Hayao Miyazaki is considered one of the best animators of all time, and his work with Studio Ghibli includes some of the most beloved and acclaimed animated films in the history of the medium. The animator has helped change anime and animation so much that he refuses to permanently retire, choosing instead to deliver masterpiece after masterpiece and exploring different genres and tones, all while remaining true to his trademark themes and characters — determined heroines, magical realism, and anti-war messages. Miyazaki seems determined to continue working even if it means threatening the future of his studio after he's gone because he's yet to pick a successor.
While many people are familiar with Miyazaki's output with Studio Ghibli, not many know about his work prior to co-founding the studio with Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. And yet, it is in that pre-Ghibli era that we find hints of the maestro that Miyazaki would become,...
While many people are familiar with Miyazaki's output with Studio Ghibli, not many know about his work prior to co-founding the studio with Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki. And yet, it is in that pre-Ghibli era that we find hints of the maestro that Miyazaki would become,...
- 5/31/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
When Hayao Miyazaki’s long-awaited and supposed swansong The Boy and the Heron opened at No. 1 at the North American box office last December with a record-breaking $12.8 million tally, it was not only the first original anime title to achieve such a feat, but it was the biggest ever opening for U.S. distributor Gkids. It kickstarted what would be a whirlwind few months for the now 16-year-old company as it took the Studio Ghibli film, (which had opened the Toronto Film Festival in September) to an enormous $46.7 million box office gross (more than double their initial projections) in North America and, later a Best Animation win at the Oscars.
“It was the right film for the right time,” says Gkids president Dave Jesteadt. “The Boy and the Heron was Miyazaki’s first film in 10 years, and I think that a normal concern would have been if audiences had forgotten him,...
“It was the right film for the right time,” says Gkids president Dave Jesteadt. “The Boy and the Heron was Miyazaki’s first film in 10 years, and I think that a normal concern would have been if audiences had forgotten him,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Anime is bigger than ever. With dedicated streaming services such as Crunchyroll enjoying a meteoric rise, rivals Netflix and Prime Video getting in on the action with their own dedicated selection, and even Disney – the arbiter of western animation – now boasting a growing number of exclusive anime series on Disney+, the availability and popularity of Japanese animation has never been greater.
Yet it's in film where anime has enjoyed the biggest boom, with the likes of Your Name and Miss Hokusai heralding a new era of excellence in animation, adding to a canon of definitive works such as Akira and My Neighbour Totoro. But with decades of brilliance to choose from, getting started on anime – or just choosing what to watch for movie night – can be daunting.
We've plucked out the best of the best to get you started, with a selection that highlights the medium's rich diversity of genres and styles,...
Yet it's in film where anime has enjoyed the biggest boom, with the likes of Your Name and Miss Hokusai heralding a new era of excellence in animation, adding to a canon of definitive works such as Akira and My Neighbour Totoro. But with decades of brilliance to choose from, getting started on anime – or just choosing what to watch for movie night – can be daunting.
We've plucked out the best of the best to get you started, with a selection that highlights the medium's rich diversity of genres and styles,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Matt Kamen
- Empire - Movies
Hayao Miyazaki has been regarded as one of the greatest animation filmmakers of all time. The animator has worked on several Studio Ghibli films, which he co-founded in the 1980s. His films such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Princess Mononoke have all been regarded as some of the best anime films of all time.
Miyazaki came out of his retirement to create his final epic The Boy and the Heron. The film was released last year and won many accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. While the film has many Easter Eggs that reference other films by Miyazaki, one of the most important characters is reportedly inspired by the animator’s mentor.
The Boy And The Heron Has A Reference to Hayao Miyazaki’s Mentor Isao Takahata A still from Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron
Hayao Miyazaki had announced his retirement after...
Miyazaki came out of his retirement to create his final epic The Boy and the Heron. The film was released last year and won many accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. While the film has many Easter Eggs that reference other films by Miyazaki, one of the most important characters is reportedly inspired by the animator’s mentor.
The Boy And The Heron Has A Reference to Hayao Miyazaki’s Mentor Isao Takahata A still from Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron
Hayao Miyazaki had announced his retirement after...
- 5/13/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Golden Week is now over in Japan and the smoke has finally cleared on how the Japanese box office faired during one of the biggest holiday weeks in Japan and unsurprisingly, the latest Detective Conan/Case Closed anime flick was the biggest winner. Detective Conan: The Million-Dollar Pentagram , the 27th film in the franchise, has made a total of 12.09 billion yen (US$77.68 million) off the back of over 8.45 million tickets sold as of May 6, the last day of the Golden Week holidays. This makes Detective Conan: The Million-Dollar Pentagram the 31st highest-grossing film in Japan of all time and the 13th highest-grossing anime film in Japan, overtaking Studio Ghibli’s 2012 film The Wind Rises on both charts. It is also the 47th film, and the 16th anime film, to pass 10 billion in Japan ever, following Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle ’s entry on the charts last month . Related: Detective Conan Anime...
- 5/7/2024
- by Daryl Harding
- Crunchyroll
Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed Japanese animation house known for Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro and Oscar-winner The Boy And The Heron, is to receive an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes – the first time the festival has bestowed the award on a group.
The honour is usually awarded to individuals, which has included Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford in recent years and will also be given to Star Wars creator George Lucas at the 77th edition of the festival, which runs May 14-25.
Studio Ghibli is synonymous with veteran directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, who are among...
The honour is usually awarded to individuals, which has included Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas and Harrison Ford in recent years and will also be given to Star Wars creator George Lucas at the 77th edition of the festival, which runs May 14-25.
Studio Ghibli is synonymous with veteran directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, who are among...
- 4/17/2024
- ScreenDaily
Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, will be feted with the Honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. This marks the first time Cannes has handed its Honorary Palme d’Or to a collective.
“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or,” said Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli.
“I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, and Ghibli Park to experience the world of our films for themselves.”
Suzuki added: “We have truly come a long way for Studio Ghibli...
“I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or,” said Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli.
“I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka, and Ghibli Park to experience the world of our films for themselves.”
Suzuki added: “We have truly come a long way for Studio Ghibli...
- 4/17/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
by Cláudio Alves
One way or another, artists can't help but put some part of themselves into their work. It might not be obvious or a direct expression of character. It might not even be conscious on their part. However, it's there for those willing to see, from works by the most self-effacing hacks to world-renowned auteurs. Hayao Miyazaki is no different, though he's sometimes prone to underselling just how personal some of his pictures can be. Of course, there's no denying the introspection happening in his most recent "last films," and not even the director has tried to distance The Wind Rises or The Boy and the Heron from such interpretations. But there's more self-portraiture in his filmography than just those late-career triumphs. I'd say there's a lot of Miyazaki in a little witch who loved to fly…...
