Studio Ghibli Films to Make Streaming Debut on HBO Max

Studio Ghibli’s film will be making their streaming debut not with Disney+, but HBO Max.

What’s happening:

  • Studio Ghibli’s slate of animated movies will be making their streaming debut, but interestingly, not with Disney+.
  • According to DeadlineHBO Max has acquired the U.S. streaming rights to 21 films from Studio Ghibli’s library.
  • This deal marks the first time the award winning Japanese studio has licensed their content to a streaming platform.  
  • With the number of streaming platform options growing, many have wondered where the films would land, with Disney+ seeming like a natural choice.
  • Disney held home media distribution rights as well as some theatrical distribution rights to Studio Ghibli films before New York based GKIDS took over.

What’s coming to HBO Max:

  • GKIDS owns distribution rights to all 21 Studio Ghibli movies:
    • Castle in the Sky
    • The Cat Returns
    • From Up On Poppy Hill
    • Howl’s Moving Castle
    • Kiki’s Delivery Service
    • My Neighbor Totoro
    • My Neighbors the Yamadas
    • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
    • Ocean Waves
    • Only Yesterday
    • Pom Poko
    • Ponyo
    • Porco Rosso
    • Princess Mononoke
    • The Secret World of Arrietty
    • Spirited Away
    • The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
    • Tales From Earthsea
    • When Marnie Was There
    • Whisper of the Heart
    • The Wind Rises  (launching fall 2020)
  • Most Studio Ghibli titles will be available on the HBO Max platform when it launches.

What they’re saying:

  • Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer, HBO Max and President, TNT, TBS, and truTV: “Studio Ghibli films are visually breathtaking, completely immersive experiences. Exciting, enchanting, and deeply humanistic, these wonderful films have captured people’s hearts around the world, and we are proud to showcase them in an accessible way for even more fans through HBO Max.”
  • Koji Hoshino, Chairman of Studio Ghibli: “We are excited to be working with HBO Max to bring the complete collection of Studio Ghibli films to streaming audiences in the US. As a premium content brand, HBO Max is an ideal home for our films. Upon launch of the service this spring, existing Ghibli fans will be able enjoy their favorites and delve deeper into the library, while whole new audiences will be able to discover our films for the first time.”