In news that will surprise few, but delight many, legendary director Hayao Miyazaki has once again left retirement to work on a brand new feature film! According to his longtime producer Toshio Suzuki, Miyazaki is working on a brand new Studio Ghibli film, and apparently has been for a while!

After Miyazaki’s retirement in 2013, the fate of Studio Ghibli was uncertain. But, when the studio was brought aboard production of The Red Turtle, a co-production with the French studio Wild Bunch, Miyazaki decided to begin working on a new feature, which he brought to Suzuki sometime last summer. Sukuki said that Miyazaki brought him 20 minutes worth of storyboards, for an idea that he found “fascinating.”

While there is no official confirmation as to what the film will be about, speculation in the Japanese press has been that it will be a feature length adaptation of Kemushi no Boro or Boro the Caterpillar. Boro is a short film that Miyazaki wanted to make for quite some time, even to the point of learning how to animate using CGI, but always felt it would be better as a feature. However, when asked about this possibility, Suzuki gave no confirmation either way and is quoted as saying, “All I can say is that it’s really interesting.”

While we don’t know anything about the timeline of the production, sources have said that the studio would like to have the feature completed and released before the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

What do you think of this news? Are you excited for a new film from Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli?

Edited by: Hannah Wilkes