More 4K restorations of Studio Ghibli movies are coming to IMAX cinemas

3 days ago 8

Princess Mononoke’s 4K release was only the beginning

mei boops the nose of a sleeping totoro in my neighbor totoro

As if Studio Ghibli movies like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle weren’t pretty enough already, they may soon get a theatrical re-release in 4K quality.

GKids and IMAX are partnering up to release the Japanese animation studio’s classics in 4K quality to IMAX theaters all across North America in 2026 and beyond. Rather than a brand-new partnership, the upcoming 4K Studio Ghibli films form an extension to a very successful 4K theater release of Princess Mononoke earlier in 2025, which became the second-highest-grossing vault release ever for IMAX.

On top of the cinematic experience resulting from a better sound system and bigger screen than the ones you’ve (presumably) got at home, the 4K Studio Ghibli restorations are promised to be sharper and more detailed than ever before. While the 4K restorations are overseen by Studio Ghibli’s Atsushi Okui, GKids and IMAX will be in charge of distributing the animated movies and bringing them to the IMAX entertainment system, which likely means they’ll be exclusive to IMAX cinemas, at least initially.

Which IMAX theaters are included and which 4K Studio Ghibli movies will release first are not yet known, but since the announcement mentions “multiple Studio Ghibli titles” and extends beyond 2026, it should be more than one. Since Princess Mononoke has already received the cinematic 4K treatment, Ghibli blockbusters like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro are likely candidates.

If you’re not located in North America, take comfort that Princess Mononoke’s 4K restoration was eventually released in other countries as well, including the UK, Ireland, France, and the Netherlands, so the same might happen for subsequent 4K Studio Ghibli films.

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