Makoto Shinkai Says He’s ‘Vaguely Figured Out’ His Next Work

your name. and Weathering With You film director Makoto Shinkai told The Mainichi Shimbun’s Mantan-Web on Tuesday that he is thinking about his next work. “I’ve thought about it, and I’ve vaguely figured out the direction, but it’s certainly not at the stage where I can talk about it yet. It’s something I’ve been agonizing over,” he said.

your name. debuted in 2016, while Weathering With You debuted in 2019. When asked whether he will be able to maintain a three-year release schedule, Shinkai said, “I do think that if we are able to make a film every three years, the audience will be able to keep up without giving up on me. The question is whether I’ll be able to release something in three years, and I still don’t know at this point. I’ll do my best.”

In the interview, Shinkai also discussed his feelings about Weathering With You half a year following its release in Japan. He said, “I’m glad that I was able to create a film that I felt I should create.” He described it as an “incorrect story” about “a world that isn’t saved.” Although he was worried about whether audiences would be able to enjoy the film, but upon looking back, he was glad to have created a film that people were able to enjoy, even including the mixed receptions. He also said that he was ultimately thankful for the criticisms he received for your name., because it helped him figure out what kind of film he wanted to create for next time.

Weathering With You opened in 359 theaters and 448 screens in Japan last July, and is now the #7 highest-earning domestic film of all time in Japan and was the highest-grossing film in Japan in 2019. The film has earned 14.02 billion yen (about US$129 million) in Japan as of December 8. The film has earned approximately US$6.6 Million in the North American box office.

Source: Mainichi Shimbun’s Mantan-Web