At the Oscars 2024, there was a big surprise when The Boy and the Heron, the last animated movie by Hayao Miyazaki, beat out the hyped-up Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. People were scratching their heads, wondering why. Some folks even got into arguments about what makes a movie worthy of an award.
Then, to make things even more interesting, Chris Hemsworth, the guy who plays Thor in the Marvel movies, showed up to collect the award for The Boy and the Heron. It got everyone wondering why he was there and the film’s journey to the Oscar win.
The Oscar For Best Animated Feature Goes To The Boy And The Heron
The Boy and the Heron just snagged the Best Animated Feature Oscar! People are freaking out, and fans are totally stunned.
This flick, likely Hayao Miyazaki’s last hurrah, just clinched the top spot. And get this: it’s Miyazaki’s second Oscar win, after his first being Spirited Away back in 2002. Talk about a legend, right?
Miyazaki is basically the king of animated movies, with four nominations under his belt, including gems like Howl’s Moving Castle and The Wind Rises. Miyazaki’s now the oldest winner in this category at the ripe age of 83, beating out Mark Gustafson.
The competition was no joke, with Pixar’s Elemental, Neon’s Robot Dreams, Netflix’s Nimona, and Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse getting at it.
While The Boy and the Heron beat out Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the Spidey flick still made bank with over $690 million worldwide.
Plus, guess who rolled up to accept the award? Hemsworth, the Thor guy. Now, everyone’s scratching their heads, wondering why Hemsworth picked up the trophy? What’s his connection to The Boy and the Heron?
What’s Chris Hemsworth’s Role In Accepting The Boy And The Heron Award?
Why did Chris Hemsworth end up grabbing The Boy and the Heron award? That’s the big question folks have been chewing on ever since the movie won the Oscar. At the ceremony, neither Miyazaki nor producer Toshio Suzuki showed up to bag the prize. Instead, it was the 40-year-old and Anya Taylor-Joy who had the honors.
Now, The Boy and the Heron has been a real hit for Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, raking in a cool $167 million worldwide at the box office. Over in Japan, where Miyazaki’s a legend, it pulled in $56 million. The flick’s been making waves, even though it didn’t have a fancy trailer or big ad campaign.
The movie has some deep roots in Miyazaki’s own life, kicking off with a scene about Japan during World War II, a time he lived through. Plus, it’s a tribute to two of his longtime collaborators at Ghibli, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, who scored an Oscar for it.
So, what’s the film about? Well, it’s all about this young guy who gets pulled into another world by a mysterious heron while he’s searching for his stepmom. It sounds like a mix of a heart-wrenching family drama and an epic adventure, right?
When it hit theaters, the English version brought together a star-studded cast, featuring names like Robert Pattinson, Christian Bale, and Florence Pugh.
Now, here’s the kicker: Miyazaki himself has been keeping a low profile. He hasn’t been out there hustling for awards or showing up at premieres. But some of his Ghibli pals are crossing their fingers that The Boy and the Heron won’t be his swan song.
