The two films are based on the Progressive series, a floor-by-floor reboot of the original Sword Art Online light novel series penned by Reki Kawahara. The story jumps to Asuna’s point of view as she is forced to battle through all 100 floors of the immersive MMORPG world of Aincrad in order to escape. Scherzo of Deep Night follows the action on Aincrad’s fifth floor.
Although it was previously scheduled to open on September 10, 2022, it ultimately premiered on October 22 after a delay due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
