Hayao Miyazaki's 'The Boy and the Heron' to premiere in Philippine cinemas in January

For the first time, a Hayao Miyazaki film is hitting Philippine cinemas!

"The Boy and the Heron" will premiere in local theaters on January 8, 2024, according to an announcement by Encore Films Philippines.

The film is set after World War II. Based on its latest trailer, it features Miyazaki's signature whimsical art and fantastical worlds.

It follows a boy named Mahito, who lost his mom in the bombings of Tokyo. When he and his father move to the countryside, he encounters a talking heron which leads him to another world with the promise of meeting his mother again.

"The Boy and the Heron" film will be released 10 years after Miyazaki retired from filmmaking after working on "The Wind Rises" in 2013.

Four years later, however, Miyazaki revealed that he was working on "The Boy and the Heron."

Among Miyazaki's iconic works include "Spirited Away," "My Neighbor Totoro," "Howl's Moving Castle," and "Princess Mononoke."

—JCB, GMA Integrated News