Studio Ghibli Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

The Boy And The Heron have landed – and critics have hailed the latest Studio Ghibli outing a masterpiece.Touted as the Studio Ghibli co-founder and animator Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, The Boy And The Heron (titled How Do You Live? in Japan) tells the story of a teenage boy who enters a magical world with a talking heron after discovering an abandoned tower in his new town.The film is named after the 1937 novel of the same name by Genzaburo Yoshino, although it isn’t connected to the book. It was released in Japan on Friday (July 14) and is set for a US theatrical release later this year (no date currently set).Miyazaki, 82, who is recognised as the father of Japanese anime, has said that the film is his last.

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.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Netflix has picked up worldwide rights to “The Imaginary,” a currently-on-release Japanese animation film from producer Studio Ponoc. “Studio Ponoc is thrilled to bring our storytelling and innovative hand-drawn, hand-painted animated films to all audiences, and in particular to children and their families to enjoy together, around the world on Netflix,” said Nishimura Yoshiaki, Ponoc founder and former Studio Ghibli producer. The film is directed by Momose Yoshiyuki, who has credits on Ponoc’s 2017 title “Mary and the Witch’s Flower” and others on Ghibli’s “Spirited Away,” “Princess Mononoke” and “Porco Rosso.” Adapted from a novel by A.F. Harold, with a screenplay by Nishimura, the film “portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Iconic Hollywood musical film “La La Land” is to re-release (again) in South Korean theaters from Wednesday. Distributed by Pancinema, it will play at the country’s Imax cinemas for a one-week limited run with tickets costing upwards of KRW15,000 ($11.25) for adults. The film was directed by Damien Chazelle and stars Ryan Gosling (newly Oscar-nominated for his role as Ken in “Barbie”) and Emma Stone, and holds the box office record for movie musicals with global box office of $470 million. It recently re-released in cinemas in China in time for the Christmas peak season.

Leonardo DiCaprio has revealed that he recommended two films from animation studio, Studio Ghibli, for director Martin Scorsese to watch.Speaking with Letterboxd earlier this week, the two Hollywood stars, who recently collaborated on their sixth movie together, Killers Of The Flower Moon, opened up about DiCaprio’s recommendations, which were both created by Hayao Miyazaki.“I was asked what films I introduced to you, but considering you’ve seen every film ever made up until 1980, it’s pretty hard to say,” DiCaprio said to the director.“Other than maybe Spirited Away – Miyazaki’s films – and maybe Princess Monoke,” he continued.Scorsese responded: “It was Spirited Away you told me to watch,”The 2001 animated fantasy movie was a huge success, crossing more than $395million at the box office against a $19.2million budget, and winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 75th Academy Awards.The 1997 movie, Princess Monoke was also a critical and commercial success, and held Japan’s box office record for domestic films until the release of Spirited Away.

Michaela Zee 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.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya coming out on top.The list on the review aggregator site compiles the top films based on their critics scores on the site, with the criteria simply being “movies that were drawn and animated in Japan”.The list was unveiled to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the release of the 1988 classic Akira, directed by Katsuhiro Ohtomo, which comes in at number 26 on the list.The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was co-written and directed by Isao Takahata, adapted from a 10th century Japanese literary tale. Takahata, who co-founded Studio Ghibli in 1985 and passed away in 2018, also takes the second and third spots in the list, with 1991’s Only Yesterday and 1988’s Grave of the Fireflies, respectively.Fourth place goes to 2022’s The First Slam Dunk, directed by Takehito Inoue and based on his own manga series, whilst 2016’s Your Name is in fifth place.Check out the top 10 below:Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron lands at number 12 on the list, and is due to be released in UK cinemas on December 26.

Studio Ghibli‘s upcoming animated film The Boy And The Heron has been revealed.Yesterday (October 17), film distributor GKIDS took to social media to announce the English voice dub cast, which was recorded “in compliance with SAG-AFTRA” during the ongoing Hollywood actors’ strike.The cast, per GKIDS, includes a star-studded roster of performers including Christian Bale, Florence Pugh, Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Dave Bautista, Mark Hamill, Karen Fukuhara, Gemma Chan and more.See GKIDS’ announcement below.#TheBoyandtheHeron featuring the voices of:CHRISTIAN BALEDAVE BAUTISTAGEMMA CHANWILLEM DAFOEKAREN FUKUHARAMARK HAMILLROBERT PATTINSONFLORENCE PUGHhttps://t.co/wqel2S3guU— GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) October 17, 2023Per a report from Variety, the film’s English voice cast will see Christian Bale voice Shoichi Maki, Dave Bautista as The Parakeet King, Gemma Chan as Natsuko, Willem Dafoe as Noble Pelican, Karen Fukuhara as Lady Himi, Mark Hamill as Granduncle, Robert Pattinson as The Gray Heron and Florence Pugh as Kiriko.Supporting roles will be performed by Luca Padovan as protagonist Mahito Maki and Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolri and Dan Stevens as the Parakeets.The Boy And The Heron will receive a cinematic release in North America from December 8 onwards, with screenings in IMAX, as well as screenings with the film’s original Japanese version. Tickets are set to go on sale soon.

