©Courtesy of GKIDS
WHISPER OF THE HEART and THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY from globally celebrated animation house Studio Ghibli will make their debuts, now remastered in 4K, exclusively in IMAX theatres in the US and Canada on April 21 and May 19, respectively. Following last month’s announcement of Kiki’s Delivery Service IMAX screenings, GKIDS continues its collaboration with IMAX to bring newly remastered 4K Studio Ghibli titles to North American audiences. Tickets are now on sale for both beloved classics, with showings in both the original Japanese language with subtitles and English language dubbed versions
WHISPER OF THE HEART (1995) is a heartwarming, coming-of-age classic from celebrated studio veteran Director Yoshifumi Kondo based on the original manga by Aoi Hiiragi and a screenplay and storyboards by Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. Tickets are on sale now for its IMAX debut on April 21.
Whisper of the Heart Synopsis:
A chance encounter with a mysterious cat sends Shizuku, a girl with her head in the clouds, on a quest for her true talent. Together with Seiji, a boy determined to follow his dreams, and enchanted by The Baron, an antique cat figurine who guides her to listen to the whispers of her heart, Shizuku embarks on a life-changing adventure that takes her beyond the boundaries of her imagination. Based on a screenplay and storyboards from Hayao Miyazaki, WHISPER OF THE HEART is a precious gem in the Studio Ghibli catalog, directed by veteran animator Yoshifumi Kondo.
THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY (2010) is a gorgeous and adventure-filled adaptation of Mary Norton’s The Borrowers, one of the most beloved children’s books of all time, directed by Academy AwardⓇ-nominee Hiromasa Yonebayashi based on a screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki, who also worked on project planning for the film, and Keiko Niwa. Tickets are on sale now for its IMAX debut on May 19.
The Secret World of Arrietty Synopsis:
In a secret world hidden beneath the floorboards, tiny people called Borrowers live out of sight of humans. But when brave Arrietty is out gathering supplies, she is discovered by Shawn, a human boy, and they begin to form a friendship that blossoms into a heartwarming adventure. This sumptuously animated and heartwarming story features the voices of Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Moises Arias and Carol Burnett.
In December, GKIDS and IMAX announced their continued partnership to exclusively debut Studio Ghibli titles, newly remastered in 4K, in its theatres following the highly successful 4K remaster of Princess Mononoke earlier in 2025, which became the second-highest-grossing vault release ever for IMAX. Last month, GKIDS announced that Kiki’s Delivery Service would debut remastered in 4K exclusively in IMAX on March 13. Studio Ghibli’s own Atsushi Okui, who has been involved in nearly every major Studio Ghibli project since Porco Rosso in 1992, continues to oversee the entire process of remastering these beloved Studio Ghibli classics in 4K for the first time. Okui’s most recent credit with the studio was as Director of Digital Imaging on Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning The Boy and the Heron, which was also the first Studio Ghibli film to screen in IMAX format.
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, and most recently the Academy Award-nominated live-action epic KOKUHO.
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. The studio received the Honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
About GKIDS:
GKIDS is the Academy Award-winning curator, producer, and distributor of artist-driven, globally inspired cinema dedicated to connecting North American audiences with distinctive stories from around the world. Widely celebrated for its leadership in the “animation is film” movement, the studio has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape for feature animation in the U.S. and internationally for nearly two decades. GKIDS represents the work of many of the world’s most acclaimed 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 serves as the North American home of Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli.
Upcoming theatrical releases include the Oscar-nominated Kokuho, a generations-spanning drama set in the world of kabuki, which has become the highest-grossing Japanese live action film of all time in its home market; the highly anticipated Godzilla Minus Zero, the follow up to director Takashi Yamazaki’s Academy Award-winning Godzilla Minus One; and Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, the latest Aardman feature in the beloved Oscar-nominated film series. In addition to the Oscar-nominated Little Amélie and the Character of Rain, recent theatrical releases are the box office hit Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, Mamoru Oshii’s cult classic Angel’s Egg, and the critically acclaimed All You Need Is Kill, alongside groundbreaking television series such as Dan Da Dan, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Arcane: League of Legends. @GKIDSFilms.