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Earwig and the Witch Film Rescheduled for August 27 in Japanese Theaters After COVID-19 Delay

posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Ghibli's CG feature delayed from original April 29 opening

The official website for Earwig and the Witch, Goro Miyazaki's anime of Diana Wynne Jones' novel of the same name and Studio Ghibli's first CG feature, announced on Thursday that the film's theatrical screenings in Japan will now start on August 27.

The film was slated to open in Japan on April 29, but the film's opening was delayed until further notice due to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Goro Miyazaki's anime adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones' novel of the same name premiered on Japanese television through NHK General on December 30. His father and studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki are credited for the movie's planning and development. Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki produced the film. French distributor Wild Bunch International is serving as the feature's international sales agent.

GKIDS and Fathom Events began screening the film in 430 theaters in the United States on February 3. The film ranked at #11 in the United States in its opening weekend, earning US$99,941 for a total of US$132,768. The film screened in Japanese with English subtitles and in English. HBO Max began streaming the film on February 5 in the U.S. GKIDS releaseed the film on digital platforms on March 23 and on Blu-ray Disc on April 6.

Jones published the novel in 2011, and publisher HarperCollins describes the story:

Not every orphan would love living at St. Morwald's Home for Children, but Earwig does. She gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants it, and it's been that way since she was dropped on the orphanage doorstep as a baby. But all that changes the day Bella Yaga and the Mandrake come to St. Morwald's, disguised as foster parents. Earwig is whisked off to their mysterious house full of invisible rooms, potions, and spell books, with magic around every corner. Most children would run in terror from a house like that . . . but not Earwig. Using her own cleverness—with a lot of help from a talking cat—she decides to show the witch who's boss.

Sources: Earwig and the Witch film's website, The Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web


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