TL;DR
Get audio and creator gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
My Chemical Romance and visual artist Lauren Tsai have released Prelude to The End, a short film combining Tsai’s The Dying World imagery with the opening track of The Black Parade. Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Hideo Kojima and John C. McGinley contribute voices. The film is tied to the album’s 20th anniversary celebrations and is scheduled to screen at two Hollywood Bowl tour dates.
My Chemical Romance and visual artist Lauren Tsai have released Prelude to The End, a short film that pairs imagery from Tsai’s project The Dying World with “The End,” the opening track on the band’s 2006 album The Black Parade. The film features voice contributions from Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Hideo Kojima and John C. McGinley, and arrives as the band marks the album’s 20th anniversary.
According to Consequence’s report, Tsai’s independent studio UNREAL INC. produced the audio-visual project. Tsai voices the lead character, Astrid, a student at an unusual New England boarding school. The story follows Astrid after authority figures discard her cherished sketchbook, sending her into a world of forgotten ideas. Eilish voices Astrid’s friend, while Bridgers voices her sister. Kojima plays a teacher, and McGinley voices the school’s dean.
The release connects a new film to both Tsai’s creative world and the sound of The Black Parade. The film draws on The Dying World, which began as a short film and has since become a multimedia project. Its audio uses the album’s opening song, “The End,” rather than a newly announced recording. Consequence described the work as bringing the film’s imagery and the track together.
The project is also set to appear at the final two performances of the U.S. leg of My Chemical Romance’s ongoing The Black Parade Tour. Consequence reported that screenings are scheduled at the Hollywood Bowl on October 30 and 31. The band is then due to continue the concert series in Asia, beginning in South Korea on November 7.
A Film Joins the Black Parade Anniversary
The release extends the 20th anniversary celebrations beyond live performances, bringing the album’s music into a separate visual narrative. Pairing “The End” with Tsai’s existing fictional world offers another way for audiences to encounter a track associated with the album’s opening, while the planned Hollywood Bowl screenings connect the film directly to the tour.
The project also brings together artists from music, animation, film and games. Its credited voice cast includes Eilish, Bridgers, Kojima and McGinley, alongside Tsai as Astrid. That mix may draw interest from fans of the contributors as well as the band, though the source report does not describe the project as a full-length film or provide a release plan beyond the announced screenings.
For Tsai, the collaboration has a personal connection to My Chemical Romance. She told Consequence that she grew up making animated fan videos to the band’s songs. The new work therefore links an early influence on her creative practice with a project developed from her own characters and setting.
Products Worth Considering
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise-Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones, Black
Bose QuietComfort True Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation, Black
Bose TV Speaker Compact Soundbar with Bluetooth and HDMI-ARC, Black
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Fan Videos to The Dying World
Consequence reported that Tsai first presented The Dying World as a short film at the 2025 Annecy Film Festival and later developed it into a multimedia project. Her other directing work includes the music video for boygenius’ “Cool About It.” The new short film uses the world and imagery of The Dying World, while adding the song “The End” and voices from the guest performers.
The Black Parade, released in 2006, is the album whose anniversary provides the occasion for the project. The band is marking its 20th anniversary with a tour bearing the album’s name. The scheduled October 30 and 31 screenings would place the film at the final two U.S. performances listed in the report, before the tour continues in Asia.
““It was an absolute dream to work on this project for The Black Parade and The Dying World.””
— Lauren Tsai, in a statement quoted by Consequence
Release Details Beyond the Screenings
The report does not specify whether Prelude to The End will be available to watch online, released through a streaming service, or shown at venues beyond the two scheduled Hollywood Bowl dates. It also gives no running time or further information about the production and distribution plans.
The source identifies the four guest contributors and their character roles but does not clarify whether they appear in any other capacity. Details about the film’s full creative credits and whether additional screenings will be announced remain unconfirmed in the available report.
Hollywood Bowl Screenings and Asia Dates
The next listed public screenings are at My Chemical Romance’s October 30 and 31 Hollywood Bowl performances, the reported closing shows of the tour’s U.S. leg. The band is then scheduled to begin its Asia dates in South Korea on November 7. The report does not say whether the film will screen at those later concerts or receive a separate public release.
Any announcement about an online launch, additional screenings or further distribution would clarify how audiences who are not attending the Hollywood Bowl shows can see the film. For now, the confirmed plans in the source are its release and the two scheduled concert screenings.
Key Questions
What is Prelude to The End?
Prelude to The End is a short film made with My Chemical Romance and visual artist Lauren Tsai. It combines imagery from Tsai’s The Dying World with “The End,” the opening track from The Black Parade.
Which performers contribute voices?
The reported voice contributors are Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Hideo Kojima and John C. McGinley. Tsai voices the lead character, Astrid. Eilish plays Astrid’s friend, Bridgers her sister, Kojima a teacher and McGinley the school’s dean.
When can audiences see the film?
Consequence reported that it is scheduled to screen at My Chemical Romance’s Hollywood Bowl shows on October 30 and 31. The available report does not confirm an online release or other screenings.
How does the film relate to The Black Parade?
The film uses “The End,” the album’s opening track, and is arriving as My Chemical Romance marks the album’s 20th anniversary. Its screenings are also planned for the final two U.S. dates of the band’s album tour.
Source: consequence.net
