Studio Ghibli releases opening scene from controversial new film

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Studio Ghibli has released the opening scene from its controversial new film.

• READ MORE: Every Studio Ghibli film ranked in order of greatness

Last year the studio released a series of stills from their upcoming film Earwig And The Witch, which split fans due to its use of CGI. The movie will be the studio’s first in six years and its first CGI offering – a rare departure from its hand-drawn style.

Based on the children’s book of the same name by the late Diana Wynne Jones, the writer behind Howl’s Moving Castle, the upcoming film is directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Gorō.

Now, the film’s opening scene has been shared with fans and it features the voice of Kacey Musgraves as Earwig’s mother. You can watch it below:

Please enjoy the opening scene for Goro Miyazaki's EARWIG AND THE WITCH, featuring the voice of Kacey Musgraves (@KaceyMusgraves) as Earwig's mother! #EarwigMovie opens in select theaters on February 3.
Stream it on @HBOMax on February 5.
https://t.co/O1i5LWJDR2 pic.twitter.com/zbpTE4qC1w

— Studio Ghibli (@GhibliUSA) January 27, 2021

In a statement about the film last year Ghibli co-founder and producer Toshio Suzuki asked: “After corona[virus], how [does] the world change? That’s the biggest concern for many types of people now. Even the movie and television industry can’t avoid that.

“Can [the film] do well after corona? I thought about that many times when I was watching the early footage. Then I realised the big characteristic of the movie is Aya’s wisdom. If only we have wisdom, we can overcome anything in any era. When I thought about that, I was relieved.”

Suzuki continued: “If Pippi Longstocking is the story of the world’s strongest girl, then Aya is the story of the world’s smartest girl. Aya is cheeky but somehow cute. I hope she is loved by many types of people.

“By the way, I thought Aya reminded me of someone, then it turned out it was Gorō himself, who was the director of the movie. When I told that to him he looked bashful.”

The film will be available to stream on HBO Max from February 5.

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