A brand new The Boy and the Heron poster for Studio Ghibli’s latest animated fantasy has been revealed, teasing the global releases of Hayao Miyazaki’s newest movie.
Ahead of its U.S. theatrical debut on December 8, the coming-of-age drama will first release in theaters across Taiwan, Spain, and France. Prior to its world premiere in Japan last July, the film didn’t received any trailers, images, and synopses as part of the studio’s experimental marketing strategy. It was then followed by its international debut at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
What is The Boy and the Heron?
“Through encounters with his friends and uncle, follows a teenage boy’s psychological development,” reads the synopsis. “He enters a magical world with a talking grey heron after finding an abandoned tower in his new town.”
The Boy and the Heron (originally titled How Do You Live) is written and directed by Miyazaki and serves as his first directorial project in a decade. He’s best known for directing classics like My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Ponyo. The hand-drawn animated film features the voices of Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda (The Backwater), singer Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura (Confessions), Shōhei Hino (As Long as We Both Shall Live), Ko Shibasaki (47 Ronin), Takuya Kimura (Howl’s Moving Castle), and more.
It is produced by Studio Ghibli founder Toshio Suzuki. Its musical score hails from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi, and the film’s theme song, “Spinning Globe,” was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.
