UPDATE: Studio Ghibli Collaborating With Lucasfilm on a New ‘Star Wars’ Project
Studio Ghibli is teasing a collaboration with Lucasfilm on (potentially) a new Star Wars project. The legendary Japanese animation studio posted a short teaser on Twitter with the Lucasfilm logo as well as their own.
Check it out below:
— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) November 10, 2022
UPDATE:
The official Studio Ghibli Twitter account has posted a second tweet regarding their collaboration with Lucasfilm. This time a picture of a Grogu figurine with director Hayao Miyazaki sitting in the background, all but confirming Studio Ghibli’s Lucasfilm project is indeed a Star Wars one.
— スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) November 11, 2022
While we still don’t know what the project is, the timing of these teases could mean the studio is involved in the upcoming Grogu and the Dust Bunnies short, reportedly set to arrive on Disney Plus tomorrow. Theorists online have likened the “dust bunnies” as a possible reference to the traveling soot sprites as seen in My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.
Another likely scenario is that Studio Ghibli is involved with Visions volume 2. While the new season will focus away from anime, the volume 2 reveal at Star Wars Celebration did indicate Japan would still be represented.
Visions executive producer James Waugh has previously said the franchise and anime have a bright future together. Although a partnership with a powerhouse like Studio Ghibli could just as easily mean the project is for when that bigger goal of more Star Wars anime is eventually realized.
Studio Ghibli are the master craftsmen behind some of the most beloved animated films of all time, such as Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, and so many more. Their next feature film How Do You Live? will see famed director Hayao Miyazaki come out of retirement, but its release is still up in the air after being delayed due to the pandemic.
Ever since the release of Visions, many have been reminded about anime and Japanese myths’ long influence on the series. One of the key influences for George Lucas was Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Dave Filoni has also incorporated anime elements into shows like Star Wars: Rebels and Star Wars: Resistance.
On paper, the dual pedigrees of Studio Ghibli and Star Wars animation make this feel like a match made in heaven, so it’s definitely one exciting prospect to consider what will come of it.
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies in general as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he's not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading a comic, listening to an audiobook, or playing a Mario video game for the 1,000th time.
