GKIDS and Fathom Entertainment are about to give Studio Ghibli fans the chance to revisit one of Hayao Miyazaki’s biggest hits on the silver screen.
Per a press release from GKIDS and Fathom Entertainment, the dates for the upcoming theatrical run of Ponyo have officially been announced, and it’s coming soon. The English-language dub of Ponyo will return to select theaters on June 13, kicking off its limited run as part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2026.
The English-language dub of Ponyo will also be screened on June 14 and 17, while the film in its original Japanese with English subtitles will screen on June 15 and 16.
Why Ponyo Is Worthy of Being Called a Modern Studio Ghibli Classic
Written and directed by studio co-founder and industry legend Hayao Miyazaki, Ponyo made its debut in 2008 and immediately cemented its place in the Studio Ghibli catalog. The film largely revolves around the young Ponyo, born Brunhilde to the powerful wizard Fujimoto, who lives under the sea despite wishing to become a human girl, a desire which kicks off an epic, fantastical journey.
The official logline for Ponyo reads, “When Sosuke, a young boy who lives on a clifftop overlooking the sea, rescues a stranded goldfish named Ponyo, he discovers more than he bargained for. Ponyo is a curious, energetic young creature who yearns to be human, but even as she causes chaos around the house, her father, a sorcerer, schemes to return Ponyo to the sea.”
Upon its release in 2008, Ponyo proved to be a massive hit with critics and audiences alike. During its original theatrical run, Ponyo grossed nearly $206 million at the global box office, all against a budget of just $34 million. Apart from its incredible animation and heartwarming story, Ponyo featured two all-star voice casts, with the original Japanese version boasting the likes of Tomoko Yamaguchi, Yuuri Nara, Hiroki Doi, and Kazushige Nagashima, whose roles were voiced by Tina Fey, Noah Cyrus, Frankie Jonas, and Matt Damon in the English dub.
To no one’s surprise, all of this garnered Ponyo overwhelming critical acclaim. As of the time of writing, Ponyo holds a stellar 91% “Certified Fresh” rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on an average of 174 verified critical reviews. For comparison, Ponyo also holds an 84% audience-generated “Popcornmeter” score on the platform, as averaged across more than 50,000 user-submitted reviews.
Ponyo marks the first film of Studio Ghibli Fest 2026, which will bring more than half a dozen fan-favorite animated hits to theaters for limited runs. In July, My Neighbor Totoro will return to theaters, followed by Tales from Earthsea (celebrating its 20th anniversary), Only Yesterday (celebrating its 35th anniversary), and Castle in the Sky (celebrating its 40th anniversary) in August. Princess Monoke will cover Studio Ghibli Fest 2026 for September, while Spirited Away will close things out in October for its 25th anniversary.
Ponyo returns to theaters as part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2026 from June 13 to June 17.
- Release Date
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February 4, 2010
- Runtime
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111minutes