One way or another, artists can't help but put some part of themselves into their work. It might not be obvious or a direct expression of character. It might not even be conscious on their part. However, it's there for those willing to see, from works by the most self-effacing hacks to world-renowned auteurs. Hayao Miyazaki is no different, though he's sometimes prone to underselling just how personal some of his pictures can be. Of course, there's no denying the introspection happening in his most recent "last films," and not even the director has tried to distance The Wind Rises or The Boy and the Heron from such interpretations. But there's more self-portraiture in his filmography than just those late-career triumphs. I'd say there's a lot of Miyazaki in a little witch who loved to fly…...
- 3/25/2024
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
Iconic Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki emerged from his self-announced retirement, which began a few years after he made “The Wind Rises” (2013), to tell the autobiographical story of “The Boy and the Heron.” Studio Ghibli president Toshio Suzuki had to reassemble the staff of the production company to complete the task, and the hard work was recognized with the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in March 2024.
The 2023 film added another Oscar to the animation director’s accolades after “Spirited Away” won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2011. The Academy Award win will send the film back into theaters for a limited time, and fresh off the win at the beginning of March, the film set two different streaming homes depending on where you live.
Those wondering how to watch “The Boy and the Heron” in the meantime can read on for details:
When did “The Boy and the Heron” come out?...
The 2023 film added another Oscar to the animation director’s accolades after “Spirited Away” won the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2011. The Academy Award win will send the film back into theaters for a limited time, and fresh off the win at the beginning of March, the film set two different streaming homes depending on where you live.
Those wondering how to watch “The Boy and the Heron” in the meantime can read on for details:
When did “The Boy and the Heron” come out?...
- 3/22/2024
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning film “The Boy and the Heron” is still in demand — and soon it will be on-demand via various streaming services.
“The Boy and the Heron” will be available to stream on Netflix everywhere in the world except the U.S. and Japan due to an extended worldwide catalog rights deal between distributors Goodfellas and Gkids and Japanese studio Studio Ghibli, the streaming king revealed on Thursday. Along with the “Boy and the Heron,” an additional 22 Studio Ghibli films will be available on Netflix, including: “Spirited Away,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and “My Neighbor Totoro.”
For American audiences, “The Boy and the Heron” will land on Warner Bros. Discovery streamer Max as part of a multi-year agreement with Gkids to extend the exclusive U.S. film streaming rights for Studio Ghibli. The streamer has been the U.S. home to the Studio Ghibli catalogue since 2020, marking the...
“The Boy and the Heron” will be available to stream on Netflix everywhere in the world except the U.S. and Japan due to an extended worldwide catalog rights deal between distributors Goodfellas and Gkids and Japanese studio Studio Ghibli, the streaming king revealed on Thursday. Along with the “Boy and the Heron,” an additional 22 Studio Ghibli films will be available on Netflix, including: “Spirited Away,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” and “My Neighbor Totoro.”
For American audiences, “The Boy and the Heron” will land on Warner Bros. Discovery streamer Max as part of a multi-year agreement with Gkids to extend the exclusive U.S. film streaming rights for Studio Ghibli. The streamer has been the U.S. home to the Studio Ghibli catalogue since 2020, marking the...
- 3/21/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The renowned filmmaker and enthusiast has been absent at the awards for a second time. Miyazaki, known for his work with his production company Studio Ghibli, has not attended the Academy Awards twice this time, even after winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
With numerous nominations and two Oscars, Miyazaki is undoubtedly one of the best animated filmmakers of his era. He is known for directing movies with subtlety and a plot that fills viewers with joy and anticipation. He is known for The Wind Rises, Howl’s Moving Castle, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and his latest work, The Boy and the Heron.
Miyazaki and The Oscars
The Boy and the Heron
In the 2003 Academy Awards, for his film Spirited Away, Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. But he didn’t show up to the award function.
A few years later,...
With numerous nominations and two Oscars, Miyazaki is undoubtedly one of the best animated filmmakers of his era. He is known for directing movies with subtlety and a plot that fills viewers with joy and anticipation. He is known for The Wind Rises, Howl’s Moving Castle, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and his latest work, The Boy and the Heron.
Miyazaki and The Oscars
The Boy and the Heron
In the 2003 Academy Awards, for his film Spirited Away, Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. But he didn’t show up to the award function.
A few years later,...
- 3/18/2024
- by Archak
- FandomWire
Hayao Miyazaki stands as a luminary in the anime and animation realm, wielding multiple roles – director, producer, scriptwriter, animator, author, manga artist, and Studio Ghibli's co-owner. Reshaping the landscape, he was one of the pioneers of elevating anime beyond teenage audiences. His magnum opus, “Spirited Away,” broke records and became the first anime to win an Oscar. In 2014, he earned an Honorary Academy Award, a testament to his cinematic impact. A prolific storyteller since 1972, Miyazaki, continues to come up with titles that top the category, although his latest one, “The Boy and the Heron” could possibly be his last.
11 writers of Asian Movie Pulse who have watched at least 8 of his feature films voted for this list, in which we present his 12 films in order of quality.
12. The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
Before the witty antihero “Sherlock Hound”, there was “Lupin the 3rd”, grandson of the legendary thief Arsène Lupin.
11 writers of Asian Movie Pulse who have watched at least 8 of his feature films voted for this list, in which we present his 12 films in order of quality.
12. The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
Before the witty antihero “Sherlock Hound”, there was “Lupin the 3rd”, grandson of the legendary thief Arsène Lupin.
- 3/13/2024
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
It had been more than two decades since Hayao Miyazaki won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, having first taken home gold with 2002’s Spirited Away. Until this year, he only saw just two more nominations, with Howl’s Moving Castle and The Wind Rises losing out to Wallace & Gromit and Elsa & Anna. But this past weekend, at 83, Miyazaki once again came out victorious, edging out the likes of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Pixar’s Elemental. While many of us cheered the achievement, there was one sourpuss who thought the movie he starred in was “robbed”.
Shameik Moore, who voiced Miles Morales / Spider-Man in Across the Spider-Verse, took to social media on the night of the Academy Awards to say that his movie was “*robbed”, prompting followers to call out the arrogance of the comment. As such, Moore addressed the response soon after, admitting he was bitter. “Respect to the winners.
Shameik Moore, who voiced Miles Morales / Spider-Man in Across the Spider-Verse, took to social media on the night of the Academy Awards to say that his movie was “*robbed”, prompting followers to call out the arrogance of the comment. As such, Moore addressed the response soon after, admitting he was bitter. “Respect to the winners.
- 3/12/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Following its victory in the Best Animated Feature category at the 2024 Oscars, The Boy and the Heron will finally be landing on streaming. The movie is set to arrive on Max, the streaming service from HBO, later this year.
The Boy and the Heron was directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the legendary co-founder of Japan’s Studio Ghibli. While the animation house has produced a number of projects over the last decade, this film was the first since 2013’s The Wind Rises to be directed by Miyazaki himself.
The English dub for the movie, advertised as the animation master’s final film, boasts an impressive number of A-list actors, including an impossible to identify Robert Pattinson, Florence Pugh (voicing both the younger and much older version of the same character), Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Mark Hamill, and Gemma Chan.
