Ponyo Gets Final US Release Date In August

We mentioned the generic "2009" US release of Ponyo in passing last autumn, a couple of times, but now we finally have a final release date: August 14, 2009 (so it turns out ICv2's speculated "Q1 2009" timeframe was waaay off). This latest report also mentions the voice actors for the animation film's English version, with loli Noah Lindsey Cyrus voicing the lead character / lol-fish Ponyo.



The rest of the English cast includes some rocking kid Frankie Jonas as Sosuke (the boy who befriends Ponyo), Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon (facepalm), Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson (win), Lily Tomlin and Betty White. Our source doesn't mention if the August 14 date holds true for the theatrical premiere and/or the disc release, but Gia seems to think it's the former.

Ponyo, as in Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea of course (or Gake no Ue no Ponyo), is the latest animation film by studio Ghibli and aging director Hayao Miyazaki. It was released in Japan last summer, so the American premiere comes with a delay of more than a year. Typical.