After a long wait, fans finally see a glimpse of Hayao Miyazaki’s final film for Studio Ghibli, The Boy and The Heron. After releasing a teaser preview, GKIDS Films, a film distributor that works for the movie’s international release, has dropped the first-ever trailer for Miyazaki’s highly anticipated movie, along with its official release date.
Ever since Miyazaki’s final feature film was announced, no promotional stints were made for the movie before it was released in Japanese theaters in July. Luckily for international fans, Studio Ghibli has dropped several preview stills for The Boy and The Heron and given a good look at its trailer, and it’s every inch enigmatic.
The over-one-minute trailer starts with a fire while Mahito runs and looks for his mother. In the next scene, a woman invites Mahito to go when he notices a heron flying behind him. He then sees a bunch of women who gather mysteriously and part ways when they see him.
“Where death comes to an end,” the preview flashes after a strange tunnel lights up and different creatures come up. “Life finds a new beginning,” it continues, as various scenes play that are true to Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s style flash.
“About time you came,” a bizarre voice says while a light flashes, while Mahito stands in the dark. You can see the trailer below:
What is The Boy and The Heron about?
A previous teaser trailer reveals the official synopsis of The Boy and The Heron. The movie follows the story of Mahito, who has been yearning to see his mother again. However, he ends up in a different world, where both the living and the dead live.
There will be no death in this place, and life will find a new beginning. As the preview describes, this feature will be a “semi-autobiographical fantasy about life, death, and creation” that will give tribute to the story of friendship from Miyazaki himself.
When will The Boy and The Heron be released?
The Boy and The Heron was already released in Japan on July 14 with the Japanese title How Do You Live. It will be then screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, which will be held from September 7 to 17, the 71st San Sebastian International Film Festival in Spain, from September 22 to 30, and the 61st New York Film Festival in the US, from September 29 to October 15.
And finally, its nationwide release will be held on December 8. As this will serve as the final film of Miyazaki, who has received international acclaim for being a masterful storyteller, many will surely look out for this.
