Spirited Away returns to North American theatres for five days — and needs less than $1M to beat its 2001 opening. The real story? How long a cult classic can stay relevant.
Spirited Away is back in North American cinemas — for five days, and only because it’s 25. The anniversary re-release, kicking off October 17, isn’t a comeback. It’s a nostalgia run with a target so low it barely counts as a challenge: under $1 million to beat its original opening weekend.
That’s the number Ghibli Studios needs to clear, according to Box Office Mojo. Back in 2001, the film made just $449,000 across its first three days. Now, in 2026, it’s expected to do better, not because audiences are flocking, but because the audience already exists. A cult following, decades deep, has been waiting for this moment.
The movie’s lifetime gross in North America? Over $14.8 million. So yes, beating that original debut feels like a formality. But the real win isn’t box office.
It’s cultural. Spirited Away remains the only hand-drawn, non-English-language animated film to win Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. And while Hollywood’s grip on global cinema is shifting. As one social media post noted, “Hollywood is really losing it’s power over the rest of world”, Studio Ghibli’s legacy holds firm.
This re-release is part of the Studio Ghibli Fest 2026, wrapping up with screenings in both English dub and original Japanese with subtitles. Tickets are live. The film plays in select theaters. No word yet on whether it’ll land on streaming after.
But if you’re in the mood for a bathhouse full of spirits, a girl named Chihiro, and a pig-shaped parent, now’s your chance. The next question: will it ever come back again? Not likely. But the memory?
That’s staying.
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