'The Boy and the Heron' Breaks Box Office Records

After finally debuting in the United States, The Boy and the Heron (2023) has broken a major box office milestone for Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.

A boy holding a bow and arrow with a heron behind him — Credit: Studio Ghibli

Studio Ghibli is one of the most prestigious film studios in the world with multiple animated classics under its belt, including Princess Mononoke (1997), Spirited Away (2001), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), and Ponyo (2008). Studio Ghibli films have been nominated for six Academy Awards, winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2003.

While the penchant for quality dropped off after Earwig and the Witch (2020), Ghibli has seemed to return to its former prominence with the return of founder Hayao Miyazaki and his new film The Boy and The Heron.

The Boy and the Heron tells the story of Mahito Maki, a 12-year-old boy who is struggling to adapt to a new village after the death of his mother. However, once he learns she is still alive, he travels with a mysterious grey heron to a magical world to save her.

The Studio Ghibli movie is already considered a masterpiece, with gorgeous animation and stellar English voice performances by Luca Padovan (Mahito Maki), Robert Pattinson (the Grey Heron), Christian Bale (Shoichi Maki), Mark Hamill (Greatuncle), Florence Pugh (Kiriko), Willem Dafoe (Noble Pelican), and Dave Bautista (Parakeet King). And while it’s already a critical darling, it seems to be loved by audiences as well.

‘The Boy and the Heron’ is Number One at the Box Office

A man from inside a heron holding a rope in a grassy pathway — Credit: Studio Ghibli

In a surprising move most experts didn’t see coming, The Boy and the Heron has debuted in North America with over $12 million at the box office, the largest opening weekend for a Studio Ghibli film in the United States ever.

While $12 million may not seem impressive compared to the opening weekend totals of Barbie (2023), Oppenheimer (2023), and The Hunger Games: A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023), it was still large enough to become the first Hayao Miyazaki film to reach number one at the box office.

A woman being followed by a mob of older women carrying brooms — Credit: Studio Ghibli

This marks the fourth animated film this year to reach the top after The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023), Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), and PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023). It also continues 2023’s trend of excellent animated films alongside Nimona (2023), Elemental (2023), and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023).

The Boy and the Heron‘s success also marks a recent trend of Japanese films performing well in North America after the surprising success of Godzilla: Minus One (2023). Hopefully, this means we’ll see even more Japanese animation in the future.

What is your favorite Studio Ghibli film? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!