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One of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s darkest and weighty films, Princess Mononoke, is returning to cinemas in the U.S. for a limited-time theatrical release for Studio Ghibli Fest 2024.
Via a press release, GKIDS and Fathom Events’ Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 continues with the iconic film Princess Mononoke, which arrives back in theaters in America for just five nights from July 13-17, 2024. Fans can watch Princess Mononoke in Japanese dubbed with English subtitles on July 13 at 3 p.m., July 15 at 7 p.m. and July 17 at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, the English dubbed release premieres on July 14 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., followed by another screening on July 16 at 7 p.m. Fans can get their tickets from the Ghibli Fest and Fathom Events official websites or participating theaters. Readers can check out GKIDS’ new Princess Mononoke trailer below.
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Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 is the largest edition of the event to date, with 14 films returning to American theaters this year. Princess Mononoke‘s limited-time run follows the re-releases of Spirited Away, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, The Secret World of Arrietty and When Marnie Was There. Princess Mononoke‘s English dubbed cast features Gillian Anderson (Moro), Billy Crudup (Ashitaka), Claire Danes (San), Minnie Driver (Lady Eboshi), Jada Pinkett Smith (Toki) and Billy Bob Thornton (Jigo).
Princess Mononoke’s Violence & Dark Themes Make It One of Ghibli’s Least Family-Friendly Movies
CBR’s 10 Darkest Studio Ghibli Movies, Ranked sees Princess Mononoke rank incredibly high. The film is noted for its graphic violence and weighty concepts, exploring the balance between humans and nature. In an interview with Hollywood, Miyazaki agreed that perhaps the film wasn’t suited for children below 10, but added (via Animerica) that children were perfectly aware of these debates. He posed the question of which cruel reality society valued more: one wild elephant, or the people who have to deal in ivory on the black market to survive. “We try to keep children from realizing that this is the way the world is; we tell them not to realize it and to live happy, cheerful lives,” he said. “That’s laughable, isn’t it? Children are perfectly aware of these things.” Many critics note that Ghibli’s tendency not to patronize young people sets the company apart from many other animation studios.
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GKIDS licenses Princess Mononoke in North America, describing it: “Inflicted with a deadly curse, the young warrior Ashitaka heads west in search of a cure. There, he stumbles into a bitter conflict between Lady Eboshi, the proud people of Iron Town, and the enigmatic Princess Mononoke, a young girl raised by wolves, who will stop at nothing to prevent the humans from destroying her home and the forest spirits and animal gods who live there.”
Source: Press release