Valerie Wu Intern Miyazaki’s first animated feature in 10 years, “The Boy and the Heron” has come out with its official English voice cast. GKIDS, which serves as animation group Studio Ghibli’s North American distributor, announced that the full cast will consist of Christian Bale as Shoichi Maki; Dave Bautista as The Parakeet King; Gemma Chan as Natsuko; Willem Dafoe as Noble Pelican; Karen Fukuhara as Lady Himi; Mark Hamill as Granduncle; Robert Pattinson as The Gray Heron and Florence Pugh as Kiriko. They’re joined by Luca Padovan as protagonist Mahito Maki and Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolri and Dan Stevens as the Parakeets.

Distributor Gkids has announced the English voice cast for Oscar-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki’s new feature, The Boy and the Heron. The dubbed version of the film will feature the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Studio Ghibli, the iconic Japanese cartoon firm behind Miyazaki Hayao’s recent “The Boy and the Heron” is selling a controlling stake to Japanese broadcaster NTV.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Elysian Film Group, Anonymous Content and Bleecker Street have jointly acquired the U.K. rights to “The Boy and the Heron,” the first film from legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki in a decade. Elysian Film Group will release the film in U.K.

No one can predict if Japanese master Hayao Miyazaki’s output has finally come to an end, but there’s a solemn finality to “The Boy and the Heron” that suggests he’d be satisfied if that were the case this time. Its contemplation is that of an artist who’s come full circle and is now probing at the very meaning of his extensive oeuvre through a discerning lens.

A new film by Hayao Miyazaki filmmaker (or anything from animation house Studio Ghibli) is always worth celebrating. And for Miyazaki’s first feature film in a decade, TIFF pulls out all the stops.

Spirited Away fans have attempted to get tickets for the film’s stage adaptation in London.Based on Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 Studio Ghibli classic, the stage version originally debuted in Japan in February 2022. Last month, it was announced the production would have its European premiere at the London Coliseum from April 30, 2024, running for 12 weeks.Pre-sale tickets for those who signed up for priority booking went on sale today (September 5) at 10am BST.

EXCLUSIVE: Sources tell Deadline that the Toronto International Film Festival’s opening night film on Sept. 7, The Boy and the Heron from Hayao Miyazaki, has sold out in record time.

Studio Ghibli classic Spirited Away is set to arrive on the West End Stage next year.Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 animated film – about a 10-year-old girl, Chihiro, entering the spirit world after her parents are turned into pigs by a witch – will transfer to London’s Coliseum for a limited run from April through to July 2024.The new arrival follows the success of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of My Neighbour Totoro last year, and will be helmed by Tony Award-winning director John Caird. Fans can sign up for priority booking to access tickets once they go live from here.The Japanese-language production will feature English captions, and the actors from last year’s world premiere in Tokyo, Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi, will perform in the main role as Chihiro, alongside puppets.“I am proud and delighted to present the original Japanese stage production of Spirited Away at the Coliseum Theatre next year,” Caird said in a statement.

Sophia Sun Intern Hayao Miyazaki is back! It’s been 10 years since the release of his last film, “The Wind Rises,” and now the acclaimed Studio Ghibli director returns with his supposedly final film, “The Boy and the Heron.” Released in Japan on July 14 under the title “How Do You Live?,” the latest film takes its name from a best-selling novel of the same name penned by Japanese author Genzaburo Yoshino. The film, which released with little promotional material, follows the journey of a 12-year-old boy named Mahito Maki as he stumbles upon a fantasy world with a talking grey heron.

Earlier this month, legendary Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki saw his first feature film in 10 years, “The Boy And The Heron,” hit Japanese theaters. Now North American audiences know when they’ll have their first chance to see the film before it releases theatrically on this continent: the 48th Toronto International Film Festival will be the Opening Night Gala Presentation.

Acclaimed anime director Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film, The Boy And The Heron (aka How Do You Live?), hit Japanese theatres on Friday, July 14 with no advance publicity apart from a title and a poster. 

