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Hayao Miyazaki is Developing a Sequel to 1992's 'Porco Rosso'

by Alex Billington
August 22, 2010
Source: Nausicaa.net

Interesting news coming out of the pages of Cut magazine in Japan translated by Nausicaa.net (via AICN). The site translated some quotes from Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki talking about their future line-up and Miyazaki's plans in his own immediate future (which is not, thankfully, retirement). He says that they're developing "two films in three years" that he would help plan (scripting, staffing, etc), although they could be directed by "rookie directors." One of the projects he's working on is Porco Rosso: The Last Sortie, some sort of odd sequel to 1992's Porco Rosso and "tragic story of a boy" that he wrote in the last few years.

The quotes are a bit confusing, but here's what we make of it. It will be set during the Spanish Civil War and it's the only story he wants to work on, as he states: "I do not need to make a movie if it is not a tragic story of a boy." "I have all its materials," he says, and "it should be interesting." He also adds some things like, "it cannot be helped because it's a hobby of the old man', I'm happy. It's my hobby." And apparently he recently changed his mind, because, "before (the interviewer) come here, I thought 'It's not good after all, It's just my hobby.'" So is he doing it or not, I don't really know? But I'm leaning towards yes it will be happening.

The original Porco Rosso, written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, is about an Italian World War I fighter ace named Porco Rosso, who's living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing "air pirates" in the Adriatic Sea. He's cursed and has been transformed into a pig. Once called Marco Pagot, he is now known to the world as "Porco Rosso", Italian for "Red Pig." It would actually be the first direct sequel to any Studio Ghibli film, not counting the other character crossovers. I'm a big Ghibli/Miyazaki fan but I'm not too worried about what they decide to do next because I'm always excited to see whatever it is. I love that studio and I'm glad they continue to evolve and grow in their own way. I'm looking forward to whatever they've got up next. You?

Filed under Foreign Film, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Gill

Wow, I never thought this would happen. Great news!
Brian

FYI Hayao Miyazaki did draw a short story manga that takes place during Spanish Civil War, which follows the exploits of Republican bomber attack on Italian Air Force. The story was released in compilation called: Hayao Miyazaki's Daydream Data Notes, for more info go to http://www.nausicaa.net/wiki/Hayao_Miyazaki%27s_Daydream_Data_Notes_%28Expanded_Edition%29
Andante

Wait, so will this be a direct sequel? well, either way, i'm totally excited!
daves

Wondering if Porco did turn back to human.
zzz

Fantastic news!
casting couch

I will always treasure Ghibli's 1986 Castle in the Sky as their best work.
BVDR

My favorite Miyazaki film. Judging the sequel is gonna be tough.
Carson Dyle

Spare us the hellstorm Miyazaki has unleashed upon the animation world with those monstrosities he calls films. He seems to have two distinct morphs of movie, neither one very good. The first is usually just him babbling about why nature is always good and man is always evil as he forces us to hear his characters have at least one speech about how good a person they are because they defend nature. Yes, Hayao, we are destroying nature, yes we are polluting the environment, how about telling us something new? He's not making his audience think with these types of movies, he's just selling them a guilt trip. The second is his other equally bad but far less offensive movie type where a female character is just usually crying and/or doing chores or wandering around a fantasy environment like they're on the world's dullest sightseeing tour. Just look at them, Kiki, Chihiro, Sophie, they spend more than half the movie crying or doing chores, it's like he made the exact same movie at least three times and switched the setting slightly. Then he gets praised for using a “strong” female protagonist because she happens to look determined in one single scene while she cries and whines the rest of the time. Miyazaki is not being creative. He utilizes the same themes and character types in every movie with little to no variation. Everyone praises his works for looking pretty while being distracted from the utter lack of realistic or meaningful story or character.