Meet the English cast of From Up on Poppy Hill

An article published by Variety has revealed the English language cast of Gorō Miyazaki's From Up on Poppy Hill, set for a North American theatrical release on March 15, 2013.

From Up on Poppy Hill recording session (source)

 

The article, published today, adds to the list of names previously revealed by various media sources.  As it stands, the cast includes Gillian Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Bruce Dern, Christina Hendricks, Ron Howard, Chris Noth, Aubrey Plaza, Anton Yelchin, Sarah Bolger, Beau Bridges, Jeff Dunham, Isabelle Fuhrman, Emily Osment, Charles Saxton, and Alex Wolff.  Gary Rydstrom, director of the English language versions of Tales from Earthsea and The Secret World of Arrietty, returns as director for this project, along with Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, who served as executive products of Ponyo and The Secret World of Arrietty.

Recording took place as recently as August 24, 2012 (source)

 

As reported previously, GKIDS will handle theatrical and home video distribution of the film in North America, making in the first time a new Studio Ghibli title will not be released by Disney.  I was personally able to confirm a North America theatrical release date of March 13, 2012 in New York and Los Angeles, with "more cities opening every week after that."  Here's hoping that the film enjoys a wide release and long run so that fans everywhere get a chance to enjoy what appears to be another heartwarming classic from Studio Ghibli.

Disney's The Secret World of Arrietty official trailer

Walt Disney Pictures has released the official trailer for The Secret World of Arrietty, which makes its North American theatrical debut February 17, 2012.  Check it out:

Spotlight on Studio Ghibli in L.A.

If you're going to be in the Los Angeles area in late November, here's your chance to see two classic Studio Ghibli films on the big screen for the first time in years!

Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986)

On November 26, 2011, Film Independent at LACMA will host "Spotlight on Studio Ghibli," a one-night event celebrating two of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's most acclaimed classics, Castle in the Sky and Spirited Away.  Both films are celebrating anniversaries this year and will be screened using a brand new 35mm print with original Japanese audio and English subtitles.

Spirited Away (2001)

The Studio Ghibli event ends a month-long celebration of film at LACMA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.  According to their website, "the inclusive series offers unique film experiences, bringing together Film Independent’s large community of filmmakers and wide spectrum of audiences, with LACMA’s commitment to presenting cinema in an artistic and historical context."

Tickets are $10 for the general public.  For showtimes, please check out LACMA's website.

The Secret World of Arrietty

Walt Disney Pictures will release Studio Ghibli's 2010 film The Borrower Arrietty (also known as Arrietty in the UK) in North American theaters as The Secret World of Arrietty on February 17, 2012.  The film is based on the novel The Borrowers by Mary Norton.

The North American English dub features the voices of Bridgit Mendler (Disney's Good Luck Charlie) as title character Arrietty and David Henrie (Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place) as Shō, the boy who discovers and befriends Arrietty.  Also included in the voice cast are Amy Poehler, Carol Burnett, Matt Levin, Will Arnett, and frequent Ghibli dub star Tress MacNeille (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Kiki's Delivery Service, Pom Poko).

Bridgit Mendler as Arrietty. (source)

The Secret World of Arrietty marks the directorial debut of Hiromasa Yonebayashi , an animator at Studio Ghibli whose credits include work on Hayao Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle, Spirited Away, and Ponyo.  Miyazaki co-wrote the screenplay and served as production planner for the film, which was produced by Toshio Suzuki. 

With the recent resurgence of interest in hand-drawn animation, thanks in part to the highly successfully re-release of Disney's The Lion King in 3D, I'm hoping that Arrietty does well with US audiences.  By the time February rolls around, it will have been about 2-1/2 years since the last Ghibli release stateside, Ponyo.  I'm also hoping Disney releases a few more Blu-ray titles from the Ghibli canon in an effort to drum up interest in this theatrical release.  After the US Blu-ray debut Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind last March, there hasn't been a peep from Disney as to when we'll see Castle in the Sky and/or My Neighbors the Yamadas on Blu-ray here.  With additional Blu-ray titles being announced in Japan on a fairly regular basis, Disney is falling behind!