News
Earwig and the Witch Opens in U.K and Ireland Cinemas Today
posted on by Andrew Osmond
Elysian Film Group Distribution is releasing the English dub of Studio Ghibli's first CG feature Earwig and the Witch, Goro Miyazaki's anime adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones' novel of the same name, in U.K and Irish cinemas today. The English dub cast includes:
- Kacey Musgraves as Earwig's Mother
- Pandora Colin as Matron
- Alex Cartañá as Assistant Matron
- Taylor Paige Henderson as Earwig
- J.B. Blanc as Mr. Jenkins
- Logan Hannan as Custard
- Summer Jenkins as Phyllis
- Vivienne Rutherford as Sally
- Tom Bromhead as Cook
- Eva Kaminsky as Assistant Cook
- Vanessa Marshall as Bella Yaga
- Richard E. Grant as The Mandrake
- Dan Stevens as Thomas
Additional dub cast members include:
- J.B. Blanc
- Tom Bromhead
- Alex Cartañá
- Pandora Colin
- Summer Jenkins
- Eva Kaminsky
- Vivienne Rutherford
Kacey Musgraves is also performing the English version of the film's theme song “Don't Disturb Me.” Sherina Munaf is performing the theme song in Japanese.
Jones published the novel in 2011, and publisher HarperCollins describes the story:
Not every orphan would love living at St. Morwald's Home for Children, but Earwig does. She gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants it, and it's been that way since she was dropped on the orphanage doorstep as a baby. But all that changes the day Bella Yaga and the Mandrake come to St. Morwald's, disguised as foster parents. Earwig is whisked off to their mysterious house full of invisible rooms, potions, and spell books, with magic around every corner. Most Children would run in terror from a house like that . . . but not Earwig. Using her own cleverness—with a lot of help from a talking cat—she decides to show the witch who's boss.
Goro Miyazaki directed the anime as the studio's first full 3D CG feature, produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki.
Keiko Niwa (Ocean Waves, Tales from Earthsea, The Secret World of Arrietty, From Up On Poppy Hill, When Marnie Was There) and Emi Gunji (From Up On Poppy Hill assistant director) wrote the screenplay. Miho Satake (Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit, Kiki's Delivery Service), the illustrator of the novel's Japanese edition, was credited with the original character and setting designs, and Katsuya Kondō (Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, Ronja the Robber's Daughter, From Up On Poppy Hill) designed the characters for animation.
Yukinori Nakamura (Ghibli Museum's "Boro the Caterpillar", Expelled from Paradise) supervised the CG, and Tan Seri was animation director. Yuhki Takeuchi handled the backgrounds. Satoshi Takebe (From Up On Poppy Hill, Ronja the Robber's Daughter) composed the music, Koji Kasamatsu directed the sound, and Eriko Kimura directed the dialogue recording. Kentarō Morishita produced the animation, and Isao Yoshikuni, Keisuke Tsuchihashi, and Koji Hoshino were production managers.
The feature aired on the NHK General channel on December 30 2020. The Cannes Film Festival chose the feature as part of its Official Selection last year.
