Last year, Studio Ghibli's The Boy and the Heron debuted in Japan, introducing audiences there to another unique moviegoing experience from the mind of critically acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. Now, the Oscar-winning film has finally made its official debut on Max in the United States.
As detailed in a recent press release, The Boy and the Heron will join Max's Ghibli collection starting Friday, September 6, 2024. Like some of the studio's previous releases, the film's story is entirely Miyazaki's own creation, with inspiration drawn from his traumatic wartime experiences as a child. Since its release, The Boy and the Heron has received numerous awards, including a Japan Academy Prize, two Golden Globes, and the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The latter award helped the film return to theaters in North America on March 22.
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Max's press release officially describes the plot of The Boy and the Heron: “After losing his mother in a hospital fire, young Mahito moves to his family's estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events leads him to an ancient, isolated tower, inhabited by a mischievous grey heron. When Mahito's new stepmother disappears, he follows the grey heron into the tower and into a magical world populated by both the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must discover the secrets of this world and the truth about himself.”
The Boy and the Heron features an all-star voice cast for the official English dub. Luca Padovan (You, Code Geass: Roze of the Recapture) voices the protagonist Mahito Maki. Batman: Dark Knight star Christian Bale plays Mahito's father, Shoichi Maki, marking the actor's second role in Ghibli since Howl's Moving Castle (2004). Florence Pugh (Dune: Part Two) plays Mahito's friend, Kiriko. Robert Pattinson (The Batman, Twilight) plays the grey heron. Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, Gonzo Girl) and Mark Hamil (Star Wars, Castle in the Sky) play “The Noble Pelican” and “Granduncle,” respectively.
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Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron is second only to a Studio Ghibli film
Despite Ghibli's deliberate lack of promotion, The Boy and the Heron has been a huge financial success for the studio. As of July 2024, the film has grossed over $173.9 million at the worldwide box office, making it Ghibli's second-highest-grossing film behind Spirited Away (2001). Although Miyazaki is now in his 80s, the veteran animator shows no signs of retiring from the industry anytime soon. According to his son, Goro, Miyazaki is currently working on an “action-adventure” film that is “reminiscent” of some of his older films. However, details about the project remain scarce and will likely remain so, as Ghibli is notoriously secretive about its projects in the early stages of production.
Other Studio Ghibli works, including Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Kiki's Delivery Service, Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke, and From Up on Poppy Hill, among others, are currently available to stream on Max for audiences in the United States.
The Boy and the Heron
A boy named Mahito, longing for his mother, ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death ends, and life finds a new beginning. A semi-autobiographical fantasy from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.
Release date December 8, 2023
Cast Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Takuya Kimura, Aimyon
Running time 2 hours 4 minutes
Production company Studio Ghibli, Toho Corporation
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Source: Press release