Variety has reported that the Studio Ponoc-produced The Imaginary movie, which Netflix picked up in January, will begin streaming on July 5.
Additionally, there are plans to have an Oscar-qualifying run for the film.
The Imaginary had its Japanese theatrical premiere on December 15, and is set to compete at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival as part of the feature film official selection. The film is an adaptation of A. F. Harrold‘s 2014 novel and is directed by Yoshiyuki Momose (Ni no Kuni anime and Ghiblies director, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom character designer), a former Studio Ghibli staff who was key animator on titles like Porco Rosso, Pom Poko and Whisper of the Heart.
Studio Ponoc describes the plot as:
The main character of The Imaginary is Rudger. Born from a young girl’s imagination, Rudger is a boy no one can see who lives in a world where imaginations can live and be eaten by others. The Imaginary is an extraordinarily touching and beautiful hand-drawn fantasy film in which Rudger and his new friends in “The Imaginaries Town” embark on an adventure no one can see at the risk of the futures and fates of those they love.
Source: Variety
