The Boy and the Heron English Dub Trailer Released, Fans Heap Praise on Robert Pattinson’s Voice Acting Debut

The Boy and the Heron, the latest film from Studio Ghibli and one of its founders, Hayao Miyazaki, reveals its first English dub trailer with a top-notch cast. The much-publisized mystery surrounding the movie will soon come to an end as The Boy and the Heron will finally hit theaters outside of Japan on December 8. The film, which achieved an incredible success in its home country, was set to be the last project of the legendary Miyazaki, responsible for unforgettable titles such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, and Howl’s Moving Castle. Fortunately, everything seems to indicate that the artist will continue working and is already thinking about his next film. But that doesn’t make The Boy and the Heron any less special, since the film is already emerging as a favorite among its fans.

To celebrate its arrival in theaters around the world next month, GKids and Studio Ghibli have shared the first English sub trailer for the film, which features a voice cast led by Christian Bale, Florence Pugh, Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson, and Mark Hamill. The movie also features the voices of other big stars such as Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Karen Fukuhara, Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori and Dan Stevens.

Check it below:

Following the release of the trailer, fans have heaped praise on the voice acting debut of The Batman star Robert Pattinson, who voices The Grey Heron, with the actor relishing in doing something different on screen.

Related: Every Studio Ghibli Movie, Ranked

What’s The Boy and the Heron About?

Before its debut in Japan in July, the film had not released any trailer or official synopsis, simply a poster. The only reference to the plot was the book on which it is based, How Do You Live?, published in 1937 by Genzaburo Yoshino. The novel focuses on a young man who lives with his mother since his father died when he was little, and is constantly visited by his uncle, with whom he shares a close bond. Through different conversations that his uncle documents in a diary, the young man shares his opinions about life, the universe, and everything that surrounds them.

However, Miyazaki used How Do You Live? merely for reference, changing the story and adding elements from his filmography such as dreams, fantasies, supernatural creatures, magic and more. The Boy and the Heron follows the adventures of Mahito, a young man whose mother died during World War II, so he moves with his father to a more remote area of ​​Japan. His father has also remarried and is expecting a baby with his new wife, something that causes conflict for Mahito. While exploring his new home, Mahito is taken to a fantasy land by a heron, a place where time and space do not obey the same rules as in our world. Mahito must do everything possible to return to his reality and mend his relationship with his family.

The Boy and the Heron, like most of Miyazaki’s stories, mixes fantastical elements to teach important lessons about love, family, friendship and more. Many of the director’s films are coming-of-age stories, so the process of growing up for its protagonists is also an important element in them, and The Boy and the Heron is no exception.