Along with the news of The Boy and the Heron coming to Max in the U.
The Boy and the Heron was directed by Hayao Miyazaki, the legendary co-founder of Japan’s Studio Ghibli. While the animation house has produced a number of projects over the last decade, this film was the first since 2013’s The Wind Rises to be directed by Miyazaki himself.
The English dub for the movie, advertised as the animation master’s final film, boasts an impressive number of A-list actors, including an impossible to identify Robert Pattinson, Florence Pugh (voicing both the younger and much older version of the same character), Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Mark Hamill, and Gemma Chan.
Along with the news of The Boy and the Heron coming to Max in the U.
- 3/12/2024
- by Mary Siroky
- Consequence - Film News
Max and Studio Ghibli have extended their exclusive US streaming deal which will see Oscar winner The Boy And The Heron head to the platform later this year.
The streamer has been home to the Studio Ghibli catalogue since 2020, when the films were available to stream for the first time.
A debut date for Hayao Miyazaki’s animated feature winner – which marked theatrical distributor GKids’ first win in 13 nominations – will be announced later this year.
The Boy And The Heron premiered at TIFF last September and went on to win multiple critics group awards and the Golden Globe.
The story...
The streamer has been home to the Studio Ghibli catalogue since 2020, when the films were available to stream for the first time.
A debut date for Hayao Miyazaki’s animated feature winner – which marked theatrical distributor GKids’ first win in 13 nominations – will be announced later this year.
The Boy And The Heron premiered at TIFF last September and went on to win multiple critics group awards and the Golden Globe.
The story...
- 3/12/2024
- ScreenDaily
Max will continue to be the studio’s exclusive streaming home in the United States with tiles including “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away,” and more.
Thanks in no small part to the prevalence of streaming media, anime has become an increasingly important part of the American entertainment landscape in recent years. When Warner Bros. Discovery launched the HBO Max streaming service in 2020, the iconic films of Studio Ghibili were included in the catalog. On Tuesday, Wbd announced that it had extended its deal with the Japanese studio and that the recent Oscar-winning film “The Boy and the Heron” will stream on HBO Max’s successive streaming service Max.
HBO Max became the first streaming service to carry Studio Ghibli titles when it launched in 2020. This new multi-year extension will keep the iconic Japanese studio’s films on Max in the United States. Recent Oscar winner “The Boy and the Heron...
Thanks in no small part to the prevalence of streaming media, anime has become an increasingly important part of the American entertainment landscape in recent years. When Warner Bros. Discovery launched the HBO Max streaming service in 2020, the iconic films of Studio Ghibili were included in the catalog. On Tuesday, Wbd announced that it had extended its deal with the Japanese studio and that the recent Oscar-winning film “The Boy and the Heron” will stream on HBO Max’s successive streaming service Max.
HBO Max became the first streaming service to carry Studio Ghibli titles when it launched in 2020. This new multi-year extension will keep the iconic Japanese studio’s films on Max in the United States. Recent Oscar winner “The Boy and the Heron...
- 3/12/2024
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
On the heels of Best Animated Feature wins at the Oscars and Golden Globes, Hayao Miyazaki’s hand-drawn original The Boy and the Heron has been set to stream exclusively in the U.S. on Max, following the streamer’s move to extend its multiyear U.S. licensing deal with famed Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli.
Max closed its initial deal with Studio Ghibli catalogue in 2020, marking the first time the studio’s films were available to stream. Expect a premiere date for The Boy and the Heron to be announced later this year.
One of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, Studio Ghibli previously won an Oscar for 2002’s Spirited Away and has also drawn nominations for Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, and When Marnie Was There. Other celebrated works from the studio include My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service,...
Max closed its initial deal with Studio Ghibli catalogue in 2020, marking the first time the studio’s films were available to stream. Expect a premiere date for The Boy and the Heron to be announced later this year.
One of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, Studio Ghibli previously won an Oscar for 2002’s Spirited Away and has also drawn nominations for Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, and When Marnie Was There. Other celebrated works from the studio include My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron,” which just won the Oscar for feature animated film, is streaming to Max in the U.S.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced a multiyear agreement with independent distributor GKids to extend Max’s exclusive U.S. streaming rights for films from Studio Ghibli, Japan’s legendary animation house. The streamer has been the U.S. home to Studio Ghibli’s catalog since 2020, when the service originally launched as HBO Max.
Under the deal renewal, Max will be the future home of “The Boy and the Heron”; the streaming premiere date on Max will be announced later this year. The hand-drawn, semi-autobiographical film — Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years — was produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki and features a musical score from Miyazaki’s longtime collaborator Joe Hisaishi.
The extension with GKids also will keep nearly two dozen Studio Ghibli films — including “My Neighbor Totoro,...
Warner Bros. Discovery announced a multiyear agreement with independent distributor GKids to extend Max’s exclusive U.S. streaming rights for films from Studio Ghibli, Japan’s legendary animation house. The streamer has been the U.S. home to Studio Ghibli’s catalog since 2020, when the service originally launched as HBO Max.
Under the deal renewal, Max will be the future home of “The Boy and the Heron”; the streaming premiere date on Max will be announced later this year. The hand-drawn, semi-autobiographical film — Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years — was produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki and features a musical score from Miyazaki’s longtime collaborator Joe Hisaishi.
The extension with GKids also will keep nearly two dozen Studio Ghibli films — including “My Neighbor Totoro,...
- 3/12/2024
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
At the Oscars 2024, there was a big surprise when The Boy and the Heron, the last animated movie by Hayao Miyazaki, beat out the hyped-up Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. People were scratching their heads, wondering why. Some folks even got into arguments about what makes a movie worthy of an award.
The Boy and The Heron
Then, to make things even more interesting, Chris Hemsworth, the guy who plays Thor in the Marvel movies, showed up to collect the award for The Boy and the Heron. It got everyone wondering why he was there and the film’s journey to the Oscar win.
The Oscar For Best Animated Feature Goes To The Boy And The Heron
The Boy and the Heron just snagged the Best Animated Feature Oscar! People are freaking out, and fans are totally stunned.
This flick, likely Hayao Miyazaki’s last hurrah, just clinched the top spot.
The Boy and The Heron
Then, to make things even more interesting, Chris Hemsworth, the guy who plays Thor in the Marvel movies, showed up to collect the award for The Boy and the Heron. It got everyone wondering why he was there and the film’s journey to the Oscar win.
The Oscar For Best Animated Feature Goes To The Boy And The Heron
The Boy and the Heron just snagged the Best Animated Feature Oscar! People are freaking out, and fans are totally stunned.
This flick, likely Hayao Miyazaki’s last hurrah, just clinched the top spot.
- 3/11/2024
- by Muskan Chaudhary
- FandomWire
“The Boy and the Heron” director Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki weren’t on hand to accept their Best Animated Feature Oscar Sunday night — the second for the Japanese animation master — but Suzuki issued a statement to press gathered backstage at the Academy Awards instead.
