The entire streaming landscape is changing, quickly. Entertainment companies are trying to reclaim their rightful franchises so that they can stream it on their own services. NBC paid billions of dollars to rebuy the rights to The Office, and WB did the same so that Friends and The Big Bang Theory could be streamed on HBO Max, while Disney let the deal they had with Netflix expire so that they could get their content back so that it could be streamed on Disney+. And WB’s latest move only leaves fewer franchises left for mainstream streaming sites like Netflix.
WB has acquired the streaming rights to all of the Studio Ghibli films, which will now be added to their HBO Max streaming services. More on the report below.
One of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki‘s many Studio Ghibli animated classics, Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi), which won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature, is set to return to theaters soon.
It’s been announced that the film will be returning to cinemas in celebration of its 15th anniversary. There will be two screenings. The first is on December 4th, and that one will be the English dubbed version. The second is on December 5th, and will be the original Japanese version with English subtitles. Both will also include a short film that’s never been released in North America.
You can find all the info on the screenings below.
Miyazaki’s Spirited Away Blu-ray | DVD
Directed and Written by Hayao Miyazaki
English Voice Cast: Daveigh Chase, Lauren Holly, Michael Chiklis, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Mardsen Disney Presents Studio Ghibli
Rated PG | 125 Minutes
Release Date: June 16, 2015
I’ve long been a fan of Disney films. They have a ridiculously spectacular track record, both in quality and sales. So why then would Disney reach out to a Japanese creator for access to that director’s catalog of animated works? Well, when that person happens to be Hayao Miyazaki it all becomes clear. Arguably the greatest animator to ever breathe, he has been celebrated the world over. And one work of his stands out even among the masterpieces he has brought to life. I speak, of course, of Spirited Away. Not only did it win the 2002 Oscar for Best Animated Film, it is the highest grossing film in Japanese history. Intrigued yet? Of course you are, so read on.
Comic-Con is the one place where geek collectors go mad, and if you like to collect pop culture art pieces, then you will no doubt be at the Mondo booth at this year’s convention in San Diego in just a few days, waiting in line to score an exclusive piece from them. This year won’t be any different from any other year, as Mondo will be releasing limited edition posters that you only can get at the con.
Artists like Drew Struzan, Martin Ansin, and Olly Moss will be there to sign their one of a kind pieces for those who are able to get them. They will be there to sign The Dark Tower, Conan the Barbarian, Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, respectively. There will also be four kinds of posters for Pacific Rim. But of course, that is only the tip of the iceberg. We should expect very big things to be happening over at the booth.
You can check out a preview of all of these posters, their specs, and their prices here after the jump.
Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press