Studio Ghibli is responsible for some of the most beloved animated films of all time: Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle and many others.
So, it's no wonder that fans of the studio are anxious to get a sneak peek at its next creation, The Red Turtle.
Fortunately, images from that film have found their way online ahead of the film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The Red Turtle is the first international co-production for the company with French film production and distribution company Wild Bunch partnering with the legendary studio. It's also the first film directed by Michael Dudok de Wit, who won a 2001 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for "Father & Daughter."
The Red Turtle follows the story of a man who tries to escape from a desert island: but there's a giant turtle standing in his way. Most intriguing about the movie, though, is that it contains no dialogue, much like the 2003 French animated award-winning comedy The Triplets of Belleville.
Here are the first images from The Red Turtle:
In 2014, production on The Red Turtle halted after famed Studio Ghibli director and co-founder Hayao Miyazaki announced his retirement. The company took some time off to determine its new direction without Miyazaki at the helm, but eventually, it got back to work. The Red Turtle is the first movie the studio will release after Miyazaki's departure. Many credit Miyazaki for bringing anime to the worldwide masses, so the company needed to figure out a new strategy in going forward, including an overhaul in staff, as well as creative teams.
"It is by no means impossible to keep producing [movies] forever," Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki said in a Japanese interview, as reported by the BBC. "However, we will take a brief pause to consider where to go from here."
The studio is back now, though, and The Red Turtle will compete in the Cannes Film Festival as the only animated film in the 'Un Certain Regard' category there.
The Red Turtle releases in Japan to the public on Sept. 16. There's no word yet on an international release date.
