Hayao Miyazaki‘s animated fantastical coming-of-age story, The Boy and the Heron has hit $12.8 million USD at the opening weekend domestic box office. The film’s record-breaking revenue makes it the first original anime production to be at the top of the domestic box office.
The Boy and the Heron marks the animation maestro Hayao Miyazaki’s unexpected return to the screens after being absent for over a decade. Miyazaki has been known for classics like Spirited Away and Princess Mononke. He announced that he would be retiring in 2013 when he released his previous film, The Wind Rises. Internationally, The Boy and the Heron has been slowly rolling out, earning $84 million USD, with $56 million USD coming from Japan.
The animation edged out Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, which took a tumble in its second weekend, earning $5 million USD to finish fifth at the box office. The 77% drop from the first weekend signals that the film might now have as much momentum as the recently release Taylor Swift concert film. Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes continued its momentum, taking second place and picking up $9.4 million USD domestically. Globally, the film has earned nearly $280 million USD. Toho International’s Godzilla Minus One stands at $25.3 million USD making it the highest-grossing live-action Japanese film released in North America.
