On July 14, 2023, the new film “The Boy and the Heron“, previously known as “How Do You Live?”, opened in Japanese movie theaters. Meanwhile, the opening weekend’s attendance figures are in.
Over 1 Million Visitors
“The Boy and the Heron” has already attracted 1.35 million moviegoers in its first four days, bringing in about 2.14 billion yen (about 13.75 million euros), making it the strongest opening weekend ever for a Hayao Miyazaki film.
In addition, IMAX Corporation announced that the IMAX version of the flick grossed approximately $1.7 million (circa €1.51 million) in its first weekend, marking the highest-grossing IMAX release of all time in Japan for the film, which was also the first Studio Ghibli film to receive an IMAX version.
These numbers don’t exactly come as expected; after all, Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki announced last month that there would be no trailers or advertising on TV, in theaters or in newspapers prior to the release of the new evening filler. Details about the plot, voice cast and contributors to the production were also not revealed in advance.
The Boy and the Heron, which runs about 124 minutes, was directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who also wrote the screenplay, and produced at Studio Ghibli. Takeshi Honda designed the characters and served as animation director, while Joe Hisaishi composed the music.
The Boy and the Heron Visual:
Storyline:
After Mahito loses his mother during an incendiary bombing of Tokyo in World War II, he moves to the countryside with his father, where he marries his late wife’s pregnant sister. As Mahito struggles with his situation, he encounters a talking heron and enters another world where, according to a promise, he can see his mother again.
Via Mantan Web
