GKIDS Will Release ‘Mary And The Witch’s Flower’ In North America

GKIDS has acquired North American distribution rights to Mary and the Witch’s Flower, the inaugural feature from Studio Ponoc.

The film is directed by former Studio Ghibli director Hiromasa Yonebayashi (The Secret World of Arrietty, When Marnie Was There) and produced by Studio Ponoc founder Yoshiaki Nishimura (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There). GKIDS distributed Kaguya and Marnie in North America, both of which were nominated for an Academy Award for best animated feature.

GKIDS plans to release Mary and the Witch’s Flower in North American theaters this winter. The film, based on the 1971 children’s book The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart, centers on a young girl named Mary who discovers a flower that grants magical powers, but only for one night.

Mary and the Witch’s Flower opened in Japanese theaters last month. It launched in second place, and has gone on to gross a solid $13.9 million in its first three weeks of release, placing it among Japan’s top ten local releases of 2017 so far.