Studio Ghibli’s Earwig and the Witch on Netflix
October 14, 2021
By Nik Roseveare
Netflix has announced that the latest animated film from the celebrated Studio Ghibli, Earwig and the Witch, will become available on the platform globally (excluding US & Japan) from November 18th.
Netflix already boasts a catalogue of 21 films from Studio Ghibli, including classics such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbour Totoro and Princess Mononoke.
Director Goro Miyazaki commented: “We’re thrilled that our film Earwig and the Witch will reach many countries and territories through Netflix. The film is Studio Ghibli’s first fully 3D CGI film which prompted us with an exciting challenge to reflect the spirit and pride of our studio using this new artform. Through that experience we met Earwig, our rebellious protagonist who grows to overcome difficulties with her wits and relentless energy. We hope you will come to love our Earwig, just like you enjoyed spending time with the main characters in our last 21 films. Today, the world is forced to continue its journey into a chaotic era. We hope this film will inspire our children who live long into the future.”
Aram Yacoubian, Director of Animation Film at Netflix, added: “We’re incredibly fortunate to continue expanding the Studio Ghibli film lineup on Netflix by streaming Earwig and the Witch. The highly anticipated new film of Goro Miyazaki will bring a fresh perspective to the wildly popular Studio Ghibli films. In countries and territories where we stream Studio Ghibli films (excluding US and Japan), 55 million households have chosen to watch a Studio Ghibli film on Netflix since 2020, and that number will only continue to grow. We’ve been blown away by the positive reactions from viewers everywhere, proving that stories can come from anywhere, and can be loved everywhere”.
Earwig and the Witch tells the story of a headstrong young girl, who grows up in an orphanage and sees her life changes dramatically when she is forced to live with a selfish witch. The story is based on a novel of the same name by English author Diana Wynne Jones.
The movie will be available in over 30 languages, including Japanese, English, Mandarin, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai as well as in subtitles.