Legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki surprised absolutely no-one last night by admitting he would direct at least three more Studio Ghibli feature films.

As has become tradition for Miyazaki, he made these disclosures at a retirement party in Tokyo, his ninth since originally bowing out in 2005.

The as yet unnamed trilogy of films will be about aviation and the human condition - in that order - and be heart wrenchingly beautiful in every way.

“After these I’m done for sure,” Miyazaki told stone-faced party attendees. “Once this trilogy is complete I can’t bear the thought of making another second of film.”

Miyazaki later told Whale-Line reporters that a fourth film was almost certain to happen as well.

Joe Hisaishi will score the pictures, which was a surprise to Hisaishi. He really thought they were done this time, the gullible old scamp.