setting, with a different plot. Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning (2023) is a separate film set in the original timeline. Our Digimon Adventure series guide explains how the original 1999 show and the reboot differ.
Which Digimon movie is the best?
Our War Game! is the best Digimon movie. Last Evolution Kizuna comes second. This ranking weighs four things: long-term reputation among critics and fans, whether a film works on its own, how well it holds up on rewatch, and whether you can get it legally in English today. Reputation and rewatch value count the most.
- Our War Game! (2000). It is tight, inventive and important to Hosoda’s later career. Watch it uncut.
- Last Evolution Kizuna (2020). An emotional farewell to the original partners that rewards years of watching.
- Digimon Adventure (1999 short). About 20 minutes of quiet, beautiful filmmaking.
- Digimon: The Movie (2000). The weakest as a film, the strongest as nostalgia, and the version that introduced Omnimon to American kids.
- Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning (2023). A welcome return for the 02 team, though more divisive.
FAQ
Where can I stream Digimon: The Movie?
You can’t. As of November 2026, JustWatch lists no streaming service in the US. The legal options are Discotek’s Movies 1-3 Blu-ray or the original DVD.
Is Digimon: The Movie on Netflix?
No. Netflix’s title page shows it as unavailable in the US, and it isn’t on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Disney+ or Prime Video either.
Is there really a Digimon movie coming out?
No new film is confirmed as of November 2026. Bandai and Toei have announced a new Digimon TV anime for 2027. “2026 movie trailers” on YouTube are fan-made.
Is Digimon 2020 the same as 1999?
No. Digimon Adventure (2020) is a TV reboot with a new plot. Digimon: The Movie (2000) is a compilation of the 1999–2000 Japanese films.
Which Digimon movie is considered the best?
Our War Game! is the most praised, followed by Last Evolution Kizuna. Our War Game! is also act 2 of the 2000 American film.
Is Digimon: The Movie on Blu-ray?
Yes. Discotek’s Digimon: The Movies, Movies 1-3 came out on December 17, 2024. It includes the 2000 cut and all three uncut films with a new dub.
Is Digimon: The Movie remastered?
Yes. Discotek’s Blu-ray presents the 2000 American cut in 1080p at 1.85:1 with English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The theatrical short is not included.
Will the Blu-ray play on my non-US player?
Only if it supports Region A. The discs are region-locked, so most standard players in Europe and Australia won’t play them without region-free hardware.
When was Digimon: The Movie released?
It opened in US theaters on October 6, 2000, through 20th Century Fox. The three Japanese source films came out in 1999 and 2000.
Who is in the cast of Digimon: The Movie?
The lead English voices are Joshua Seth as Tai and Lara Jill Miller as Kari. Michael Reisz plays Matt, Brian Donovan plays Davis and Bob Glouberman plays Willis.
Is there a Digimon: The Movie 2?
No. The later Japanese films, starting with Diaboromon Strikes Back, were released separately, and there was never a second compiled theatrical film.
Article notes
- Fact-checked by Noelle Fairbanks against the sources listed below before publication.
- Published
Sources (8)
- Digimon: The Movie - Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Digimon: The Movie - Box Office Mojo (boxofficemojo.com)
- Digimon: The Movie credits - Box Office Mojo (boxofficemojo.com)
- Digimon: The Movie - The Numbers (the-numbers.com)
- Digimon: The Movie (2000) - ScreenProfits (screenprofits.com)
- Digimon: The Movie - Dubbing Wiki (dubbing.fandom.com)
- Digimon: The Movie - Rotten Tomatoes (rottentomatoes.com)
- Digimon: The Movies - Movies 1-3 Blu-ray - Anime News Network (animenewsnetwork.com)
