Shout Factory & GKIDS To Release Mamoru Hosoda’s Critically-Acclaimed ‘Belle’ On Blu-Ray This May

Shout Factory & GKIDS will release the new film Belle from Academy Award-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda on Digital on May 3, and Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack on May 17, 2022. The film will also be available in a Target-exclusive SteelBook on the same day. Hosoda and Studio Chizu, creators of Mirai, Wolf Children, and Summer Wars, present BELLE, a fantastical, heartfelt story of growing up in the age of social media. Lauded by critics around the globe following its premiere at the 74th Annual Cannes Film Festival and nominated for five Annie Awards including Best Independent Feature, this stunningly animated film is a breathtaking adaptation of a tale as old as time.

The Blu-ray + DVD and SteelBook editions will include a number of bonus features, including a conversation with director Mamoru Hosoda, the featurettes The Making of BELLE, The Music of BELLE, Finding the Voice of Belle, Hosoda Draws BELLE, Scene Breakdowns, and more!

Synopsis: Suzu is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters “U”, a massive virtual world, she escapes into the online persona of Belle, a gorgeous and globally-beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious “beast” and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.

On BELLE, the Japanese creative team worked in collaboration with a roster of international talents. Character designer Jin Kim, the artist behind several iconic Disney features including Moana, Tangled, and Frozen, designed the titular Belle. Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar®-nominated Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart (Wolfwalkers, Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells) also join the team, contributing artwork for the various virtual fantasy worlds within the film. Hosoda continues his film collaborations with architects, and is joined by up-and-coming British architect and designer Eric Wong, who designed the virtual world of “U.” Taisei Iwasaki (“Blood Blockade Battlefront.,” Studio Ghibli’s “Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo) along with composing original songs and score, led multiple composers and produced the film’s music entirely. Other composers include the critically acclaimed Yuta Bandoh (“Yuri on Ice”) and BAFTA nominee Ludvig Forrsell (Kojima Productions’ “Death Stranding”). The film’s main theme “U” was performed by groundbreaking Japanese act millennium parade, led by the composer of the song Daiki Tsuneta.

Dillon Gonzales

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.