Studio Ghibli’s Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning animated feature The Boy and the Heron will make its U.S. streaming debut Friday, September 6, exclusively on Max. This hand-drawn, original story is Hayao Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years that is both written and directed by the Academy Award️-winning filmmaker (Spirited Away).
The Boy and the Heron joins the rest of the Studio Ghibli library on Max as part of an exclusive multiyear U.S. deal announced earlier this year.
Synopsis: 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 lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself.
The English-language version features the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh.
The film is written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and produced by Toshio Suzuki, with music by longtime Miyazaki collaborator Joe Hisaishi.
