The Japanese fantasy animated film The Boy and the Heron/ How Do You Live will be released on December 8, 2023, in US theaters.
The animated film The Boy and the Heron is directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki and was first released in Japan on July 14, 2023. Studio Ghibli produced the film, and it was distributed by Toho.
The film’s Japanese name is How Do You Live and it is based on the 1937 book of the same name written by Genzaburo Yoshino. However, the film has its own independent story from the book. The film has a different character and plot than the book.
What is the release date of The Boy and the Heron?
On December 13, 2022, Japanese film studio Toho announced that the latest Studio Ghibli movie, “The Boy and the Heron,” would be released in Japan on July 14, 2023. The film was released without the typical movie marketing of trailers and posters. Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki made this decision with the idea that audiences would want the experience to be less obvious so that they could experience it as it unfolds.
The identities of the film’s cast and crew were mostly kept secret until the release date. Film director Hayao Miyazaki’s message, which he read out after a test screening in February 2023, said that he did not completely understand the film himself. This further intensified the mystery surrounding the film.
“The Boy and the Heron” was pre-sold to overseas distributors without a concrete release date. GKIDS acquired the North American rights and will have the greatest release in the company's history. The film is scheduled to premiere in the United States on December 8, 2023.
In September 2023, the movie premiered internationally at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was the first animated film to open the film festival globally.
What is the storyline of The Boy and the Heron?
Mahito Maki is the main character of the story and he is a Japanese boy. His mother died in a bombing attack in Tokyo during World War II, and his family was forced to relocate to the suburbs. His dad remarried to Natsuko, his mom’s sister and Mahito was finding it hard to adapt to life and was lonely.
One day, Mahito discovered an abandoned house with the book “How to Live?” in it. He met with a talking gray heron who assured him that his mother was not dead and had been waiting for him in the woods behind the house. Mahito followed the heron into the deserted house, which had been constructed by Mahito’s great-grandfather.
FAQs
A. The Boy and Heron will be released in theaters in America on December 8, 2023.
A. Studio Ghibli's movie The Boy and the Heron is coming out on December 8, 2023, in America.
A. The Boy and Heron is already dubbed in English.
