GKIDS and IMAX® Announce New Studio Ghibli 4K Restorations to Debut Exclusively in IMAX Locations Across North America
Following The Success of This Year's IMAX Release of "Princess Mononoke", IMAX And GKIDS Continue Their Partnership with Multiple Studio Ghibli Titles Planned For 2026
GKIDS, the producer and distributor of artist-driven and award-winning animation from around the world, and IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX), an innovator in entertainment technology, announce an expanded partnership to bring further 4K Studio Ghibli restorations to North American theaters in 2026 and beyond. The announcement comes after the highly successful IMAX release of "Princess Mononoke," which is the second-highest grossing vault release ever for IMAX. The next Studio Ghibli title to be released under the agreement will debut in IMAX in 2026, with more details to come.
The IMAX versions of the films are being created from new 4K restorations directly overseen by Studio Ghibli's own Atsushi Okui, who has been involved in nearly every major Studio Ghibli project since he first started in 1993. Okui's most recent credit with Studio Ghibli was as Director of Digital Imaging on Miyazaki's Academy Award®-winning feature "The Boy and the Heron," which was also the first Studio Ghibli film to screen in IMAX.
"GKIDS is thrilled to extend our relationship with IMAX for more Studio Ghibli releases," said Eric Beckman, CEO of GKIDS. "As a company, GKIDS is a champion of the shared theatrical experience – and what better way for fans to experience the unparalleled visual beauty, immersive worlds, and deeply humanistic storytelling of Studio Ghibli than in IMAX. The original picture and sound elements are being lovingly and meticulously restored in 4K by Studio Ghibli and we are beyond excited to be able to share the results with North American audiences."
"Studio Ghibli has long been synonymous with exceptional storytelling and a devoted global fanbase, and we're ready to build on our strong foundation with the studio as we partner with GKIDS to bring some of its most celebrated titles to IMAX," said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX. "As animation continues to thrive as a box office and cultural force, IMAX is poised to meet that demand at scale as the industry's only truly global platform for cinema."
GKIDS handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films across all theatrical, home video, digital, and streaming platforms. The company has released Studio Ghibli's most recent films in theaters nationwide, including the Academy Award-winning "The Boy and the Heron," the Academy Award-nominated "The Tale of The Princess Kaguya," the Academy Award-nominated "When Marnie Was There," "From Up on Poppy Hill" and more. Since 2017, GKIDS has produced the annual Ghibli Fest, a monthly nationwide theatrical program of Studio Ghibli film screenings in over 1000 theaters across the country. IMAX and GKIDS have been partnered since 2021 on a wide collection of titles, including the groundbreaking 2023 title "The Boy and The Heron."
About Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, inspiring filmmakers and audiences alike over the last 40 years with beloved stories and breathtaking visuals. Under the brilliance of visionary animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio's films are known for timeless classics such as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Ponyo; and have won countless international awards including two Academy Awards® for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away and The Boy and the Heron, as well as five additional Oscar® nominations for Howl's Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There, and The Red Turtle. Director and studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki was separately given an Honorary Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governors Awards in 2014, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures paid tribute to his artwork with a special exhibit when the Museum opened in September 2021.
About GKIDS:
GKIDS is the Academy Award-winning producer and distributor of artist-driven and award-winning animation from around the world. After an astounding 13 Best Animated Feature nominations, the company took home the Oscar in 2024 for Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's acclaimed feature, The Boy and the Heron. The company's previous nominations include The Secret of Kells in 2010, A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita in 2012, Ernest & Celestine in 2014, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya and Song of the Sea in 2015, Boy and the World and When Marnie Was There in 2016, My Life as a Zucchini in 2017, The Breadwinner in 2018, Mirai in 2019, Wolfwalkers in 2021, and The Boy and the Heron in 2024.
As a leader of the "animation is film" movement, GKIDS has been instrumental in shaping the landscape for feature animation in the US and globally. GKIDS is the North American home of Japan's legendary Studio Ghibli as well as the works of many of the world's top animation filmmakers including Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, Weathering With You), Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress), Tomm Moore (Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers), Mamoru Hosoda (Mirai, Wolf Children), and many others. Recent and upcoming GKIDS releases include Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, Mamoru Oshii's Angel's Egg, and All You Need is Kill from Warner Brothers Japan and Studio 4°C, as well as the groundbreaking hit series DAN DA DAN, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION and Arcane: League of Legends. More recently, GKIDS has begun live action film distribution, including Shin Godzilla from director Hideaki Anno and co-director Shinji Higuchi, and Japan's record-breaking box office phenomenon, Kokuho, which is Japan's 2025 Oscar entry for Best International Feature. GKIDS also produces the annual Ghibli Fest national theatrical event and is the founder and producer of ANIMATION IS FILM, the annual LA-based film festival that has become the premier US showcase for feature animation.
www.gkids.com
@GKIDSFilms
About IMAX Corporation:
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture, and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX systems to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, making IMAX's network among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of September 30, 2025, there were 1,829 IMAX systems (1,759 commercial multiplexes, 10 commercial destinations, 60 institutional locations) operating in 89 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "1970".
IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, Experience It In IMAX®, The IMAX Experience®, DMR®, Filmed For IMAX®, IMAX Live®, IMAX Enhanced® and IMAX VisionScienceTM are trademarks and trade names of the Company or its subsidiaries that are registered or otherwise protected under laws of various jurisdictions. For more information, visit www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Instagram (www.instagram.com/imax), Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/imax), X (www.twitter.com/imax), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).
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42West for GKIDS:
310-477-4442 | [email protected]
www.gkids.com/press
For IMAX:
Mark Jafar
[email protected]