Hayao Miyazaki decided to put Ghibli movies on Netflix to fund his next movie
Unfortunately, that movie isn't coming anytime soon.
Image: Studio Ghibli
You can watch a whole bunch of Studio Ghibli movies on Netflix right now!
It’s taken a long time for Studio Ghibli to decide to move beyond cinemas and physical media to distribute their movies and according to Studio Ghibli’s co-founder and producer Toshio Suzuki, it’s really all about the money.
Suzuki mentioned that, “Theatres and DVDs are important, but I think distribution is also important.” He managed to persuade Hayao Miyazaki to put Ghibli’s movies on Netflix to cover the costs of Miyazaki’s next movie - How Do You Live?
Suzuki said:
Hayao Miyazaki is currently making a movie but it’s taking a really long time. When that happens, it’s only natural that it will require a lot of money too. I told him this can cover the production costs for that movie. When I said that, he said “Well, there’s nothing I can do then."
Suzuki went as far as to say that Miyazaki doesn't quite know what online streaming services like Netflix even are. “He doesn’t use personal computers, he doesn’t use smartphones. So when you mention digital distribution to him, he just doesn’t get it,” he explained.
The team decided to put their films on Netflix due to the service’s focus on creating original content, which Suzuki said was, “due to on-demand distribution, and I think that’s a really good thing.”
Hayao Miyazaki. | Image: Animation Magazine
Hayao Miyazaki, the man who famously said that most of Japanese animation is produced by, “humans who can’t stand looking at other humans,” will be taking his time to make How Do You Live? and it is likely that we won’t see it anytime soon. The movie is only 15% complete after almost four years, after all.
The movie is a pet project for Miyazaki as a gift to his grandson, according to Suzuki. He said, “Miyazaki is making the new film for his grandson. It’s his way of saying ‘Grandpa is moving on to the next world, but he’s leaving behind this film.'”
Well, excuse me while I go cry.
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