Studio Ghibli’s ‘The Boy And The Heron’ Reveals Its English Language Cast

Studio Ghibli has announced the English voice cast for Hayao Miyazaki’s final film, The Boy and the Heron, featuring an incredibly talented group of actors.

GKIDS, the North American distributor for Studio Ghibli, has unveiled the complete cast for the film. The ensemble features renowned actors, including Christian Bale as the lead character Shoichi Maki, Mark Hamill as Granduncle, Dave Bautista as The Parakeet King, Willem Dafoe as Noble Pelican, Gemma Chan as Natsuko, Robert Pattinson as The Gray Heron, Florence Pugh as Kiriko, and Karen Fukuhara as Lady Himi.

Set against the backdrop of World War II, the semi-autobiographical film embarks on the journey of Mahito Maki (played by Luca Padovan) as he grapples with losing his mother in a fire-bombing. His father, Shoichi, sends him to live with his aunt Natsuko in the countryside, where he starts spotting a heron. He eventually follows the heron through a tunnel and emerges in an alternate world where the dead and living live together. 

Alongside a pretty stacked cast, the film will feature music by  Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi.

While some have hailed The Boy and the Heron as a grand artistic statement from the celebrated animator Hayao Miyazaki, it’s not the final curtain for him. Reports suggest that Miyazaki is already immersed in his next project.

Film enthusiasts and Studio Ghibli fans can mark their calendars; The Boy and the Heron is set to grace the theaters on December 8.

Until its official release, you can check out the trailer below.

[via IGN and Variety, screenshot via GKIDS Films/YouTube]