Hayao Miyazaki is already working on his next movie

Retirement? What retirement? Hayao Miyazaki is already working on his next movie, according to one of his Studio Ghibli colleagues, despite reports that The Boy and the Heron would be his final film in the director's chair.

"He thinks about this new project every day, I can no longer stop him, I have given up on that. I’m no longer trying to dissuade him, even if it might be a bad film. In life, only work enchants him," Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki told French newspaper Libération.

"We spoke again earlier today," he continued. "He started talking about this new project, so I'm not stopping him anymore. As long as he works I will not retire. He is 82 years old, I think he will continue until he is 90 years old and I’ll be going along with him for the ride."

Miyazaki's latest movie, The Boy and the Heron, was a hit at the Japanese box office when it was released earlier this year and has been creating buzz at Western film festivals. The film follows a 12-year-old boy mourning the death of his mother and struggling to feel at home in a new town. When he encounters a talking heron who informs him that his mother is still alive, he embarks on a fantastical journey to try and find her.

The Boy and the Heron will arrive in US theaters on December 8, but a UK release date is yet to be announced. While we wait, check out our picks of the other most exciting upcoming movies on the way in 2023 and beyond.