Before he helmed the first anime film adaptation of Ghost in the Shelldirector Mamoru Oshii made his own original works, including Angel’s Egg. The film turns 40 years old later this year, and to celebrate, distributor GKids is bringing it to North American theaters for the first time.

Beginning November 19, theaters across the country will put a 4K restoration of the movie on the big screen. Created by Oshii and character designer Yoshitaka Amano, the post-apocalyptic film stars a young girl safeguarding an egg and a young boy with mysterious dreams about a bird. The movie was notably Oshii’s first original work—and has themes that would stick around in his later works—and has very little spoken dialogue. At the time, audiences didn’t fully connect with it because of its biblical allegories and meaning, but it has grown in estimation over time. This past May, it screened at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

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After it leaves theaters, Angel’s Egg will land on HBO Max. Earlier this week, GKids announced a deal with the streamer to bring 20 live-action and animated adult movies to the platform, starting with Your Name, Shin Godzilla, and Perfect Blue on September 1. HBO Max already houses Studio Ghibli movies in the U.S., and in a press release, WB Discovery’s Royce Battleman said this new deal “allows us to continue delivering premium films to our subscribers and solidifies HBO Max’s position as a leading destination in the space.”

Later titles hitting HBO Max include Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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