Studio Ghibli found a new home for its first CG-animated film Earwig and the Witch in GKIDS and it will be in theaters and on HBO Max.
GKIDS announced that it acquired Earwig and the Witch's distribution rights for North America giving the Studio Ghibli animated film release date and a title apt for its American audience. Originally, in Japan, the title of the anime is Aya and the Witch.
With GKIDS, Earwig and the Witch will be in the care of Director Goro Miyazaki, known for directing From Up on Poppy Hill and the first full-fledged 3D animation of the studio for 35 years.
After seven years from its last release, When Marnie Was There, Studio Ghibli is back and even with the first images released were quite disappointing, the excitement lingers for Earwig and the Witch.
Earwig and the Witch was supposedly part of the 2020 Cannes Film Festival as part of the selected films, its premiere was canceled as is the film festival due to the pandemic.
Although delayed by a few months, Earwig and the Witch finally now have the avenue to make it to the public. Japanese audiences were the first ones to view the film via NHK last winter of 2020. US audience will get it in 2021.
Goyo Mirazaki shared her sentiments on Earwig and the Witch saying that while it may be a cheeky film, she hopes that Earwig will be able to get through the children in dealing with adults and for the adults to enjoy the film as well.
David Jesteadt, president of GKIDS, expressed his excitement with Earwig and the Witch. He said, "a new Studio Ghibli film is always a cause for celebration for fans around the world." With the new animation style for the film, Jesteadt looks forward to the release of the film.
Earwig and the Witch Plot
Earwig is a girl who grew up in an orphanage not knowing that her birth mother had magical powers. As Earwig gets adopted by a strange family, her life takes a whole turn as she will have to live with a selfish witch and she discovers spells, potions, and a mysterious song that may lead her to the family she always dreamed of.
Earwig and the Witch Book
The film will be based on a children's novel of the same name written by Dianna Wynne Jones. The book is about Earwig, an orphan with a surprising amount of power over those who are with her in St Morwald's Home for Children. While most orphanages are horrible, Earwig simply loves it there.
Bella Yaga, a strange demon-attended Mandrake, adopted Earwig even when it's the last thing Earwig would want. Since Earwig wants to learn magic, she needs to channel all her ingenuity and help from someone familiar to survive.
Earwig and the Witch Trailer
Earwig and the Witch's trailer was released by GKIDS as a Christmas treat where the new style of animation for the film is shown. The trailer was then released by HBO Max on their official YouTube Channel last January 14.
The trailer features snippets of the life of Earwig and the challenges that she will be facing in her new life outside the orphanage.
Being the first CG-animated film of Studio Ghibli, the style of Earwig and the Witch is entirely different than that of its previous releases like When Marnie Was There and Spirited Away.
Earwig and the Witch Voice Cast
The English dub for Earwig and the Witch features Taylor Paige Henderson as Earwig, Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves as Earwig's mother and Dan Stevens as Thomas, Oscar-nominated actor Richard E. Grant as the Mandrake, Vanessa Marshall as Bella Yaga, Pandora Colin as Matron, Alex Cartañá as Assistant Matron, Tom Bromhead as Cook, Eva Kaminsky as Assistant Cook, JB Blanc as Mr. Jenkins, Logan Hannan as Custard, Summer Jenkins as Phyllis, and Vivienne Rutherford as Sally.
Earwig and the Witch on HBO Max
As the exclusive US streaming platform of Studio Ghibli, HBO Max will allow its users and subscribers to be able to watch the newest addition to the Studio Ghibli library, its first CG-Animated film, Earwig and the Witch.
Earwig and the Witch Release Date
Earwig's adventure awaits the big screen as its original release was supposed to be in the 2020 Cannes Film Festival. Due to the pandemic, both the release of the film and the film festival were canceled and Earwig got a slight delay.
For Japanese viewers, Earwig and the Witch was a Christmas treat as it was released in Japan last winter 2020 on NHK.
Earwig and the Witch are scheduled for a theatrical release on February 3, 2021, with both English dubs and subtitles via Fathom Events. It would be followed by its release on February 5, 2021, via HBO Max.
Related: Studio Ghibli's First 3D-Animated Movie Releasing Later This Year
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