Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron opens strong in Japan – The Hollywood Reporter

Hayao Miyazaki

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It turns out that Hayao Miyazaki had nothing to worry about.

Ahead of the release of his latest highly anticipated featurette, The boy and the heron, in Japan on Friday, the legendary animator was reported to have expressed some concerns about Studio Ghibli’s unprecedented plan to do absolutely no marketing for the film — no trailers, no TV spots, not even a plot synopsis or cast. Two weeks prior to release, Ghibli founder and president Toshio Suzuki open At an event in Tokyo, Miyazaki was a little nervous about the decision not to publicize what is expected to be his last film. “I believe in you, Mr. Suzuki,” said Miyazaki. “But I’m worried…”

Suzuki reportedly defended his strategy by saying, “In my opinion, in this age of too much information, lack of information is entertainment. I don’t know if that will work. But for me, I believe it.”

Needless to say, Miyazaki may now feel reassured.

The boy and the heron He earned $13.2 (1.83 billion yen) from Friday to Sunday, according to ComScore. Palin, this is the biggest opening in Studio Ghibli history Howl’s Moving CastleFirst appearance of 1.48 billion yen in 2004 (the yen is currently trading at a historic weakness compared to the dollar, so when exchanged for dollars, howling Actually a little more than $14 million). in emacs, The boy and the heron It opened to 1.7 million dollars from 44 screens, setting a new 3-day record for a giant screen player in Japan.

Japan is known for its slow-burning theatrical market, so a film’s commentary and word of mouth tend to be far more important than its initial impact. From its $14 million start, Howl’s Moving Castlefor example, it eventually rose to $190 million over a 407-day domestic release.

No major western outlets have been reviewed The boy and the heron So far, but Japan-based media has described the film as offering an experience of “truly astounding” visual beauty and deep philosophical messages. Overall, the movie is summed up as more adult and darker than much of the Ghibli catalog – and will likely require repeated viewings to fully appreciate.

The boy and the heron It will be released in North America by specialty distributor GKIDS later this year. On the festival circuit, insiders are already buzzing about a potential international premiere at the upcoming Venice Film Festival, where Miyazaki premiered Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008) and The wind rises (2013) all received their first performances outside Japan.