New Studio Ghibli Movie From Hayao Miyazaki Opening Summer 2023
Reports of Hayao Miyazaki's retirement have been greatly exaggerated ... again. The legendary Japanese animation filmmaker and Studio Ghibli co-founder has un-retired once more to direct "How Do You Live?," an animated movie that is said to be loosely based on the 1937 novel of the same name by Yoshino Genzaburō. A coming-of-age drama, the book centers on a 15-year-old boy who is left to grapple with the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything else in between after enduring hardships in both his personal life and at school.
If that sounds like the type of story that would make for a fitting swan song for a director of Miyazaki's repute, that's because it may actually end up being just that, but for real this time. Miyazaki has indicated his adaptation of Genzaburō's novel will be closer to a grand-scale fantasy than a simple YA drama, which again feels befitting of the mind behind movies like "My Neighbor Totoro," "Princess Mononoke," and "Spirited Away." And while it goes without saying, "How Do You Live?" also promises to be as poignant as Miyazaki films come. "I am making this movie because I do not have the answer [to the film's title]," as the filmmaker previously put it.
While he might not have the answer to that particular question (don't be too hard on yourself, Hayao ol' buddy, most of us are still working that one out for ourselves), at least we now know when the film will be hitting theaters in Japan. Studio Ghibli has confirmed the movie will arrive there in the summer of 2023, with the plans for its international rollout yet to be revealed.
How do you live? Find out next year!
Studio Ghibli took to Twitter to officially announce that "How Do You Live?" is Hayao Miyazaki's next (and, again, maybe this time for real, last?) feature film and will arrive in theaters in Japan on July 14, 2023. The studio also included a one-sheet that features some type of fantastical bird-like creature from the movie.
The new feature film from director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli has been announced! HOW DO YOU LIVE (tentative title) opens in theaters in Japan on July 14, 2023. https://t.co/fHnLM6epTS
— Studio Ghibli (@GhibliUSA) December 13, 2022
This announcement comes at a pretty busy time over at Studio Ghibli. The company, which was founded in 1985, only just recently shocked the world by dropping the animated short "Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies" in time for the three-year-anniversary of "The Mandalorian," bringing together the eponymous "Star Wars" character (i.e. The Artist Formerly Known as Baby Yoda) and the dust bunnies from "Spirited Away" for a cute little piece of hand-drawn animation that was crafted by longtime Ghibli director and animator Katsuya Kondō ("Kiki's Delivery Service," "Ocean Waves"). Elsewhere, a theme park based on the studio's creations, Ghibli Park, recently opened in Nagakute, Aichi, Japan, after pandemic-related complications delayed its originally-planned opening at the top of this year.
/Film will bring you more information on "How Do You Live?" (including news about its U.S. release) as it becomes available.