We knew that Warner Bros. Discovery inked a deal with GKIDS that included exclusive U.S. streaming rights for Studio Ghibli's Oscar-winning film The Boy and the Heron. And today, we learned that the movie will be streaming on the service starting in September.
Prepare for the adventure of a lifetime.
— Max (@StreamOnMax) July 24, 2024
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, Hayao Miyazaki’s #TheBoyAndTheHeron begins streaming September 6 exclusively on Max. #MaxGetsMovies pic.twitter.com/XTNf2oEBwt
In a press release, WB Discovery confirmed that The Boy and the Heron will arrive on Max starting September 6. This will mark the first time the film is available on a streaming platform. In March, Netflix revealed that it would make the movie available on its platform at some point before the end of 2024, but only for viewers outside of the United States, due to the exclusive streaming rights deal WB Discovery secured.
Released in 2023, The Boy and the Heron is about a young boy named Mahito who moves to the countryside following the death of his mother. Mahito soon discovers a mythical world that includes a talking heron. The film was met with critical and commercial success, winning several accolades, including Best Animated Feature at the 9th Academy Awards held earlier this year.
More interestingly, the English dub is known for having an all-star voice cast. Among the English voice cast includes Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Willem Dafoe, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, and Florence Pugh.
In our 9/10 review of The Boy and the Heron, IGN wrote: "Hayao Miyazaki delivers the perfect coda to his illustrious career with a stunning animated adventure that reminds us how lucky we are to live at a time when Studio Ghibli is making movies."
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
