Competition for American Spirited Away Release?

According to Anime News Service, Tokuma Shoten/Ghibli considers both Disney/Buena Vista USA and DreamWorks SKG potential licensors of the American theatrical distribution rights to Hayao Miyazaki’s Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi.

Chris Russell provided a link to a Reuters Newswire interview with Miyazaki publicized by the Miyazaki Mailing List in which Miyazaki points out that he created Sen to Chihiro specifically for Japanese audiences. And although he would be happy to see the film become successful worldwide, he has serious doubts that the film could prove successful in America where “a small number of the people will understand the film.” He continues to say that, “Some [people] think being popular in the United States is the best thing, but I think it is wrong to think that way… Movies are said to be international, but I don’t think so.”

Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi is now the world’s highest grossing non-American produced movie ever.