STUDIO GHIBLI CONTINUES RUN OF 4K REMASTERS WITH WHISPER OF THE HEART AND THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY COMING EXCLUSIVELY TO IMAX® THEATRES IN NORTH AMERICA ON APRIL 21 AND MAY 19
Following the Highly Anticipated Kiki’s Delivery Service 4K Remaster this March, GKIDS Continues Celebrating Studio Ghibli’s Timeless Works with Classic Titles Presented in IMAX for the First Time
NEW YORK, NY (March 10, 2026) – WHISPER OF THE HEART and THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY from globally celebrated animation house Studio Ghibli will make their debuts, now remastered in 4K, exclusively in IMAX theatres in the US and Canada on April 21 and May 19, respectively. Following last month’s announcement of Kiki’s Delivery Service IMAX screenings, GKIDS continues its collaboration with IMAX to bring newly remastered 4K Studio Ghibli titles to North American audiences. Tickets are now on sale for both beloved classics, with showings in both the original Japanese language with subtitles and English language dubbed versions
WHISPER OF THE HEART (1995) is a heartwarming, coming-of-age classic from celebrated studio veteran Director Yoshifumi Kondo based on the original manga by Aoi Hiiragi and a screenplay and storyboards by Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. Tickets are on sale now for its IMAX debut on April 21.
Whisper of the Heart Synopsis:
A chance encounter with a mysterious cat sends Shizuku, a girl with her head in the clouds, on a quest for her true talent. Together with Seiji, a boy determined to follow his dreams, and enchanted by The Baron, an antique cat figurine who guides her to listen to the whispers of her heart, Shizuku embarks on a life-changing adventure that takes her beyond the boundaries of her imagination. Based on a screenplay and storyboards from Hayao Miyazaki, WHISPER OF THE HEART is a precious gem in the Studio Ghibli catalog, directed by veteran animator Yoshifumi Kondo.
THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY (2010) is a gorgeous and adventure-filled adaptation of Mary Norton’s The Borrowers, one of the most beloved children’s books of all time, directed by Academy AwardⓇ-nominee Hiromasa Yonebayashi based on a screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki, who also worked on project planning for the film, and Keiko Niwa. Tickets are on sale now for its IMAX debut on May 19.
The Secret World of Arrietty Synopsis:
In a secret world hidden beneath the floorboards, tiny people called Borrowers live out of sight of humans. But when brave Arrietty is out gathering supplies, she is discovered by Shawn, a human boy, and they begin to form a friendship that blossoms into a heartwarming adventure. This sumptuously animated and heartwarming story features the voices of Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Moises Arias and Carol Burnett.
In December, GKIDS and IMAX announced their continued partnership to exclusively debut Studio Ghibli titles, newly remastered in 4K, in its theatres following the highly successful 4K remaster of Princess Mononoke earlier in 2025, which became the second-highest-grossing vault release ever for IMAX. Last month, GKIDS announced that Kiki’s Delivery Service would debut remastered in 4K exclusively in IMAX on March 13. Studio Ghibli’s own Atsushi Okui, who has been involved in nearly every major Studio Ghibli project since Porco Rosso in 1992, continues to oversee the entire process of remastering these beloved Studio Ghibli classics in 4K for the first time. Okui’s most recent credit with the studio was as Director of Digital Imaging on Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning The Boy and the Heron, which was also the first Studio Ghibli film to screen in IMAX format.
GKIDS handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films across all theatrical, home video, digital, and streaming platforms. The company has released Studio Ghibli’s most recent films in theaters nationwide, including the Academy Award-winning The Boy and the Heron, the Academy Award-nominated The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, the Academy Award-nominated When Marnie Was There, From Up on Poppy Hill and more. Since 2017, GKIDS has produced the annual Ghibli Fest, a monthly nationwide theatrical program of Studio Ghibli film screenings in over 1000 theaters across the country. IMAX and GKIDS have been partnered since 2021 on a wide collection of titles, including the groundbreaking 2023 title The Boy and The Heron, and most recently the Academy Award-nominated live-action epic KOKUHO.
