GKIDS Acquires Ghibli Catalog
Art-house family film distributor GKIDS has acquired the theatrical and non-home video distribution rights to 13 Studio Ghibli films produced from 1984 to 2002. Walt Disney Pictures retains domestic home video rights to 12 of the 13 films. GKIDS’ acquisition of I Can Hear the Ocean is the first time the film has been licensed for American release. GKIDS will distribute the films in subtitled and dubbed versions beginning with a 10th anniversary and 25th anniversary screenings of Spirited Away & Laputa, respectively, at this month’s New York Film Festival before beginning limited nationwide theatrical roll-outs later this year.
The 13 films GKIDS acquired are: Nausicaa, Laputa, Totoro, Kiki, Only Yesterday, Porco Rosso, I Can Hear the Ocean, Pom Poko, Whisper of the Heart, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Spirited Away, and The Cat Returns.
Source: Anime News Network
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Good news, but not a lot to get excited about… GKIDS will screen the movies at their own theatrical events, and that’s largely it. After all, we know those limited theatrical runs nationwide work out so well.
Well, Ghibli movie screenings actually do saw significant crowds in the U.S. when they’re informed about ’em. I just don’t want them to rely on Fathom for distribution.
More importantly, this might drive up interest and get Disney to actually release more of the catalog in bluray. I’ve been waiting for BluRay Laputa for a very long time.
^^ it’ll probably arrive soon seeing that Nausicaa just came out on US blu-ray, but if you can’t wait, you can always import the region-free Japanese blu-ray, which includes subs & dubs in many languages.
I’m waiting for more Isao Takahata movies to arrive… so far we have My Neighbor the Yamadas (on Japanese blu-ray)