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My Chemical Romance has released Prelude to The End, a short film made with visual artist Lauren Tsai for the 20th-anniversary celebrations of The Black Parade. Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Hideo Kojima and John C. McGinley contribute voices. The film is also scheduled to screen at the band’s October 30 and 31 concerts at the Hollywood Bowl.
My Chemical Romance and visual artist Lauren Tsai have released Prelude to The End, a short film featuring voice contributions from Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Hideo Kojima and John C. McGinley. The project combines imagery from Tsai’s film The Dying World with “The End,” the opening track of the band’s album The Black Parade, as the record reaches its 20th-anniversary celebrations.
Produced by Tsai’s independent studio, UNREAL INC., the film follows Astrid, a student at a peculiar New England boarding school. After authority figures discard her cherished sketchbook, she finds herself in a world of forgotten ideas. Tsai voices Astrid, while Eilish plays her friend and Bridgers voices her sister. Kojima appears as a teacher, and McGinley voices the school’s imposing dean.
The short connects Tsai’s original story world to MCR’s song “The End.” The source report describes the project as an audio-video pairing of The Dying World’s imagery and the track, rather than a conventional music video. It does not provide a running time or details about wider distribution beyond the release and the announced concert screenings.
The film is set to screen at the final two performances of the US leg of the band’s ongoing The Black Parade Tour, at the Hollywood Bowl on October 30 and 31. After those dates, the tour is scheduled to continue in Asia, beginning in South Korea on November 7.
A Film Joins the Album Anniversary
The release brings together MCR’s anniversary program and a separate project Tsai has developed around The Dying World. For fans, the film offers a new visual interpretation tied directly to “The End”, the opening song of The Black Parade, while the scheduled screenings make it part of two major tour dates rather than only an online release.
The voice cast also gives the short an unusually broad mix of collaborators from music, film and games. Their roles are described as contributions to Tsai’s story, with Tsai directing the world and voicing its lead. The supplied report does not indicate that the film marks a new album, a new song or a change to the band’s touring plans; its confirmed connection is the anniversary project and the two planned screenings.
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From Fan Animation to Tsai’s Film
Tsai has said her relationship with MCR began when she made animated fan videos for the band’s songs. She introduced The Dying World as a short film at the 2025 Annecy Film Festival, then developed it into a multimedia project. Her other work includes directing the music video for boygenius’ “Cool About It.”
In a statement reported by Consequence, Tsai called the collaboration “an absolute dream” and said she respected MCR and Gerard Way’s creative legacy. She described it as an honor that Way found inspiration in a world she created, drawing a connection to her own long-standing admiration for the worlds he has built through his career.
““It was an absolute dream to work on this project for The Black Parade and The Dying World.””
— Lauren Tsai, in a statement
Release Details Still Unreported
The source report does not specify the film’s runtime, its full production credits beyond UNREAL INC., or whether it will receive additional public screenings after the Hollywood Bowl dates. It also does not detail how the film can be watched outside the reported release. Those distribution and access details remain unclear from the information provided.
The report identifies the four guests’ characters but does not explain whether they have any further role in the project or whether more collaborators will be announced. The confirmed concert screenings are limited to October 30 and 31 at the Hollywood Bowl; no other dates are listed.
Hollywood Bowl Screenings Ahead
The next listed public presentation is at My Chemical Romance’s October 30 and 31 Hollywood Bowl shows, where the film is scheduled to screen during the final two performances of the US tour leg. The band is then due to resume the concert series in Asia, with its first scheduled date in South Korea on November 7.
Further information about additional screenings or viewing options has not been provided in the source report. Any later dates or distribution plans would need confirmation from the band, Tsai or the production studio.
Key Questions
What is Prelude to The End?
It is a short film made by My Chemical Romance and Lauren Tsai, combining imagery from Tsai’s The Dying World with MCR’s “The End.”
Who contributes voices to the film?
Tsai voices lead character Astrid. Billie Eilish plays Astrid’s friend, Phoebe Bridgers voices her sister, Hideo Kojima plays a teacher, and John C. McGinley voices the school’s dean.
When will the film screen at concerts?
It is scheduled to screen at the band’s October 30 and 31 performances at the Hollywood Bowl.
Is the film part of a new My Chemical Romance album?
The source report connects the film to the 20th-anniversary celebrations of The Black Parade. It does not report a new album or new song.
Will there be other screenings or viewing options?
No further screenings or distribution details are specified in the source report. Beyond the release and the two announced Hollywood Bowl screenings, additional access plans are unconfirmed.
Source: consequence.net