“We’re very honored to receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. We thank the Academy for the award,” Suzuki said in his statement. “I would also like to give my thanks to those who were involved in the production of this film and those who worked to distribute the film worldwide.”
Studio Ghibli’s chief operating officer Kiyofumi Nakajima appeared backstage to issue the statement via a translator, apologizing for Suzuki and Miyazaki’s absence, saying, “Please forgive them. They’re kind of up there in the age bracket.”
In the statement, Suzuki also attributed his and Miyazaki’s age to why...
“We’re very honored to receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. We thank the Academy for the award,” Suzuki said in his statement. “I would also like to give my thanks to those who were involved in the production of this film and those who worked to distribute the film worldwide.”
Studio Ghibli’s chief operating officer Kiyofumi Nakajima appeared backstage to issue the statement via a translator, apologizing for Suzuki and Miyazaki’s absence, saying, “Please forgive them. They’re kind of up there in the age bracket.”
In the statement, Suzuki also attributed his and Miyazaki’s age to why...
- 3/11/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron,” likely his final film, has won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
It’s Miyazaki’s second Oscar after the Japanese animation master won for “Spirited Away” in 2002. Miyazaki is the most nominated director in the Best Animated Feature category (tied with Pete Docter) with four nominations, including for “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “The Wind Rises.” Miyazaki is now also the oldest winner in the category ever, at 83, with the previous record holder being Mark Gustafson for “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
“The Boy and the Heron” beat out an impressive field that included Pixar entry “Elemental,” Neon’s “Robot Dreams,” Netflix’s “Nimona,” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” from 2018.
Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki were not present at the Academy Awards ceremony to accept the prize. Their Oscar was accepted on...
It’s Miyazaki’s second Oscar after the Japanese animation master won for “Spirited Away” in 2002. Miyazaki is the most nominated director in the Best Animated Feature category (tied with Pete Docter) with four nominations, including for “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “The Wind Rises.” Miyazaki is now also the oldest winner in the category ever, at 83, with the previous record holder being Mark Gustafson for “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
“The Boy and the Heron” beat out an impressive field that included Pixar entry “Elemental,” Neon’s “Robot Dreams,” Netflix’s “Nimona,” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” from 2018.
Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki were not present at the Academy Awards ceremony to accept the prize. Their Oscar was accepted on...
- 3/10/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Feb 23-25)Total gross to dateWeek 1. Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount) £2.4m £11.3m 2 2. Wicked Little Letters (Studiocanal) £1.5m £1.6m 1 3. Migration (Universal) £1.5m £16.4m 4 4. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba - To The Hashira Training (Sony) £641,878 £641,878 1 5. Madame Web (Sony) £601,910 £3.4m 2
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.27
Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love rolled steady at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, holding off competition from Studiocanal’s Wicked Little Letters to maintain top spot.
One Love recorded a £2.4m session – a 42.9% drop - pushing it to a decent £11.3m total.
Thea Sharrock’s UK-French comedy Wicked Little Letters...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.27
Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love rolled steady at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, holding off competition from Studiocanal’s Wicked Little Letters to maintain top spot.
One Love recorded a £2.4m session – a 42.9% drop - pushing it to a decent £11.3m total.
Thea Sharrock’s UK-French comedy Wicked Little Letters...
- 2/26/2024
- ScreenDaily
Nominations voting is from January 11–16, 2024, with official Oscar nominations announced on January 23, 2024. Final voting is February 22–27, 2024. And finally, the 96th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 10, and air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Et/ 5 p.m. Pt. We update predictions throughout awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2024 Oscar picks.
The State of the Race
Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” solidified its standing as the Oscar favorite after dominating Asifa-Hollywood’s 51st Annie Awards on February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. The acclaimed sequel from producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller grabbed seven awards, including best animated feature. It also won FX, character design, direction, music, production design, and editorial.
Its closest Oscar competitor, Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron“ (Studio Ghibli-GKids), took home two Annies for Takeshi Honda’s character animation and Miyazaki’s storyboarding. However, “The Boy and the Heron...
The State of the Race
Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” solidified its standing as the Oscar favorite after dominating Asifa-Hollywood’s 51st Annie Awards on February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall. The acclaimed sequel from producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller grabbed seven awards, including best animated feature. It also won FX, character design, direction, music, production design, and editorial.
Its closest Oscar competitor, Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron“ (Studio Ghibli-GKids), took home two Annies for Takeshi Honda’s character animation and Miyazaki’s storyboarding. However, “The Boy and the Heron...
- 2/20/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and The Heron has been on a roll since its release and has been making news for a long time. The series has earned the applause of critics and fans calling it one of the best anime movies ever created by Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli in their careers as anime movie makers.
The Boy and the Heron
The Boy and The Heron tells the tale of Mahito Maki, a young soldier in the Pacific War, who, following the death of his mother, finds an abandoned tower close to his new home and ventures into a magical realm inhabited by a talking grey heron. The Boy and the Heron was theatrically released in Japan on July 14, 2023, by Toho, and it has taken the anime industry by storm.
And now, the movie has added another star to its collection of awards and medals as The Boy and the Heron...
The Boy and the Heron
The Boy and The Heron tells the tale of Mahito Maki, a young soldier in the Pacific War, who, following the death of his mother, finds an abandoned tower close to his new home and ventures into a magical realm inhabited by a talking grey heron. The Boy and the Heron was theatrically released in Japan on July 14, 2023, by Toho, and it has taken the anime industry by storm.
And now, the movie has added another star to its collection of awards and medals as The Boy and the Heron...
- 2/19/2024
- by Tarun Kohli
- FandomWire
Studio Ghibli, like Western counterparts Disney, Pixar and the UK’s Aardman, is one of the most important animation studios in movie history. Since its first feature film, “Castle in the Sky” in 1986, Studio Ghibli has delivered two dozen thought-provoking tales beautifully rendered in a unique brand of animation. To date, its output has racked up have a lucky seven Oscar bids for Best Animated Feature.
“Spirited Away” was the first Studio Ghibli movie to break into the Academy Awards conversation and did so with aplomb in 2003. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature (Miyazaki the recipient) over “Ice Age,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” and “Treasure Planet.”
In 2006, Miyazaki was again nominated — this time for “Howl’s Moving Castle” alongside “Corpse Bride” and “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit,” with the latter movie, an Aardman creation, reigning victorious.
Miyazaki and Suzuki were the nominees...
“Spirited Away” was the first Studio Ghibli movie to break into the Academy Awards conversation and did so with aplomb in 2003. It won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature (Miyazaki the recipient) over “Ice Age,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” and “Treasure Planet.”
In 2006, Miyazaki was again nominated — this time for “Howl’s Moving Castle” alongside “Corpse Bride” and “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit,” with the latter movie, an Aardman creation, reigning victorious.
