Studio Ghibli Finally Reveals Official The Boy And The Heron Images
New images have finally been unveiled for the upcoming film The Boy and the Heron from Studio Ghibli, as per a report from Anime News Network. The stills are meant to replicate the marketing which would normally be fulfilled by an official trailer, which was mysteriously absent for this film.
The Boy and the Heron is Studio Ghibli’s latest film, and as of now, the last from legendary creator Hayao Miyazaki, but with no marketing, it’s been shrouded in mystery…until now.
The creative team behind The Boy and the Heron has chosen to keep most of the details regarding the film under wraps, making the release of these still images incredibly exciting news for the fans awaiting the film’s release.
The Boy and the Heron is a 2023 Japanese film that premiered in Japan on July 14 to massive praise.
The production team behind the film, Studio Ghibli, has long been known for its incredible work in the anime sphere, with titles such as Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, and Kiki’s Delivery Service each bringing the studio’s distinct artistic flair and style to life on the big screen. These films have become international hits for their ability to connect complex themes and images into incredibly personal and well constructed narratives.
The Boy and the Heron‘s title seems to reference a 1937 novel of the same name, written by famed Japanese author Genzaburō Yoshino. However, Studio Ghibli maintains that the film follows an original plot that is not connected to the events or characters in the novel, leaving many fans to wonder what thematic relationship the movie and novel share, if any.
Hayao Miyazaki serves as both the writer and director of The Boy and the Heron, having come fresh off the heels of his previous film, 2013’s The Wind Rises, which is based on his popular manga series.
Hayao Miyazaki has created countless anime classics, including Spirited Away, but The Boy and the Heron will be his final film with Studio Ghibli.
Since then, Miyazaki has continued to serve as the creative head of many aspects of Studio Ghibli’s work, contributing many pieces of written material, art, and animation to the Studio Ghibli museum.
Hayao Miyazaki first announced he was working on The Boy and the Heron in 2016, spending painstaking hours crafting and animating the incredible tale. The Boy and the Heron is set to be the very first Studio Ghibli movie to receive a simultaneous IMAX release, with screenings available in Dolby Atmos, Dolby Cinema, and DTS:X as well.
During its initial Japanese release, The Boy and the Heron sold over one million tickets, earning over $13 million in United States figures during its opening three-day weekend, marking it as a massive success.
The Boy and the Heron is set to be the very first Studio Ghibli movie to receive a simultaneous IMAX release, with screenings available in Dolby Atmos, Dolby Cinema, and DTS:X as well.
After being produced in full by Studio Ghibli, the film has been licensed to GKIDS for North American distribution and is slated to screen at The New York Film Festival beginning in September. From there, The Boy and the Heron is set to make the rounds across the film festival circuit, including appearances at the Toronto International Film Festival, The San Sebastian Film Festival, and others to follow.
Though these stills serve as the first look of The Boy and the Heron for international audiences, Studio Ghibli fans remain incredibly excited to catch the new film. For those who aren’t able to make the pilgrimage to the upcoming festivals in which The Boy and the Heron is set to premiere in, we’re sure there will be more news regarding a wider release very soon.
