The Boy and The Heron, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, has surpassed expectations at the box office over the weekend, boasting an impressive $12.8 million opening.
Although it might appear modest for a top-ranking film, it’s a remarkable achievement, marking the highest domestic opening ever for both GKIDS, the American distributor of indie animation titles, and Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio. Additionally, The Boy and The Heron secures its place as Academy Award winner Miyazaki’s best domestic opening to date, coming within $5 million of surpassing his highest-grossing domestic release record, currently held by 2008’s Ponyo with $15.7 million.
The Boy and the Heron signifies Miyazaki’s surprising comeback to the big screen after an absence of over a decade. The acclaimed filmmaker, known for classics such as Spirited Away, declared his retirement in 2013 following the release of his previous film, The Wind Rises.
The international rollout of Robert Pattison’s movie has been gradual but successful, accumulating a total of $84 million, with a substantial $56 million of that figure originating from Japan.
