Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Mark Hamill, & More Lead All-Star English Voice Cast for Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron

GKIDS has revealed the full English-language voice-over cast for The Boy and the Heron, the latest film from Oscar-winning filmmaker and living legend Hayao Miyazaki. The film is set to be featured this week at the Animation Is Film Festival in Los Angeles.

The new English-language dub for the film features an all-star cast, including Academy Award winner Christian Bale, former WWE Superstar Dave Bautista, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, Academy Award nominee Willem Dafoe, and more. You can view the full English voice cast below:

* Christian Bale as Shoichi Maki
* Dave Bautista as The Parakeet King
* Gemma Chan as Natsuko
* Willem Dafoe as the Noble Pelican
* Karen Fukuhara as Lady Himi
* Mark Hamill as Granduncle
* Robert Pattinson as The Gray Heron
* Florence Pugh as Kiriko

Also featured in the cast are Luca Padovan as Mahito Maki, Mamoudou Athie, Tony Revolori, and Dan Stevens as the Parakeets. GKIDS handled the casting and production of the English dub of the film in collaboration with Studio Ghibli. Michael Sinterniklaas (Dean Venture of The Venture Bros. fame) directed the English ADR for the film at NYAV Post. Stephanie Sheh wrote the English script adaptation of the film, which was written and directed by Miyazaki, who has announced his retirement from directing on four separate occasions.

GKIDS also noted in today’s announcement that the English language dub was produced in accordance with the SAG-AFTRA Foreign Dubbing Agreement. For clarification, while SAG-AFTRA is currently striking against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), talents recording English ADR for international films is under a separate contract, so it would be an exception for struck productions. Voice-over work for video games is also under a separate contract, which SAG-AFTRA is in the process of renegotiating.

The Boy and the Heron is receiving a nationwide theatrical release on December 8. It will be screening in both its original Japanese format with English subtitles and the new English-language dub. There will also be special preview engagements on November 22 before its nationwide expansion on December 8. The film marks Miyazaki’s first feature in 10 years since The Wind Rises in 2013.