Dragon Ball Super: Broly was only released two years ago, yet it has felt like an eternity since then for some fans, given all the rumors over what the next Dragon Ball project would be. May 9 finally gave fans that answer, revealing that Akira Toriyama has written a new Dragon Ball movie set for a 2022 release.

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Few details are known about the movie at this point, save that it’ll feature an “unexpected character” and have plenty of action scenes and groundbreaking animation. Naturally, this has led to much fan speculation, with some theories being quite outlandish… while others are rather sensible.

10 Tarble Could Cement His Place In Canon Once & For All And Maybe Even Become A Fighter

Tarble in Dragon Ball Z: Yo! Son Goku and his Friends Return!!

Yo! Son Goku And His Friends Return!! has a questionable place in the Dragon Ball mythos, despite Akira Toriyama having written the initial draft. That includes Vegeta’s estranged brother, Tarble, briefly mentioned in Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of Gods (also written by Toriyama), but omitted from its Super adaptation. His only canonical mention is in Dragon Ball Super: Broly.

Tarble’s return would be both welcome and fairly surprising, as Tarble is not a fighter. However, Toriyama could revise the character, should he decide Yo! isn’t canon. Alternatively, if he decides the opposite, he could reveal that Tarble was inspired to train after visiting his brother on Earth.

9 Toriyama Could Adapt Baby Or Hatchiyack, Who Have Strong Connections To Saiyan History, & Maybe Even Revamp Baby Vegeta

Hatchiyack and Baby Dragon Ball

Alternately, Toriyama could bring back Baby from Dragon Ball GT or Hatchiyack from the Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans OVA and games. The YouTube channel CriticSightOfficial even stated in December 2020 that an anonymous source claimed Baby Vegeta would be the next movie villain, though such rumors should be taken with an enormous grain of salt.

They’d be surprising, albeit iffy choices, given Raichi’s obscurity and Dragon Ball GT’s divisive reputation. Yet it’s not so far-fetched when one considers that both characters’ backstory, namely the Saiyans’ war with the Tuffles, was Akira Toriyama’s creation, though it’s never mentioned in the manga.

8 Toriyama Could Make Video Game Characters He Co-Created Like Towa, Mira, Android 21, Chronoa, & Time Patrol Trunks Canon

Time Patrol Trunks and Supreme Kai of Time

Toriyama has created or designed many recent Dragon Ball video game characters, including for Dragon Ball Online and Dragon Ball: Fighter Z. Yet the games have so thoroughly explored them that Toriyama may opt not to use them to avoid retreading familiar ground.

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Still, the author may have unique ideas for making these characters canon. Time Patrol Trunks is an easy choice, as Future Trunks and Mai currently share a timeline with other versions of themselves, perhaps making them more open to exploring and fixing new timelines for the Supreme Kai of Time. The movie could feature them recruiting Goku and friends for a new adventure.

7 The Movie Could Adapt The Moro Arc

Transformed Moro (after eating Seven-Three)

The Moro arc in the Dragon Ball Super manga is the one completed storyline that hasn’t been adapted to animation. Adapting it in movie form seems like the easiest move, given that Akira Toriyama and the anime staff already have a finished version of the storyline they can use as a blueprint.

While a distinct possibility, it also seems somewhat unlikely. Toriyama has stated he’s written the script himself and has not mentioned the involvement of Toyotaro, who co-created the Moro storyline and likely scripted most of it. Therefore, it seems more probable that the movie will be a new story solely written by Toriyama.

6 The Movie Could Revisit The Universes From The Tournament Of Power Or Explore The Ones That Did Not Participate

Dragon Ball Super Tournament Of Power Characters

Given the plethora of characters introduced in the Tournament of Power, it almost feels strange that they haven’t appeared in the Super manga since. The new Dragon Ball movie could make up for lost time by bringing some of those characters back; Goku and Vegeta could finally see Universe 6’s Planet Sadala with Cabba, Kale, and Caulifla, for example. Alternately, they could visit the universes that were exempt from the ToP. Given that those worlds had higher fighting levels than every participating universe in the tournament, they undoubtedly have worthy opponents for Goku, Vegeta, and everyone else to fight.

5 Broly Could Return To Have A Rematch Or Team Up With Goku (Or Start Training To Become A Destroyer)

Broly Outraged Dragon Ball

This theory is high up on many fans’ lists, as the reworking of the character in Dragon Ball Super: Broly was highly well received. Aside from that, Broly has only appeared again in flashbacks, making his return seem long overdue.

Toriyama has stated the character at the heart of the movie will be one fans won’t expect, however, and Broly would definitely not be the most surprising choice. Still, his inclusion seems more than possible, as both Goku and Broly were keen on a friendly rematch. Plus, as many have speculated, Broly would be a fairly good candidate for the role of God of Destruction.

4 Toriyama Could Make Cooler Canon (Partly So He Can Keep Annoying His Brother)

Cooler in his final form

Even before his reinvention, Broly was by far the most popular Dragon Ball Z movie villain (albeit also the most divisive). It makes sense, then, that Toriyama might want to tackle another fan-favorite villain from the movies, such as Cooler, Frieza’s older brother.

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Given Frieza’s prominence in Super, bringing in Cooler to interact with him is almost too good an opportunity to pass up, especially if Cooler remains the more serious warrior of the two with no love lost for his younger sibling. It would also be interesting if he maintains his unique transformation from Cooler’s Revenge, as it’s vastly different from Frieza’s golden form.

3 Toriyama Could Make Other Beloved Movie Villains Canon

DBZ Movie villains

While Cooler seems like the most obvious pick, given his Frieza connections, there are plenty of well-regarded Z movie villains Toriyama could reimagine. How might a new, more powerful Janemba, originally created in Other World, fare against Beerus and Whis, for example? Or how might Toriyama reimagine the monstrous Hirudegarn and his noble (and very Dragon Quest-like) archenemy, Tapion? Even Garlic Jr., the only Z movie enemy to get his own anime arc, could be fair game, along with Super Android 13 and Bojack and his pirates. Dr. Wheelo seems less likely, although a revamped Turles seems possible, provided he’s not too similar to Broly.

2 The Movie Could Star Yamoshi & Finally Reveal The Full Story Behind The First Super Saiyan God

Yamoshi Super Saiyan God Dragon Ball

When Goku summoned Shenron to ask about the Super Saiyan God, the dragon revealed that ages ago, a noble Saiyan had used the form to stop evil members of his race but lost when the form gave out. Toriyama expanded on the story further in January 2018’s Saikyo Jump issue, explaining the first Super Saiyan God was named Yamoshi, and that he’d also been the original legendary Super Saiyan.

The character has never been mentioned by name in the Super anime or manga, but that could change with the new movie, which could finally reveal the full details about Yamoshi while finding a way to tie it into Super’s present-day events.

1 The Movie Could Star Uub & At Last Tell His Story As The Next Main Dragon Ball Hero

Uub and Kid Goku Riding Clouds

It seems like one of the most and least likely possibilities. On one hand, Uub seems like the most obvious choice, as he's Goku’s chosen successor. On the other, Uub’s story always seemed like one Toriyama never planned on telling, preferring to leave the character’s adventures to fans’ imaginations. Moreover, Toriyama specifically set Dragon Ball Super and the last two Z movies between the Buu arc and Dragon Ball Z’s finale because he felt that’s when the characters were at their strongest, but less aged. Still, there’s no reason why Toriyama can’t change his mind, and finally explore Uub and Goku’s adventures together.

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