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Studio Ponoc's The Imaginary Film Delayed From Summer Release

The official website for Studio Ponoc's anime film adaptation of A.F. Harrold and Emily Gravett's The Imaginary novel announced on Wednesday the studio has delayed the film due to "new challenges" stemming from the film's production methods and the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement did not reveal a new release date for the film.

The film was originally slated to open this summer.

The film's title in Japan is Yaneura no Rudger (Rudger in the Attic).

Yoshiyuki Momose ("Life Ain't Gonna Lose" short in Ponoc's Modest Heroes anime anthology, Ni no Kuni film, Ponoc's Olympic Games short "Tomorrow's Leaves") is directing the film. Yoshiaki Nishimura — a producer on numerous Studio Ghibli films, as well as Ponoc films Mary and The Witch's Flower and Modest Heroes — is producing the film.

Bloomsbury Publishing released A.F. Harrold's original The Imaginary novel in 2001 with illustrations by Emily Gravett. The publisher describes the novel:

Rudger is Amanda Shuffleup's imaginary friend. Nobody else can see Rudger--until the evil Mr. Bunting arrives at Amanda's door. Mr. Bunting hunts imaginaries. Rumor has it that he even eats them. And now he's found Rudger.

Soon Rudger is alone, and running for his imaginary life. He needs to find Amanda before Mr. Bunting catches him--and before Amanda forgets him and he fades away to nothing. But how can an unreal boy stand alone in the real world?

Sources: The Imaginary anime film's website, Comic Natalie