Miyazaki and Suzuki were the nominees...
- 2/16/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Chainsaw Man author Tatsuki Fujimoto is often deemed by fans as one of the most talented and promising authors in the anime manga industry. Even though he has gained prominence through his magnum opus, Chainsaw Man, he has worked on several other one-shots that are not very popular.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back
One of his one-shot manga series titled Look Back will be getting an anime movie adaptation that’s set to release on June 28, 2024, directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama. A teaser visual and trailer for the movie Look Back were released, and fans are going crazy over them.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back is set to release on June 28, 2024
Anime adaptations usually tend to boost the sales of the manga; however, this was not the case with Chainsaw Man, which dominated the charts even without an anime. Constantly ranking in the charts and a growing fanbase made Mappa pick the story.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back
One of his one-shot manga series titled Look Back will be getting an anime movie adaptation that’s set to release on June 28, 2024, directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama. A teaser visual and trailer for the movie Look Back were released, and fans are going crazy over them.
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back is set to release on June 28, 2024
Anime adaptations usually tend to boost the sales of the manga; however, this was not the case with Chainsaw Man, which dominated the charts even without an anime. Constantly ranking in the charts and a growing fanbase made Mappa pick the story.
- 2/15/2024
- by Jiyad Shaikh
- FandomWire
As the nominees for the animated feature Oscar were unveiled this year, one thing was clear: 2D and 2D-influenced animated films are dominating awards season.
Among this year’s nominees, “The Boy and the Heron,” “Nimona,” “Robot Dreams” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” all used traditional 2D techniques or other methods to create a 2D look. Even the CG “Elemental” shows 2D influences across the many environments of Element City. And as the Academy nominates what might be helmer Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, it seems as though the impact of 2D is being recognized once again after CG having dominated the animation space for so long.
The 2D animation of today isn’t quite like cartoons of the past. With new techniques at their disposal, filmmakers are expanding the visuals they can create to tell rich, compelling stories. It’s very often a 2D look that’s intended for...
Among this year’s nominees, “The Boy and the Heron,” “Nimona,” “Robot Dreams” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” all used traditional 2D techniques or other methods to create a 2D look. Even the CG “Elemental” shows 2D influences across the many environments of Element City. And as the Academy nominates what might be helmer Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, it seems as though the impact of 2D is being recognized once again after CG having dominated the animation space for so long.
The 2D animation of today isn’t quite like cartoons of the past. With new techniques at their disposal, filmmakers are expanding the visuals they can create to tell rich, compelling stories. It’s very often a 2D look that’s intended for...
- 2/1/2024
- by Karen Idelson
- Variety Film + TV
Animation icon Hayao Miyazaki, at age 83, earned an Academy Award nomination for his semi-autobiographical fantasy film The Boy and the Heron in the animated feature competition.
He previously won a competitive best animated feature Oscar in 2003 for his film Spirited Away, which to date is the only category winner that was not made in the English language. He received an Academy Honorary Award in 2014, and earned additional competitive Oscar nominations for his movies The Wind Rises and Howl’s Moving Castle. With this, his fourth nomination, he is tied for the most nominations in the best animated feature category with Pixar’s Pete Docter.
The Boy and the Heron has been billed as the final movie from Miyazaki, who with this nomination is the oldest nominee in the history of the animated feature category, which was first presented in 2001.
It is producer Toshio Suzuki’s third Oscar nomination following The Red Turtle...
He previously won a competitive best animated feature Oscar in 2003 for his film Spirited Away, which to date is the only category winner that was not made in the English language. He received an Academy Honorary Award in 2014, and earned additional competitive Oscar nominations for his movies The Wind Rises and Howl’s Moving Castle. With this, his fourth nomination, he is tied for the most nominations in the best animated feature category with Pixar’s Pete Docter.
The Boy and the Heron has been billed as the final movie from Miyazaki, who with this nomination is the oldest nominee in the history of the animated feature category, which was first presented in 2001.
It is producer Toshio Suzuki’s third Oscar nomination following The Red Turtle...
- 1/23/2024
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
An anime film was bound to make it into the Oscar nominations this year, and the contender this time around is Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron . Ghibli's latest film was nominated in the Animated Feature Film Category, where it will compete with Elemental , Nimona , Robot Dreams and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse . Other nominations include Godzilla Minus One , which is up for the Visual Effects category , and Japanese/German co-production Perfect Days —directed by Wim Wenders and written by Wim Wenders and Takuma Takasaki—which is up for Best International Feature Film . We'll find out who wins when the 96th annual Academy Awards ceremony airs live on Sunday, March 10, 2024 at 4:00pm Pacific Time. Related: The Boy and the Heron Awarded Golden Globe for Best Animated Film Miyazaki previously won an Academy Award in 2002 for Spirited Away , making anime history. His Howl's Moving Castle film was nominated in...
- 1/23/2024
- by Joseph Luster
- Crunchyroll
Legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, at age 82, earned his first Golden Globe Award for his semi-autobiographical fantasy film The Boy and the Heron in the animated feature competition.
The win for his Japan-set movie marks several firsts, including the first Golden Globe Award for Miyazaki; the first for Studio Ghibli, the animation studio he co-founded; the first for U.S. distributor Gkids; and the first for an animated feature that wasn’t made in the English language.
The Boy and the Heron has been billed as the final movie from Miyazaki, who previously won a competitive best animated feature Oscar for his 2001 film Spirited Away and received an Academy Honorary Award in 2014. Miyazaki’s 2013 film The Wind Rises was nominated for a Golden Globe for a film made in a foreign language.
Miyazaki’s credits also include Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo.
The Boy and the Heron...
The win for his Japan-set movie marks several firsts, including the first Golden Globe Award for Miyazaki; the first for Studio Ghibli, the animation studio he co-founded; the first for U.S. distributor Gkids; and the first for an animated feature that wasn’t made in the English language.
The Boy and the Heron has been billed as the final movie from Miyazaki, who previously won a competitive best animated feature Oscar for his 2001 film Spirited Away and received an Academy Honorary Award in 2014. Miyazaki’s 2013 film The Wind Rises was nominated for a Golden Globe for a film made in a foreign language.
Miyazaki’s credits also include Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo.
The Boy and the Heron...
- 1/8/2024
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With their nearly 40-year history, one would think Hayao Miyazaki could no longer surprise composer Joe Hisaishi. However, the Japanese animation master did just that when he introduced “The Boy and the Heron” to his longtime musical collaborator.
It wasn’t because Miyazaki was coming out of retirement (once again). Rather, it was how the Studio Ghibli co-founder presented the film to Hisaishi.
“The most important part of the process of composing a film is meeting up with the director and trying to decide where the music should be going in which part of the scenes,” Hisaishi tells Variety, via an interpreter. “But he skipped all of those meetings. We had none whatsoever.”
Hisaishi had no access to the storyboards or artwork, and instead watched a nearly complete version of the film in July of 2022. Miyazaki simply told him: “I leave it all up to you.”
