Belle is famed director Mamoru Hosoda’s second animated movie, after the Acamdey Award-nominated Mirai (2018), and with a recent flurry of new information and production details, it looks like the upcoming film could be his best piece of work yet. A fresh trailer has dropped, international distributors have been decided, and an impressive line-up of global talents have been confirmed to be working on the project.
Any hardcore animation lover knows that Hosoda is becoming a powerhouse. The director has made a name for himself with touching human stories that are full of detailed art. Belle is looking to follow this trend, with its colourful trailer hinting at its heartfelt plot. The film already has an official synopsis, giving animation fans a juicy insight into the production that they can keep in mind as they take in the latest international trailer.
Belle will centre around Suzu, a young student living in a rural village with her father. She discovers a virtual world called ‘U’ via the internet, and takes on the persona of an idol. There she meets a mysterious creature, and together they embark on a journey of self-discovery and love.
GKIDS has gained North American distribution rights to the film and has confirmed a winter release for the movie. According to Collider, the company also announced that both the original Japanese version of the film and an English dub will be available for the big screen.
also expressed his excitement for working with Hosoda to the publication, saying, “Belle expands on the threads and themes of his previous works in an epic tour-de-force that is visually stunning, emotionally stirring, and deeply profound,” Eric Beckman, GKIDS founder, said. “We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu, and look forward to sharing what will surely be their most popular success to date.”
The official synopsis: “Suzu is a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters “U,” a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature. Together, they embark on a journey of adventures, challenges, and love, in their quest to become who they truly are.”
If that wasn’t enough, Wolfwalkers co-directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, and Jim Kim, a Disney animator with credits on Big Hero 6, Frozen 2, Moana, and many more, contributed to the film, making Belle one of our most anticipated movies this year.
For more critically acclaimed animation check out our list of the best animated movies of all time.