Studio Ghibli: The Boy and the Heron - what we know about the new film

The Boy and the Heron is the latest film by Studio Ghibli

A brand new trailer for the latest Studio Ghibli movie, The Boy and the Heron, has just dropped.

Studio Ghibli is a famous Japanese animation studio, who have created movies like My Neighbour Totoro, Ponyo, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service and Howl's Moving Castle.

The new movie is directed by 82-year-old Hayao Miyazaki, who has made many of the studio's biggest hits.

It's his 12th feature film directing, and it was rumoured to be his last film before he retires, but he has hinted that it might not be!

The Boy and the Heron broke box office records when it was released in Japan earlier this year, and will now be shown in cinemas around the world in English - including from 26 December in the UK.

But what's it all about? Find out more below...

What is The Boy and the Heron about?

The Boy and the Heron follows Mahito on an adventure

The new movie is inspired by one of Hayao Miyazaki's favourite childhood books: Genzaburō Yoshino's 1937 novel How Do You Live?

The story of The Boy and the Heron takes place after the Second World War in Japan, and centres around a 12-year-old boy called Mahito Maki.

After the death of his mother, Mahito moves to a new town in the countryside and ends up discovering a magical gateway to a fantasy world.

On his adventures he meets a host of colourful characters, including a grumpy grey heron, who offers to help guide him through this world, but Mahito doesn't know if he can fully trust the tricksy heron.

Who is in The Boy and the Heron?

The list of actors voicing the characters in the English dubbed version of the movie has been revealed, and there are some huge stars!

Take a look at who is in the movie, you might recognise a few of them...

Luca Padovan plays Mahito Maki

Luca Padovan plays the main character Mahito Maki

Robert Pattinson is the Grey Heron

Robert Pattinson plays trickster - the Grey Heron. Robert has most recently played Batman, and previously starred in the Twilight movies

Christian Bale is Shoichi Maki

Christian Bale voices Shoichi Maki, Mahito's father in the movie. Like Robert Pattinson, Christian has also played Batman, and has previously voiced a character in a different Studio Ghibli film - Howl from Howl's Moving Castle

Gemma Chan plays Natsuko

Gemma Chan plays Mahito's aunt Natsuko. Gemma recently starred in the Marvel film The Eternals, and also voiced a character in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon

Dave Bautista plays the Parakeet King

Dave Bautista voices the Parakeet King. You might recognise Dave as Drax from The Guardians of the Galaxy movies

Florence Pugh is Kiriko

Actress Florence Pugh plays Kiriko in the film. You might recognise her as the voice of Goldilocks in the lastest Puss in Boots movie

Karen Fukuhara is Lady Himi

Karen Fukuhara plays the mysterious Lady Himi. You might know her better as the voice of Glimmer in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Mark Hamill plays Granduncle

Mark Hamill plays Granduncle in the film. Mark has played lots of characters, but is most famous for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies

Willem Dafoe is Noble Pelican

Willem Dafoe plays the Noble Pelican in the movie. Willem has plays lots of characters over the years including the Green Goblin in the Spider-Man movies

Dan Stevens, Tony Revolori, and Mamoudou Athie are the Parakeets.

Dan Stevens, Tony Revolori, and Mamoudou Athie play the Parakeets in the film. Dan played the Beast in Disney's live-action Beauty and the Beast, Tony starred in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Mamoudou played Wade in the new Disney Pixar movie Elemental

What do you think of the movie? Would you want to watch it? Let us know in the comments below!