During the mid-2000s and early 2010s, Christian Bale starred in what has arguably become the most popular superhero movie trilogy in history. The Dark Knight films, more than two decades on from the premiere of Batman Beginsare widely regarded as a monumental moment in pop culture history, and are revered for their gritty, dark aesthetic.
However, they aren’t the movies that Christian Bale has cited as masterpieces. For the popular film news and fan page DiscussingFilm on XBale was asked which of his movies he would show to his kids, to which he responded with the Studio Ghibli classic, Howl’s Moving Castlebefore calling the 2004 animated film a ‘masterpiece’.
Christian Bale Calls Howl’s Moving Castle a Masterpiece
Bale Performed as the Titular Howl in the 2004 Hayao Miyazaki Classic
Long before anime began its ongoing meteoric rise in popularity, Studio Ghibli was one of the few industry titans with a dedicated international fan base, thanks largely to a partnership between the studio and Disney. Starting in 1997, Disney began dubbing and distributing Ghibli’s most popular titles.
When Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle arrived in 2004, Christian Bale led the movie’s English cast, which included other names like Billy Crystal, Emily Mortimer, Josh Hutcherson, and Jean Simmons. For an early 2000s anime English dub, the cast featured quite a bit of star power, and it’s noticeable in their performances.
The film follows Sophie, a young hat-maker who, after an encounter with the Witch of the Waste, is turned into an old woman. Searching for help, she turns to the wizard Howl and finds a home in his magic moving castle.
Despite the film failing to take home an Oscar after Miyazaki’s first Best Animated Feature win in 2003, Howl’s Moving Castle is one of the most celebrated and acclaimed Studio Ghibli films ever, and it seems Christian Bale agrees on its masterpiece status.
Rising Popularity Is Causing Familiar Actors to Turn to Anime
Household Names Are Beginning to Participate in Major Anime Releases
As anime continues its Western climb in mainstream popularity, the frequency with which major actors are taking part in anime English dubs is steadily increasing. Demon Slayer‘s first Infinity Castle movie, which landed in US theaters this past September, has become the highest grossing international film in North American history.
Featured in its cast is Channing Tatum, voicing Keizo. 2023’s The Boy and the Heron starred Robert Pattinson, among other household names in its star-studded cast. Anime is quickly becoming a major player in North American cinemas, and Christian Bale was early in its Western expansion, starring in Howl’s Moving Castle more than two decades ago.
- Release Date
- September 9, 2004
- Runtime
- 119 minutes
- Producers
- Toshio Suzuki
-
Chieko Baisho
Sophie (voice)
-
Takuya Kimura
Howl (voice)
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