Where to stream Studio Ghibli’s latest film The Boy and the Heron

Despite threatening retirement, Japanese animation icon Hayao Miyazaki is back with a new, Oscar-winning feature film The Boy and the Heron for Studio Ghibli.

Miyazaki’s career in animation is unrivalled. Having helmed Ghibli classics like 1988’s My Neighbour Totoro, 1997’s Princess Mononoke, 2001’s Oscar winner Spirited Away and 2004’s Howl’s Moving Castle, the 82-year-old filmmaker shows no signs of slowing.

For his latest work, Miyazaki takes his cues from a novel of the same name released back in 1937 but injects it with his own story that combines elements of nature, family and fantasy.

The Boy and the Heron won widespread critical acclaim and scooped the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in March 2024, beating the likes of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Ahead of its Netflix release, here’s everything you know to know about the film.

How can I watch The Boy and the Heron?

Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron will be released on Netflix on 7 October, and is already available to buy and rent from Prime Video, Apple TV and Sky Store. The animation was originally released in UK cinemas on 26 December 2023, five months after its Japanese debut.

What have critics said about The Boy and the Heron?

For those not fortunate enough to catch Miyazaki’s latest, a stream of positive reviews provide a taste of what he has in store.

According to Total Film, The Boy and the Heron proves that its director is still working at the top of his game, with the outlet saying that if this is indeed Miyazaki’s final farewell “it’s an extremely fond one.” The Telegraph were equally impressed, writing that the movie will “move and amaze its audience on levels just beyond their cognitive reach.”

Deadline was a tad more balanced, saying it has “moments of beauty along with narrative missteps,” while Variety had similar thoughts, calling it “both comforting and slightly disappointing.”

Read more reviews below:

Total Film: Miyazaki proves he's still a master of the medium (4-min read)

The Telegraph: This Studio Ghibli swansong may be its finest film to date (3-min read)

Deadline: Hayao Miyazaki’s Mysterious Tale Of Loss And Wonder (5-min read)

Variety: Hayao Miyazaki Put Retirement on Hold to Bring Us a Few New Fantasies (6-min read)

Is there a trailer for The Boy and the Heron?

The English language trailer for The Boy and the Heron arrived in November 2023 and showcased the vocal talents of its starry cast — one that spans Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Christian Bale, Florence Pugh and more.

Check it out below,.

Released in September 2023, the first trailer for The Boy and the Heron invited us into a world where nature and man are at odds while introducing us to a young boy who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a talking heron — as you do.

Watch it below:

What happens in The Boy and the Heron?

After suffering a family tragedy, young Mahito Maki moves to a new town where he struggles with grief and fitting into his new surroundings.

As the story progresses, we watch on as Mahito battles external chaos before befriending a mysterious grey heron and being whisked into a fantasy world inside an ominous old tower that features magical characters and even more talking animals.

Set during the height of the Pacific War, Miyazaki’s latest continues many of the threads and themes that run throughout the majority of his work, including the clashing of nature and man and the importance of family.

Who is in the English voice cast?

Many big-name actors lend their voices to the English language cut of The Boy and The Heron, which was released alongside its original Japanese dub.

Star of Netflix’s You, Luca Padovan, provides the voice of Mahito, with The Batman star Robert Pattinson providing the vocals for the film’s titular heron.

Christopher Nolan’s Batman, Christian Bale, stars as Mahito’s father Shoichi, with Marvel’s Florence Pugh appearing as Kiriko, Mark Hamill as Granduncle, Karen Fukuhara as Lady Himi and Gemma Chan as Natsuko.

Meanwhile, Willem Dafoe plays the Noble Pelican, with Dave Bautista starring as the Parakeet King and Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori, and Dan Stevens all playing parakeets.

The Boy and the Heron will be streaming on Netflix from 7 October