So, what went right for “The Boy and the Heron?” For one, it was a ridiculously quiet weekend. The fact a movie was able to take the top spot with about $13 million says a lot. This is the calm before the holiday season storm, with “Wonka” opening this upcoming weekend and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” arriving the weekend after. While theater owners wait for those movies to come to the rescue, Japan is filling the void with acclaimed movies garnering “must-see” buzz. To that end, Miyazaki’s latest has been met with near-universal praise from critics (read our review here) and earned an A- CinemaScore.
Speaking to the same point, “Godzilla Minus One” also had a stellar second weekend, taking in $8.3 million and landing in the number three spot just behind “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” ($9.4 million). It marks the first time in documented box office history that two of the top three films in the U.S. were Japanese productions. It’s pretty damn remarkable, especially considering the relatively modest marketing pushes for each of these films.
Circling back to “The Boy and the Heron,” this performance also speaks volumes about Miyazaki’s reputation. He is one of the most celebrated filmmakers alive, with classics such as “Spirited Away” and “Kiki’s Delivery Service” (among many others) under his belt. In the decade since his last feature, his reputation has only grown. The fact that he made his unexpected return fueled excitement for the film. It also didn’t hurt that audiences could either watch the Japanese-language version or an English dub with a star-studded cast. Either way, at 82 years old, Miyazaki is having a sorely deserved moment in the sun.
We spoke about this on today’s episode of the /Film Daily podcast, which you can listen to below:
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“The Boy and the Heron” is in theaters now.