“It was a very...
It wasn’t because Miyazaki was coming out of retirement (once again). Rather, it was how the Studio Ghibli co-founder presented the film to Hisaishi.
“The most important part of the process of composing a film is meeting up with the director and trying to decide where the music should be going in which part of the scenes,” Hisaishi tells Variety, via an interpreter. “But he skipped all of those meetings. We had none whatsoever.”
Hisaishi had no access to the storyboards or artwork, and instead watched a nearly complete version of the film in July of 2022. Miyazaki simply told him: “I leave it all up to you.”
“It was a very...
- 1/5/2024
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
The Animated World is a regular feature spotlighting animation from around the globe.The Boy and the Heron.“And what about you? What will you create? You take many things from the world, but I wonder what you will give back in return?”—Genzaburo Yoshino, How Do You Live? Part of the genius of Hayao Miyazaki is his ability to captivate his audience so deeply with his films that they don’t realize he is asking an essential question: how do you live? Yet, his films do. Each of them demands that we think, reflect, and change. Visually, they burst like a star in our mind’s eye while the stories slowly lead us toward realization. They warm our hearts while showing us how complex and contradictory people are—by turns selfish and selfless. From Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) to The Wind Rises (2013), Miyazaki’s stunning, hand-drawn aesthetic and stirring,...
- 1/5/2024
- MUBI
After Hayao Miyazaki took three years to finish the initial storyboard for “The Boy and the Heron”, it became obvious that he needed help. With diminished stamina and failing eyesight, the legendary anime auteur was no longer able to control everything. So he invited Takeshi Honda (“Neon Genesis Evangelion”), the supervising animator on his hybrid CG/2D short “Boro the Caterpillar,” to join his upcoming feature.
Honda was flattered and told Miyazaki that he would think about it because he was already committed to “Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,” the franchise film finale. “But at that time, Miyazaki san said, ‘I don’t have time — there is no one in the Miyazaki family who is over 80 years old.’ I thought it was a big deal,” Honda told IndieWire over Zoom through an interpreter.
Honda couldn’t refuse Miyazaki (now 82) and proceeded to spend the next seven years on a journey of a lifetime,...
Honda was flattered and told Miyazaki that he would think about it because he was already committed to “Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time,” the franchise film finale. “But at that time, Miyazaki san said, ‘I don’t have time — there is no one in the Miyazaki family who is over 80 years old.’ I thought it was a big deal,” Honda told IndieWire over Zoom through an interpreter.
Honda couldn’t refuse Miyazaki (now 82) and proceeded to spend the next seven years on a journey of a lifetime,...
- 12/28/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Hayao Miyazaki's first feature in 10 years crept into theaters with a bang. After many years of a wish-washy retirement, the 83-year old director of beloved Studio Ghibli titles like “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke” returned with his beautifully animated “The Boy and the Heron.” Notably, though the film appeared in Japanese theaters sans PR (a deliberate choice on Miyazaki's end), the movie has taken the world by storm. I personally have been hearing about it since the day of its premiere: first, friends reporting back on their summer Japan travels; then other journalists at TIFF; and finally, within vicinity, from neighbors and colleagues near me, as the film scoops the coveted No. 1 spot in the North American box office. With Gkids' North American release hitting the high of the holidays, it is almost no wonder that film critics have been tittering about “The Boy and the Heron's” potential...
- 12/21/2023
- by Grace Han
- AsianMoviePulse
Make no mistake: the king has returned. Because after a Japanese release this summer boldly moving on the :a[notion of “no promo”]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/how-do-you-live-hayao-miyazaki-mysterious-comeback-movie-event' target='blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, Hayao Miyazaki’s :a[The Boy And The Heron]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-boy-and-the-heron/' target='blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} made its US debut at the box office – and immediately hit the top spot. The animation legend’s long-awaited comeback movie, arriving 10 years after his supposed retirement with :a[The Wind Rises]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/wind-rises-review/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}, has proved an instant smash, making waves with a major international release that has brought :a[Studio Ghibli]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/studio-ghibli-every-movie-ranked/' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'} fans flocking to cinemas. How do you live? Exactly like this.
In its opening weekend,...
In its opening weekend,...
- 12/11/2023
- by Ben Travis
- Empire - Movies
Last weekend’s champion Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé plummets 77.1%.
Updated: Hayao Miyazaki’s animated feature The Boy And The Heron opened top at the North American box office on an estimated $12.8m via GKids in what the distributor said was the first entirely non-us production to do so this year.
The story of a grieving boy who enters a life-changing magical world becomes the first original animé not based on existing IP to lead the charts and only the third animé to do so after Pokemon: The First Movie in 1999 and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero last year.
The Boy And The Heron...
Updated: Hayao Miyazaki’s animated feature The Boy And The Heron opened top at the North American box office on an estimated $12.8m via GKids in what the distributor said was the first entirely non-us production to do so this year.
The story of a grieving boy who enters a life-changing magical world becomes the first original animé not based on existing IP to lead the charts and only the third animé to do so after Pokemon: The First Movie in 1999 and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero last year.
The Boy And The Heron...
- 12/10/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
“The Boy and the Heron,” a fantastical coming-of-age story from animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki, earned $12.8 million in its opening weekend, becoming the first original anime production to top the domestic box office. The GKids release is showing in Imax and other premium large format auditoriums, which bolstered its record-breaking revenues and helped secure its first place finish. It also benefitted from a lack of big-screen offerings, with holiday blockbusters such as “Wonka” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” still waiting to make their debuts in the coming weeks.
“The Boy and the Heron” marks Miyazaki’s unexpected return to screens after being absent for more than a decade — the filmmaker behind classics like “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke” announced he was retiring in 2013 when his previous film, “The Wind Rises,” was released. “The Boy and the Heron” has slowly been rolling out internationally, earning $84 million, with $56 million of that coming from Miyazaki’s native Japan.
“The Boy and the Heron” marks Miyazaki’s unexpected return to screens after being absent for more than a decade — the filmmaker behind classics like “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke” announced he was retiring in 2013 when his previous film, “The Wind Rises,” was released. “The Boy and the Heron” has slowly been rolling out internationally, earning $84 million, with $56 million of that coming from Miyazaki’s native Japan.
- 12/10/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s Japanese film The Boy and the Heron flew to a record-breaking $12.8 million opening, making it the first original anime title in history to top the North American box office chart.
The whimsical movie — which earned Miyazaki his first Golden Globe nomination on Monday — wisely chose to open on a weekend when there were no new wide releases from the major Hollywood studios. The first and second weekends of December are generally quiet as the studios prepare to unwrap their big Christmas films.
This year, the holiday action gets underway in earnest next weekend when Warner Bros. opens Wonka, although it debuted in select markets overseas this weekend to a very promising $43.2 million from 37 markets, enough to rank No. 1 on the weekend global weekend chart.
