GKIDS, the acclaimed producer and distributor of award-winning animation from around the globe, announced today it will bring The Boy and the Heron, the new film from legendary, Academy Award-winning Hayao Miyazaki, to cinemas nationwide on December 8, 2023.
The latest feature from Japan’s celebrated animation house, Studio Ghibli, begins special preview engagements on November 22 before expanding to cinemas nationwide and in Canada on December 8, 2023. As with previous Studio Ghibli titles, the film will be released in its original Japanese with English subtitles, as well as a new English language version.
GKIDS also released the first teaser trailer (watch below) for The Boy and the Heron, marking the first time footage from the film has been shown outside of Japanese theaters.
In an unprecedented decision by Studio Ghibli, no images, trailers, synopses, advertisements, or other information about the film were made available to the public prior to its release in theaters in Japan on July 14th.
First-look images were recently revealed by Studio Ghibli in celebration of the film’s ongoing theatrical release in Japan. Last week, GKIDS released an English language “pre-teaser,” which officially introduced the film’s story.
The hand-drawn, animated feature — director Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years — is an original story written and directed by Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki and produced by co-founder Toshio Suzuki.
The film features a musical score from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. Its theme song, “Spinning Globe,” was written and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.
The Boy and the Heron makes its international premiere at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on September 7 as the Opening Night Gala. Tickets to all TIFF screenings sold out in record time.
This fall, the film makes its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival, its European Premiere as the Opening Night of San Sebastian International Film Festival, and its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.
GKIDS handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films across all theatrical, home video, digital, and streaming platforms. The company has released Studio Ghibli’s most recent films in theaters nationwide, including the Academy Award-nominated The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, the Academy Award-nominated When Marnie Was There, From Up on Poppy Hill and more.
Since 2017, GKIDS has produced the annual Ghibli Fest, a monthly nationwide theatrical program of Studio Ghibli film screenings in over 800 theaters across the country. The series continues this year with a focus on the films of Hayao Miyazaki.
Below is a description of The Boy and the Heron recently released by Studio Ghibli:
A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.
A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.
Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, inspiring filmmakers and audiences alike over the last 30 years with beloved stories and breathtaking visuals. Under the brilliance of visionary animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio’s films are known for timeless classics such as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Ponyo.
The studio’s films have won countless international awards, including an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away, as well as five additional Oscar nominations for Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There, and The Red Turtle.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.