Studio Ghibli's The Boy And The Heron Just Made History At The Box Office
More than 40 years into his storied career as a director, Hayao Miyazaki has himself a number-one hit at the box office in North America. The filmmaker's widely acclaimed return to the director's chair, "The Boy and the Heron," was finally released in the U.S. over the weekend and, thanks to a unique set of circumstances, the film took the top spot on the charts. In the process, it set several records and said much about the state of moviegoing in the pandemic era.
Studio Ghibli's "The Boy and the Heron," which is being distributed by GKIDS in the States, debuted at number one with a $12.9 million haul, per The Numbers. It has also earned $84 million internationally to date, giving it a $97 million running global total. It was, admittedly, a very quiet weekend with no major Hollywood releases hitting screens. That gave Miyazaki's latest an unexpected chance to take the spotlight. With this significant debut, it became the first original Japanese animated film ever to top the charts in the U.S. Yes, we've had other anime films open at number one, but those have all been part of pre-existing franchises such as "Demon Slayer" or "Dragon Ball."
The film centers on Mahito, a young boy who, after his mother is killed during WWII, moves to his family's estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events leads him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito's new stepmother disappears one day, he undertakes an epic journey with the heron as his guide in a mysterious world shared by the living and the dead. It is Miyazaki's first feature film since 2013's "The Winds Rises."
The Boy and the Heron's performance is a watershed moment for Japanese cinema
So, what went right for "The Boy and the Heron?" For one, it was a ridiculously quiet weekend. The fact a movie was able to take the top spot with about $13 million says a lot. This is the calm before the holiday season storm, with "Wonka" opening this upcoming weekend and "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" arriving the weekend after. While theater owners wait for those movies to come to the rescue, Japan is filling the void with acclaimed movies garnering "must-see" buzz. To that end, Miyazaki's latest has been met with near-universal praise from critics (read our review here) and earned an A- CinemaScore.
Speaking to the same point, "Godzilla Minus One" also had a stellar second weekend, taking in $8.3 million and landing in the number three spot just behind "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" ($9.4 million). It marks the first time in documented box office history that two of the top three films in the U.S. were Japanese productions. It's pretty damn remarkable, especially considering the relatively modest marketing pushes for each of these films.
Circling back to "The Boy and the Heron," this performance also speaks volumes about Miyazaki's reputation. He is one of the most celebrated filmmakers alive, with classics such as "Spirited Away" and "Kiki's Delivery Service" (among many others) under his belt. In the decade since his last feature, his reputation has only grown. The fact that he made his unexpected return fueled excitement for the film. It also didn't hurt that audiences could either watch the Japanese-language version or an English dub with a star-studded cast. Either way, at 82 years old, Miyazaki is having a sorely deserved moment in the sun.
We spoke about this on today's episode of the /Film Daily podcast, which you can listen to below:
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"The Boy and the Heron" is in theaters now.