The English version of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s latest film, The Boy and the Heron, features an all-star cast. Production of the English localization complied with SAG-AFTRA. For reference, the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike is still ongoing, whereas the writers’ strike ended earlier in October 2023. [Thanks, GKIDS Films!]
The English cast for The Boys and the Heron feature:
- Christian Bale (American Psycho) as Shoichi Maki
- Dave Baustista (Guardians of the Galaxy) as the Parakeet King
- Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians) as Natsuko
- Willem Dafoe (Spider-man) as Noble Pelican
- Karen Fukuhara (Suicide Squad) as Lady Himi
- Mark Hamill (Star Wars) as Granduncle
- Luca Padovan (You) as Mahito Maki
- Robert Pattinson (The Batman) as the Gray Hero
- Florence Pugh (Oppenheimer) as Kiriko
Bale famously appeared in Howl’s Moving Castle as Howl in the past. His appearance in the English version of The Boy and the Heron will mark his second time voicing a major character in a Studio Ghibli film.
Originally, The Boy and the Heron was Miyazaki’s final film. However, he is now working on another movie. The story of the film is based on How Do You Live? but it is not a direct adaptation. When the movie originally came out in Japan, there were barely any details about the plot in the marketing, nor did anyone talk much about the story after it appeared in theaters. It takes place during the Pacific War in Japan, following young Mahito, who has a tense relationship with his family.
The Boy and the Heron will debut in North American theaters on December 8, 2023.
