User blog comment:Lemursrule/New Bleach Film Overseen by Kubo/@comment-1454424-20100715112656

sigh Let me settle this debate once and for all. Movies are not-canon and Kubo didn't say the "third move was tied to manga". That rumour was started by Ichigo x Rukia fans who hold Fade to Black as proof that Ichigo and Rukia are in love and will try anything to get that condemn movie acknowledged as canon. It's not and it never will be.

In addition, it is not as if what Kubo has said in interviews are 100% correct, specially in relations to fillers and movies - things he is not in control of. I would like to remind you that according to Kubo, Ichigo played minimal part in the Zanpakuto Unknown Tale Arc but Zangetsu appeared a lot.

On top of that, if we are to accept that its tied to the manga, then at some point you have to go, "what's the timeline of this thing" aka "where in the manga timeline does the movie fit in?" It does not fit in anywhere. Which is another important reason movies are not canon.

We can use the 4th movie to expand the hell article because that'll pretty much be the only place we'll get information for the hell article and it's not likely to contradict anything coming later through the manga or anime. However, the events of the movie will not be canon and neither will any abilities that are exclusively shown in the movie. Have I made myself clear?

Good!