Highly-Anticipated New Film From Makoto Shinkai Will Play in U.S. Movie Theaters Prior to GKIDS Theatrical Run Source: GKIDS Inc., Fathom Events, Scoop Marketing press release Official Site: tenkinoko.com (Japan), WeatheringWithYouMovie.com (US) Special Thanks to Jessica Nelson, Katherine Schwappach, Erik Stein and Lucy Rubin

GKIDS, the acclaimed distributor of multiple Academy Award-nominated animated features, and Fathom Events, the leading distributor of event cinema, will continue their partnership into 2020, bringing WEATHERING WITH YOU (????, Tenki no Ko, 2019) to U.S. audiences nationwide for Special Fan Preview screenings over two nights only. WEATHERING WITH YOU is the newest release from director Makoto Shinkai, and producer Genki Kawamura, whose previous film YOUR NAME (?????, Kimi no Na wa., 2016) set box office records in Japan and around the world ($360 million worldwide box office), and is currently receiving a major studio live-action remake from JJ Abrams. WEATHERING WITH YOU held its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and had a sold-out U.S. Premiere at this weekend’s Animation is Film Festival in Los Angeles, where Fathom is a major sponsor. The film is Japan’s official submission for the Academy Awardâ for Best International Film at the 92nd Academy Awards. The film has grossed over $125 million USD to date in its initial Japanese release, and will come to cinemas nationwide for Fan Preview Screenings on January 15 and 16 only, 2019, followed by a theatrical release by GKIDS starting January 17. Tickets for WEATHERING WITH YOU go on sale Friday, November 15 at FathomEvents.com and WeatheringWithYouMovie.com. The summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo, and quickly finds himself pushed to his financial and personal limits. The weather is unusually gloomy and rainy every day, as if to suggest his future. He lives his days in isolation, but finally finds work as a writer for a mysterious occult magazine. Then one day, Hodaka meets Hina on a busy street corner. This bright and strong-willed girl possesses a strange and wonderful ability: the power to stop the rain and clear the sky… “Fathom is thrilled to continue our strong standing partnership with GKIDS to bring another premiere title to cinemas across the U.S. from Japan,” Fathom Events VP of Programming, Business Affairs & Strategy Daren Miller said. “What makes our events unique and special is the ability to provide audiences with an exclusive first look at these highly-anticipated films, behind-the-scenes content, animated shorts and more.”

“With breathtaking visuals and emotionally resonant story, WEATHERING WITH YOU has quickly become one of the most anticipated films of the year,” said David Jesteadt, GKIDS’ President. “We are pleased to partner with our friends at Fathom Events on two days of fan preview screenings, giving Makoto Shinkai’s fans the very first opportunity to see the film in theaters nationwide before its release." GKIDS and Fathom Events have partnered previously on the nationwide premiere event screenings for MARY AND THE WITCH’S FLOWER from the Academy Award-nominated director Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Studio Ponoc, the release of FIREWORKS from Studio SHAFT, Studio Trigger’s blistering action adventure PROMARE as well as the ongoing Ghibli Fest series of animated masterpieces from Japan’s famed Studio Ghibli.

---

About Fathom Events

Fathom Events is recognized as the leading domestic distributor of event cinema with participating affiliate theaters in all 100 of the top Designated Market Areas, and ranks as one of the largest overall distributors of content to movie theaters. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) (known collectively as AC JV, LLC), Fathom Events offers a variety of one-of-a-kind entertainment events such as live, high-definition performances of the Metropolitan Opera, dance and theatre productions like the Bolshoi Ballet and National Theatre Live, sporting events like Copa America Centenario, concerts with artists like Michael Bublé, Rush and Mötley Crüe, the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics film series and inspirational events such as To Joey With Love. Fathom Events takes audiences behind the scenes and offers unique extras including audience Q&As, backstage footage and interviews with cast and crew, creating the ultimate VIP experience. Fathom Events’ live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is the largest cinema broadcast network in North America, bringing live and pre-recorded events to 896 locations and 1,383 screens in 181 DMAs. For more information, visit fathomevents.com.

About GKIDS

GKIDS is a producer and distributor of award-winning feature animation for both adult and family audiences. Since 2010, the company has scored an astounding 11 Best Animated Feature Oscar nominations with HE SECRET OF KELLS in 2010, A CAT IN PARIS and CHICO & RITA in 2012, ERNEST & CELESTINE in 2014, THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA and SONG OF THE SEA in 2015, BOY AND THE WORLD and WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE in 2016, MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI in 2017, THE BREADWINNER in 2018, and MIRAI in 2019. GKIDS also handles North American distribution for the famed Studio Ghibli library of films, one of the world’s most coveted animation collections with titles SPIRITED AWAY, MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, PRINCESS MONONOKE and others. GKIDS also produces the annual LA-based film festival, ANIMATION IS FILM, which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of their work to the fullest range of expression of which medium is capable. For more, visit gkids.com.

---

For more information on WEATHERING WITH YOU, please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan:

• WEATHERING WITH YOU Info and Image Gallery From Toho