Studio Ghibli is producing their first full CG-film titled Aya and the Witch. And the anime studio gave a first look. The movie is based on the children’s book Earwig and the Witch by the late British writer Diana Wynne Jones. She also wrote the book Howl’s Moving Castle, which was also turned into a Studio Ghibli anime film.
The new film, directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son Gorō, follows a young orphan girl named Aya (Earwig in the book). She’s been living at an orphanage since she was dropped off there as a baby. She gets adopted by a witch named Bella Yaga, who comes to the orphanage disguised as a foster parent. Aya is taken to Bella Yaga’s house filled with all sorts of magic. Assisted by a talking cat, Aya uses her wits to outsmart the witch.
Aya and the Witch will début on Japanese television broadcaster NHK later this year instead of a theatrical release, probably due to the COVID pandemic. The international distribution details have not been announced. It’s likely the film will make its way to North America via digital and physical media soon after since Studio Ghibli is skipping the theaters.
It’s likely there will be a theatrical release at some point, similar to the annual Studio Ghibli Fest by Fathom Events. GKIDS, the official American distributor of Studio Ghibli films will definitely want to get this film into the hands of fans and make a tidy profit. (How soon can I pre-order???)
A MAJOR DEPARTURE
This will be Studio Ghibli’s first film in six years. Aya and the Witch was supposed to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The annual event was cancelled, however, due to the COVID pandemic.
The film’s 3D CG-animated format is a major departure from Studio Ghibli’s traditional animation style. It will be interesting to see how the animation house translates their fantastical storytelling into this new medium. From what we see in the stills below, it appears Studio Ghibli will do just fine.
