Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's ‘The Boy and The Heron' Hits Milestone as Highest Grossing Original Japanese Animated Film in North America

Featuring One of Cinema's Most Iconic Characters in History, ‘Godzilla Minus One' Is The Highest Grossing Japanese Live Action Film of All Time in North America

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 19, 2023 / Dolphin Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLPN), a leading entertainment marketing and premium content production company, and its subsidiary, PR powerhouse 42West celebrate the dual success of "The Boy and the Heron" and "Godzilla Minus One."

The widely acclaimed animated feature film, "The Boy and the Heron," is now Academy Award-winning filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki ("Spirited Away") and Studio Ghibli's highest grossing film released in North America, earning an estimated total of $23.4 million in its second week in theaters. (The record was previously held by "Ponyo" which grossed $15.7 million.) A critical and box office success, this latest film from the legendary director also hit the milestone of highest grossing original (non-franchise IP) Japanese animated feature in North America - the record of which was previously held by Studio Ghibli's own "The Secret World of Arrietty," which ended at $19.5 million in local box office. "The Boy and the Heron" will continue to play in North American theaters through the holidays.

"Godzilla Minus One" is continuing its massive success, as the movie's initial release surpassed expectations with great response from fans and critics alike. The BBC called it "2023's best action-blockbuster" and Rolling Stone declared it "the best Godzilla movie in years." Now grossing more than $34 million domestically, the worldwide box office cume is over $57 million. It's an exciting time to be a Kaiju fan as the movie destroyed any and all expectations, surpassing many blockbuster movies that were released since the first week of December and is still going strong.

Underscoring the global interest in Japanese entertainment, this success goes well beyond box office statistics.

Awards and nominations for "The Boy and the Heron" include the following (to date):

• Golden Globe Nomination - Best Feature - Animated
• Golden Globe Nomination - Best Original Score
• Critics Choice Awards - Nominated for Best Animated Feature
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association - Winner for Best Animated Feature
• New York Film Critics Circle - Winner for Best Animated Feature
• Chicago Film Critics Association - Winner for Best Animated Feature
• Philadelphia Film Critics Association - Best Animated Film
• Philadelphia Film Critics Association - Best Foreign Language Film
• Boston Film Critics Association - Winner for Best Animated Feature
• It has received additional honors from the National Board of Review as one of the "Top 10 Films of the Year," the Hollywood Creative Alliance, Indiana Film Journalists Association, North Texas Film Critics Association, Phoenix Film Critics Circle and Florida Film Critics Circle

Awards and nominations for "Godzilla Minus One" include the following (to date):

• Academy Awards - Shortlisted for Best Visual Effects
• Critics Choice Awards: Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film
• Nearly a dozen of top Film Critics Society / Association awards have nominated "Godzilla Minus One" in the Best Foreign Language Film category
• Chicago Film Critics Association Awards - Best Use of Visual Effects
• Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
• Best International Movie
• Best Horror/Sci-Fi Movie

About 42West

42West, a subsidiary of Dolphin Entertainment, is one of the entertainment industry's leading full-service public-relations firms. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, 42West has four divisions: Talent, Strategic Communications, Entertainment Marketing, and Fandoms & Franchises (formerly known as BHI), the award-winning firm's gaming, consumer products and publishing practice. The agency has developed and executed marketing and publicity strategies for hundreds of movies and television shows as well as countless actors, filmmakers, recording artists, personalities and authors. In addition, 42West provides strategic counsel to a wide variety of high-profile individuals and corporate clients-ranging from movie and pop stars to major studios, charitable organizations, and media conglomerates-looking to raise, reposition, or rehabilitate their public profiles.

About Dolphin Entertainment, Inc.

Dolphin Entertainment is a prominent independent entertainment marketing and production company. Through its subsidiaries, 42West, The Door, and Shore Fire Media, the company offers expert strategic marketing and publicity services to top brands in the film, television, music, gaming, and hospitality industries. All three PR firms have consistently ranked among the top 50 PR firms in the United States. Viewpoint Creative and The Digital Dept. complement these efforts with complete creative branding and production capabilities, as well as social media and influencer marketing services. Dolphin's most recent acquisition, Special Projects, provides talent booking services and event production for high-end clients in the media, entertainment, and fashion industries. Dolphin's legacy content production business, founded by Emmy-nominated CEO Bill O'Dowd, has produced multiple feature films and award-winning digital series. Dolphin has also entered into a multi-year agreement with IMAX to co-produce feature documentaries. To learn more, visit: https://www.dolphinentertainment.com.

This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These forward-looking statements may address, among other things, Dolphin Entertainment Inc.'s offering of common stock as well as expected financial and operational results and the related assumptions underlying its expected results. These forward-looking statements are distinguished by the use of words such as "will," "would," "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "designed," "plan," or "intend," the negative of these terms, and similar references to future periods. These views involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and, accordingly, Dolphin Entertainment's actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in its forward-looking statements. Dolphin Entertainment's forward-looking statements contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release. Factors or events Dolphin Entertainment cannot predict, including those described in the risk factors contained in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, may cause its actual results to differ from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Although Dolphin Entertainment believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved, and Dolphin Entertainment undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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Contact:

James Carbonara/HAYDEN IR
james@haydenir.com

SOURCE: Dolphin Entertainment