The Boy and the Heron may not be Hayao Miyazaki’s final movie

Studio Ghibli co-founder and director Hayao Miyazaki has talked about retiring for many years, but now it seems as though his final film, The Boy and the Heron, might not be so final after all.

Back in 2018, it was revealed that both Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki had a new film in the works, though production was not expected to be complete for another few years. During this time, it was suspected to be Miyazaki’s final film, having reemerged from his supposed retirement for another shot in the director’s chair.

Miyazaki first suggested he wanted to retire after the release of his 1997 film Princess Mononoke, with an official retirement announcement not following until 2013. Since then, Miyazaki has dipped in and out of filmmaking separately but hasn’t made anything under the studio’s name since the 2013 film The Wind Rises.

With both The Wind Rises and The Boy and the Heron both thought to be Miyazaki’s final film 10 years apart, reports from the North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival suggest that fans could have the wrong idea once again.

Hayao Miyazaki might make another movie after The Boy and the Heron

According to Studio Ghibli’s Vice President Junichi Nishioka, The Boy and the Heron might not be the last time fans see Hayao Miyazaki’s work on the big screen.

While speaking on the red carpet of the film’s TIFF premiere, he reportedly told Canadian TV show Etalk that The Boy and the Heron “would not” be Miyazaki’s final film, stating “he is already coming into the office with new ideas.”

Given Miyazaki’s will-he-won’t-he relationship with retiring, the report doesn’t seem too hard to believe. The demand for his work is also still noticeable, with The Boy and the Heron being released in Japan with almost no marketing, yet still grossed $13.2 million at the box office during its opening weekend.

That makes the film Studio Ghibli’s biggest domestic opening weekend since 2004’s Howl’s Moving Castle, grossing nearly $40 million within the first month.

Fans of Studio Ghibli share their first thoughts after North American premiere

The best news for Miyazaki – and maybe more of a reason to stay out of retirement – is that fans already can’t get enough of his return.

Audience members at the TIFF premiere quickly took to social media to praise Miyzaki for his latest efforts.

“The Boy and the Heron might be the only animated feature that could give Spider-verse a run for its money this awards season,” one fan commented. “Miyazaki’s latest is a stunning masterwork full of rich world-building & wonderful characters. If this ends up being his final film, he will go out on a high note.”

“THE BOY AND THE HERON is another enchanting adventure from one of the great storytellers of our time,” another agreed. “A fantastical & emotional journey across space & time. Hayao Miyazaki’s final film may not be his best but it’s better than most out there. Highly imaginative, funny & gorgeous.”

Catch up with everything we know about The Boy and the Heron here. For more, make sure to check out the rest of our upcoming movie coverage.