Gkids has acquired North American rights to Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron, the Japanese maestro’s latest feature which Toho is releasing today in Japan as Kimitachi wa Do Ikiruka (How Do You Live?). The Boy and the Heron is now the official international title. This all-rights deal marks a continuation of Gkids’ long-standing relationship with the Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli; Gkids will release the original story written and directed by Miyazaki theatrically laster this year.

Mark Schilling Japan Correspondent Studio Ghibli, the iconic Japanese animation studio, will maintain a cloud of secrecy for as long as possible around “How Do You Live,” the final film from maestro Miyazaki Hayao (“Spirited Away,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Princess Mononoke”). The new movie is scheduled to arrive in theaters in Japan on July 14, but Studio Ghibli and its partners will do away with pre-release advertising and advanced information. To date it has released only a single enigmatic poster of a bird.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hoshino Koji, president of the iconic Japanese animation firm Studio Ghibli, made public his plan to retire Tuesday. He will be replaced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Suzuki Toshio. His move comes as the company, which is poised to release Miyazaki Hayao’s last film “How Do You Live?” in July, is reported to be weathering an executive scandal. The studio has denied that there is a connection between Hoshino’s resignation and a recent swirl of media allegations about Suzuki. Studio Ghibli on Tuesday published a letter of resignation from Hoshino, which appeared already to be several days out of date.

Paul Mescal has clocked his first Olivier Award nomination for his leading performance in Rebecca Frecknall’s buzzy stage adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire. Scroll down for the full list of nominees.

Ready to get “Spirited Away” again?GKIDS, the producer and distributor for some of the most exciting animation from around the world, announced that it has acquired the North American audiovisual distribution rights for “Spirited Away: Live on Stage.” The new movie was filmed during the production’s run at the historic Imperial Theatre in Tokyo, Japan in 2002. Based on Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning animated feature (one of the greatest films, live-action or animated, ever), the stage adaptation was directed by Tony Award-winner John Caird, known for his groundbreaking adaptation of “Les Misérables.”GKIDS will release two separate filmed performances of the production, starring Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi, double-cast as the lead heroine Chihiro.

Studio Ghibli today announced that renowned filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki will release a new film titled How Do You Live in Japanese theaters on July 14, 2023.

Lucasfilm already has plenty of “Star Wars” content on the way, both on the big screen and otherwise. Who knows what comes next for movies, as Lucasfilm has been quiet about potential upcoming films from Taika Waititi, Patty Jenkins, and Rian Johnson all year.

Studio Ghibli classic My Neighbour Totoro.The world premiere of the stage adaptation, directed by Phelim McDermott and featuring puppets created by Basil Twist, will have a limited 15-week run at London’s Barbican from October 2022 until January 2023.My Neighbour Totoro follows sisters Mei and Satsuki, who move to an old house while their mother recovers from a pretty severe illness. While exploring the neighbouring forest, Mei stumbles upon a magical world of cryptids, creatures and monsters, including the titular Totoro.Erica Whyman, the RSC’s acting artistic director, said: “Adapting this deeply loved magical story for the stage is the next chapter in our longstanding commitment to making spectacular and accessible productions that see the world through the eyes of children,” adding that the show would attract “a wide range of theatre audiences as well as loyal fans of the original film”.Ranking it the ninth best Studio Ghibli film in 2018, NME described My Neighbour Totoro – created by Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki – as “an iconic film that captures so purely how we find strength in our families” as well as “the perfect introduction to Ghibli and the antidote to the rainy-day blues”.The RSC’s stage version will be adapted by Tom Morton-Smith, who praised the film as a “very wholesome, beautiful world that washes over you”.“These young girls are discovering nature for the first time, so there are long shots of a snail on a leaf or a fish in a stream or a frog jumping in a puddle,” he said.

Naman Ramachandran Executive producer and composer Joe Hisaishi and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) are readying a stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved 1988 Studio Ghibli film “My Neighbor Totoro.” It will open at London’s the Barbican this fall in collaboration with Improbable and Nippon TV.Hisaishi was the original composer of the film. Written by playwright Tom Morton-Smith (“Oppenheimer”) and directed by Phelim McDermott with production design by Tom Pye, costumes by Kimie Nakano, lighting by Jessica Hung Han Yun, and movement by You-Ri Yamanaka, the production will feature puppetry created by Basil Twist and music from Hisaishi’s score in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed live with sound design by Tony Gayle. Artwork for the adaptation includes a hand drawn title by Toshio Suzuki, producer for Studio Ghibli, who was involved in the planning and production of the original animated film.

The 49th annual Annie Awards are underway Saturday night, with the virtual ceremony presented by ASIFA-Hollywood honoring the year’s best in animated fare across movies, TV and video games. Deadline is following along and updating winners in 36 categories in real time. Keep track below.