Oscar-nominated Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda’s upcoming anime pic Scarlet will open in North American theaters on Dec. 12, during the the lucrative year-end holiday corridor and the heart of awards season.

Sony Pictures, which is co-producing and co-financing the film with Studio Chizu and Nippon TV, announced the release date Monday. Sony will distribute the film in the U.S. and around the globe except for in Japan, where Toho is handling the movie theatrically.

Scarlet tells the story of a brave princess who transcends time and space.

Hosoda’s credits include Belle, Wolf Children and 2018’s Mirai, which was nominated for the Oscar for best animated feature after making its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.

Yuichiro Saito and Nozom Takahashi of Studio Chizu are producing Scarlet alongside Toshimi Tanio of Nippon TV.

Hosoda is the founder of production house Studio Chizu. Many of the writer-director’s fantastical...