HBO Max And GKIDS Strike Exclusive Licensing Deal For 20 Adult Animated And Live Action Films

HBO Max announced a new licensing deal with distributor GKIDS to stream a number of premiere titles in the coming months. The first collection will launch on the service on September 1st, 2025.

Many titles will be streaming for the first time in North America, including new 4K releases of films Your Name, Shin Godzilla, Perfect Blue, The Colors Within, Angel’s Egg, and Summer Wars.

Here’s the full release from HBO Max with the details:

HBO Max and GKIDS announced today a continuation of their prolific partnership, solidifying HBO Max as the U.S. streaming destination for award-winning Japanese animated films for years to come. The streamer is already the exclusive home of the world-renowned Studio Ghibli catalog in the United States, distributed by GKIDS, and now will be home to additional acclaimed and award-winning animation as part of the expanded deal.

On September 1, the first batch of titles included in the new agreement will drop on HBO Max for all subscribers, featuring the works of Golden Globe®-nominated and internationally renowned filmmaker Makoto Shinkai along with the North American streaming debuts and 4K streaming debuts of select titles for premium subscribers:

Children Who Chase Lost Voices (dir. Makoto Shinkai)
Fireworks (dir. Akiyuki Shinbo, Noboyuki Takeuchi)
Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko (dir. Ayumu Watanabe) (North American Streaming Debut)
Ghost Cat Anzu (dir. Yôko Kuno, Nobuhiro Yamashita) (North American Streaming Debut)
Lonely Castle in the Mirror (dir. Keiichi Hara) (North American Streaming Debut)
Love & Pop (dir. Hideaki Anno) (North American Streaming Debut)
The Place Promised in Our Early Days (dir. Makoto Shinkai)
Your Name. (dir. Makoto Shinkai) (4K Streaming Debut)

Titles coming to the streamer later in 2025 and 2026 include the critically acclaimed hit film “Shin Godzilla” from director Hideaki Anno and co-director Shinji Higuchi, for the first time in 4K. Also included will be the works of Academy Award® and Golden Globe®-nominated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda in 4K streaming debuts, as well as films from Golden Globe®-nominated filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa, legendary filmmakers Satoshi Kon and Mamoru Oshii, Naoko Yamada, and more:

Angel’s Egg (dir. Mamoru Oshii) (North American Streaming Debut, 4K Streaming Debut)
Liz and the Blue Bird (dir. Naoko Yamada)
Lu Over the Wall (dir. Masaaki Yuasa)
Millennium Actress (dir. Satoshi Kon)
Mind Game (dir. Masaaki Yuasa)
Perfect Blue (dir. Satoshi Kon) (4K Streaming Debut)
Shin Godzilla (dir. Hideaki Anno, co-director Shinji Higuchi) (4K Streaming Debut)
Summer Wars (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) (4K Streaming Debut)
The Boy and the Beast (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) (4K Streaming Debut)
The Colors Within (dir. Naoko Yamada) (North American Streaming Debut)
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) (4K Streaming Debut)
Wolf Children (dir. Mamoru Hosoda) (4K Streaming Debut)

Specific premiere dates for titles will be announced at a later date.

“HBO Max’s continued partnership with GKIDS indicates our commitment to bringing world class Japanese animation and original films to our audiences,” said Royce Battleman, EVP, Global Content Acquisitions at Warner Bros. Discovery. “This deal, which introduces masterpieces and fan favorites to streaming for the very first time, allows us to continue delivering premium films to our subscribers and solidifies HBO Max’s position as a leading destination in the space.”

"We are excited to continue the relationship with HBO Max and to bring this exciting package to US streaming audiences. HBO Max's focus on award-winning, genre-defining essential programming is a perfect match for the type of outstanding filmmaking that GKIDS champions," said Dave Jesteadt, GKIDS' President.

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