The Boy and the Heron shattered other records as well, including already becoming Miyazaki’s top-grossing film domestically after earning $5.6 million on Friday from 2,205 theaters,...
The whimsical movie — which earned Miyazaki his first Golden Globe nomination on Monday — wisely chose to open on a weekend when there were no new wide releases from the major Hollywood studios. The first and second weekends of December are generally quiet as the studios prepare to unwrap their big Christmas films.
This year, the holiday action gets underway in earnest next weekend when Warner Bros. opens Wonka, although it debuted in select markets overseas this weekend to a very promising $43.2 million from 37 markets, enough to rank No. 1 on the weekend global weekend chart.
The Boy and the Heron shattered other records as well, including already becoming Miyazaki’s top-grossing film domestically after earning $5.6 million on Friday from 2,205 theaters,...
- 12/10/2023
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Box Office: ‘The Boy and the Heron’ Rises to No. 1 in North America With Projected $10 Million Debut
Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” looks to soar atop domestic charts this weekend after earning about $5.4 million across Friday and various preview screenings. Playing in 2,205 theaters, the GKids release has the benefit of Imax and other premium large format auditoriums to boost those numbers.
It’s another modest win for theaters in a marketplace that may not ever recover to pre-covid levels. “The Boy and the Heron” is the latest in a series of more successful targeted event releases with smaller marketing spends. See last weekend’s openings of “Godzilla Minus One,” staying in third place for its sophomore outing, or even “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” which topped charts in its debut. Then there’s previous animated features from established anime like last year’s “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero” ($38 million domestic) or the first “Demon Slayer” ($49 million domestic). Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli generally don’t dabble in IP; but,...
It’s another modest win for theaters in a marketplace that may not ever recover to pre-covid levels. “The Boy and the Heron” is the latest in a series of more successful targeted event releases with smaller marketing spends. See last weekend’s openings of “Godzilla Minus One,” staying in third place for its sophomore outing, or even “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” which topped charts in its debut. Then there’s previous animated features from established anime like last year’s “Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero” ($38 million domestic) or the first “Demon Slayer” ($49 million domestic). Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli generally don’t dabble in IP; but,...
- 12/9/2023
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
‘I’m really serious this time!’: have Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli made their final masterpiece?
The veteran animation genius has said he’s retiring – but as he’s changed his mind before, should anyone take his word for it? We travel to Ghibli HQ in Tokyo to find out what’s going on
When Hayao Miyazaki, the world’s greatest living animator, approached his longtime producer Toshio Suzuki in July 2016 and told him that he wanted to make another film, Suzuki was not enthusiastic. “I said: ‘Absolutely not. This is a bad idea,’” Suzuki recalls. He had his reasons. “I’ve seen many, many great directors, who feel that they can make one more great film and most of the time they fail. I didn’t want to see him go down that road.”
Besides, Miyazaki had supposedly already made his final film. Three years previously, following the release of his highly acclaimed The Wind Rises, Miyazaki told a packed press conference in Tokyo that...
When Hayao Miyazaki, the world’s greatest living animator, approached his longtime producer Toshio Suzuki in July 2016 and told him that he wanted to make another film, Suzuki was not enthusiastic. “I said: ‘Absolutely not. This is a bad idea,’” Suzuki recalls. He had his reasons. “I’ve seen many, many great directors, who feel that they can make one more great film and most of the time they fail. I didn’t want to see him go down that road.”
Besides, Miyazaki had supposedly already made his final film. Three years previously, following the release of his highly acclaimed The Wind Rises, Miyazaki told a packed press conference in Tokyo that...
- 12/9/2023
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
This article contains major spoilers for "The Boy and the Heron."
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the greatest animation auteurs of all time. He is the man who helped revolutionize anime in Japan and made the only Japanese anime that has won an Oscar. He is arguably the best-known name in animation outside of Walt Disney himself. Miyazaki is also a man who loves to threaten audiences with retirement. He first announced his retirement in 1997 after "Princess Mononoke." He did it again after "Spirited Away" in 2003. Then again in 2013 after "The Wind Rises." Yet here we are, in 2023, with Miyazaki saying that he is actually not retiring with his latest movie.
That latest (but not last) movie is "The Boy and the Heron," a movie that has undergone some changes (more on that later) in its story and also a big change in title for its international release. The film...
Hayao Miyazaki is one of the greatest animation auteurs of all time. He is the man who helped revolutionize anime in Japan and made the only Japanese anime that has won an Oscar. He is arguably the best-known name in animation outside of Walt Disney himself. Miyazaki is also a man who loves to threaten audiences with retirement. He first announced his retirement in 1997 after "Princess Mononoke." He did it again after "Spirited Away" in 2003. Then again in 2013 after "The Wind Rises." Yet here we are, in 2023, with Miyazaki saying that he is actually not retiring with his latest movie.
That latest (but not last) movie is "The Boy and the Heron," a movie that has undergone some changes (more on that later) in its story and also a big change in title for its international release. The film...
- 12/8/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
After one Japanese title delivered at the sleepy December box office last weekend, that being Godzilla Minus One, here’s another that’s set to dominate: Studio Ghibli and Gkids’ Hayao Miyazaki toon The Boy and the Heron is looking at a No. 1 bow with $10M+ after $2.39M Thursday and early-access previews.
The comp here is quite literally last weekend’s Japanese live-action title Godzilla Minus One (read the review), which saw previews of $2.1M before minting a $4.7M Friday, and 3-day of $11.4M at 2,308 theaters.
The Boy and the Heron played at 1,774 theaters in U.S. and Canada with showtimes starting at 5 p.m. Thursday. The pic is booked at 2,205 theaters this weekend, including Imax and Plf. It’s the first Studio Ghibli film to be presented in Imax. There were awards-qualifying preview engagements that began on Thanksgiving in New York and Los Angeles, and those figures are going...
The comp here is quite literally last weekend’s Japanese live-action title Godzilla Minus One (read the review), which saw previews of $2.1M before minting a $4.7M Friday, and 3-day of $11.4M at 2,308 theaters.
The Boy and the Heron played at 1,774 theaters in U.S. and Canada with showtimes starting at 5 p.m. Thursday. The pic is booked at 2,205 theaters this weekend, including Imax and Plf. It’s the first Studio Ghibli film to be presented in Imax. There were awards-qualifying preview engagements that began on Thanksgiving in New York and Los Angeles, and those figures are going...
- 12/8/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Together with Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood, long celebrated film directors are proving that entering their seventh decade and beyond is no barrier to ambition
You would be forgiven for thinking the great Japanese anime master Hayao Miyazaki, 82, has made his last film. After the realism of 2013’s The Wind Rises, which scanned the skies of pre-second-world-war Japan for the industrial-era upcurrents of inspiration, he makes a return to full-blown fantasy in his latest, The Boy and the Heron. It is hard not to take the magus figure of the film’s Great-Uncle, looking for a successor to steward this realm of man-eating parakeets and flying dim sum, as Miyazaki’s Prospero moment; his breaking of his creative staff. Then you remember: this is the fourth time he has announced his retirement.
