For Studio Ghibli fans, Howl’s Moving Castle stands as one of the studio’s most beloved works. Yet, outside that circle, it’s often overshadowed by Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke — especially in the U.S., where the latter helped introduce Ghibli to mainstream audiences. But actor Christian Bale knows quality when he sees it (or is a part of it), calling Howl’s Moving Castle nothing short of a masterpiece.
Bale was surrounded by fans at the arrivals area of Los Angeles International Airport recently, when a new new father asked what film of his he should show his daughter. Bale instantly made a face, seemingly caught on the spot to produce an answer that was kid-friendly, given his intense filmography. The Dark Knight trilogy could be seen as too dark for children and his character Gor in Thor: Love & Thunder was even more intense, so he settled for Howl's Moving Castle as his answer and calls it a "masterpiece."
The story follows a young woman named Sophie (Emily Mortimer/Jean Simmons) cursed with an old body, who seeks refuge in the moving castle of a mysterious wizard named Howl. Together, they navigate a world of magic and war, discovering love and self-acceptance along the way. The film is gorgeously animated, which is expected for a Ghibli production, featuring fun characters in Calcifer (Billy Crystal) and the Witch of Waste (Lauren Bacall), along with excellent performances from the dub cast. Howl's Moving Castle has amassed a huge fanbase over the years, which reveres it as one of Ghibli's best titles to date. For some, it's the film that introduced them to anime, and serves as a perfect point of entry for younger audiences, given its fairytale-like synopsis.
Ultimately, though, the film didn't make as big a splash as its contemporaries upon arrival. Howl’s Moving Castle premiered in Japan on November 20, 2004, and reached U.S. audiences on June 10, 2005, arriving three years after the award-winning Spirited Away and about six years after Princess Mononoke.
Spirited Away became a cultural phenomenon; it grossed over $10 million in the U.S. (a record for Ghibli at the time) and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003. Princess Mononoke also drew significant attention as one of the first major Ghibli releases in America, thanks in part to its Miramax/Disney partnership and its PG-13 rating, which broadened the potential audience.
By contrast, Howl’s Moving Castle earned a respectable $4.7 million domestically, and although it had a respectable box office and earned praise for its performances, it did not measure up to the studio's previous 2 films in the U.S.
That said, the head start Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away got has impacted how Howl's Moving Castle is seen in America. After watching the viral video, people online were shocked to discover Bale voiced the titular Howl, cementing just how underappreciated the film is. It's mistakenly seen as the lesser of the three films, when it actually stands shoulder to shoulder with them in terms of quality. It's also one of Bale's most unappreciated roles, as he's able to balance suave and cool with bratty and spoiled at the drop of a dime. It's especially impressive given that we typically associate Bale with roles like those he played in The Dark Knight or American Psycho.
Howl's Moving Castle is a bewitching tale great for Halloween season, or any day of the week, honestly, as it is truly a timeless classic with timeless animation.
Howl's Moving Castle is currently available to stream on HBO Max.