Miyazaki is not alone in being enticed back in his winter years for “one last job”. Ridley Scott,...
You would be forgiven for thinking the great Japanese anime master Hayao Miyazaki, 82, has made his last film. After the realism of 2013’s The Wind Rises, which scanned the skies of pre-second-world-war Japan for the industrial-era upcurrents of inspiration, he makes a return to full-blown fantasy in his latest, The Boy and the Heron. It is hard not to take the magus figure of the film’s Great-Uncle, looking for a successor to steward this realm of man-eating parakeets and flying dim sum, as Miyazaki’s Prospero moment; his breaking of his creative staff. Then you remember: this is the fourth time he has announced his retirement.
Miyazaki is not alone in being enticed back in his winter years for “one last job”. Ridley Scott,...
- 12/8/2023
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
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When it comes to entertainment, the holiday season means an endless procession of specials and familiar movies. But for all the holiday favorites, there’s no shortage of new streaming releases to catch this December. Theaters, meantime, are also filled with prestigious movies. Here are some of this month’s most promising offerings, from Eileen, starring Anne Hathaway, to Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet. (Plus: Check out our favorite...
When it comes to entertainment, the holiday season means an endless procession of specials and familiar movies. But for all the holiday favorites, there’s no shortage of new streaming releases to catch this December. Theaters, meantime, are also filled with prestigious movies. Here are some of this month’s most promising offerings, from Eileen, starring Anne Hathaway, to Wonka, starring Timothée Chalamet. (Plus: Check out our favorite...
- 12/8/2023
- by Keith Phipps
- Rollingstone.com
In just a few weeks, the 18th recipient of the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature will be revealed. While it is highly likely that the new winner will share a 3D visual style in common with nearly all of its predecessors, voters may instead decide to finally honor a fully hand-drawn movie for the first time. Fittingly, this monumental distinction would be credited to the legendary Studio Ghibli and its esteemed cofounder, Hayao Miyazaki, who suspended his brief retirement in order to make his dozenth film, “The Boy and the Heron.”
With an original plot that pointedly references the classic Japanese novel “How Do You Live?,” “The Boy and the Heron” is the 25th entry in Studio Ghibli’s animated canon and the company’s 10th film released after the creation of this Golden Globe category. Although four of its post-2005 productions earned Oscar notices for Best Animated Feature,...
With an original plot that pointedly references the classic Japanese novel “How Do You Live?,” “The Boy and the Heron” is the 25th entry in Studio Ghibli’s animated canon and the company’s 10th film released after the creation of this Golden Globe category. Although four of its post-2005 productions earned Oscar notices for Best Animated Feature,...
- 12/8/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
This is one of those weekend’s where you can see the effects of both the covid backlog and the strikes merging together to give us a relatively quiet weekend. We are in the second week of December and the biggest new release on the schedule is Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. Granted, Miyazaki has earned his reputation as one of the best ever in the animation game with such classics as Castle In The Sky, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo and The Wind Rises (with Spirited Away landing the legendary filmmaker an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature).
With The Boy and the Heron taking over premium screens this weekend, it is possible that studios decided to back off to ensure their own large scale releases have access to those screens. It does appear that there is excitement in the air for this...
With The Boy and the Heron taking over premium screens this weekend, it is possible that studios decided to back off to ensure their own large scale releases have access to those screens. It does appear that there is excitement in the air for this...
- 12/7/2023
- by Brad Hamerly
- JoBlo.com
Founded in 2008, New York-based production studio and distributor Gkids almost immediately established itself as the United States’ most valuable lifeline to animated cinema from around the world, and so — after earning 12 Oscar nominations for introducing modern classics like “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” and “Wolfwalkers” to American audiences — it might seem a bit overblown to suggest that the label’s reputation could still hang in the balance of a single dub. Gkids president Dave Jesteadt certainly didn’t expect that to be the case when he formally took the reins in January 2017, as the already thriving company was still on the verge of its greatest triumphs. And yet, by the end of the following month, everything that Gkids had accomplished would seem like a long prologue for the challenge that would ultimately define it.
On February 24, 2017, Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki announced that legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki was coming...
On February 24, 2017, Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki announced that legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki was coming...
- 12/7/2023
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Image: Gkids
Watching Hayao Miyazaki’s un-retirement animated feature The Boy And The Heron is a little like watching Bob Dylan play the hits live: you have some idea of what you’ll get, even if it’s all jumbled up into a wholly new combination and style. Released in...
Watching Hayao Miyazaki’s un-retirement animated feature The Boy And The Heron is a little like watching Bob Dylan play the hits live: you have some idea of what you’ll get, even if it’s all jumbled up into a wholly new combination and style. Released in...
- 12/7/2023
- by Luke Y. Thompson
- avclub.com
The work of animation master Hayao Miyazaki is lined with many recognizable themes across decades. His pacifism as derived from the horrors of World War II, his fierce defense of the natural world against the onslaught of man-made structures, and his tight balance between the grotesque and the whimsical are all familiar to fans of Studio Ghibli as a whole as well as films such as "My Neighbor Totoro," "Princess Mononoke," "Spirited Away," and "The Wind Rises." That latter film, released for Oscars consideration in 2013 by Walt Disney Pictures, was once intended to be Miyazaki's final film before retirement. But you can't keep a god-level filmmaker down, thankfully, and so a decade later, we have Miyazaki's latest film, "The Boy and the Heron." If you know Miyazaki's work even on a surface level, you'll see how "The Boy and the Heron" plays with familiar tropes. But just as unsurprising, you'll be met with a wonderful,...
- 12/6/2023
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
Every few years, the Academy tweaks the rules for its animated feature category, with the net result that the nominees tend to skew ever more mainstream. That makes it tough for most of this year’s hopefuls: A record-setting number of animated features submitted. Those who pick the noms are required to watch roughly a third before ranking their top five, which can include additional titles they might have seen on their own. Blockbusters naturally benefit, though “Flee” and “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” earned nominations in 2022 and 2023, respectively, suggesting that artful indies still stand a chance.
The Boy and the Heron
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Voices: Luca Padovan, Robert Pattinson
Studio: Studio Ghibli
Distributor: GKids
Rumors of Miyazaki’s retirement were greatly exaggerated, as the unstoppable creative force (who won an Oscar for “Spirited Away” in 2003) returns with a story inspired by his childhood memories during wartime. More fanciful than “The Wind Rises,...
The Boy and the Heron
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Voices: Luca Padovan, Robert Pattinson
Studio: Studio Ghibli
Distributor: GKids
Rumors of Miyazaki’s retirement were greatly exaggerated, as the unstoppable creative force (who won an Oscar for “Spirited Away” in 2003) returns with a story inspired by his childhood memories during wartime. More fanciful than “The Wind Rises,...
- 12/5/2023
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
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