Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)
93%RT Audience Score: 93%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
14 wins & 20 nominations total
Exquisitely illustrated by master animator Miyazaki, Howl’s Moving Castle will delight children with its fantastical story and touch the hearts and minds of older viewers as well.
Howl’s Moving Castle is a magical adventure that will transport you to a world of wonder and imagination. Miyazaki’s attention to detail and stunning animation will leave you in awe, while the characters will capture your heart. It’s like a dream come to life, with surprises around every corner. And let’s be real, who wouldn’t want to live in a castle that can move? So grab some popcorn, sit back, and let Howl’s Moving Castle take you on a journey you won’t forget!
Production Company(ies)
Produzioni De Sica
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for frightening images and brief mild language
Year of Release
2005
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital EXDTS-ESSDDS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 59m
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Language(s):Japanese
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Country of origin:Japan
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 10, 2005 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 14, 2006
Genre(s)
Fantasy/Anime
Keyword(s)
starring Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer, Jean Simmons, Lauren Bacall, Blythe Danner, Josh Hutcherson, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, written by Hayao Miyazaki, produced by Toshio Suzuki, fantasy, anime, PG rating, box office gross $4.7M, reviewed by David Ansen, Derek Malcolm, John Lyttle, Peter Bradshaw, David Stratton, Sam Adams, Fico Cangiano, Matt Brunson, Mattie Lucas, Eddie Harrison, Rachel Wagner, Stephanie Cooke, 182 critic reviews, 60 top critic reviews, 158 fresh reviews, 24 rotten reviews, 87% Tomatometer, 93% audience score, magical, flying castle, wizard, evil witch, spell, youth, beauty, hat shop, transformation, dangerous journey, strange adventure, Japanese, Buena Vista Pictures, SDDS, flat aspect ratio
Worldwide gross: $236,269,142
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $360,070,234
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 423
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 39,266,111
US/Canada gross: $5,576,743
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $8,498,863
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,668
US/Canada opening weekend: $427,987
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $652,245
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,341
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $24,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36,575,600
Production budget ranking: 1,026
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,695,961
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $303,798,674
ROI to date (est.): 540%
ROI ranking: 237
Christian Bale – Howl (Voice)
Lauren Bacall – Witch of the Waste (Voice)
Blythe Danner – Madam Suliman (Voice)
Emily Mortimer – Young Sophie (Voice)
Josh Hutcherson – Markl (Voice)
Director(s)
Hayao Miyazaki
Writer(s)
Hayao Miyazaki
Producer(s)
Toshio Suzuki
Film Festivals
Cannes
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
14 wins & 20 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (182) | Top Critics (60) | Fresh (158) | Rotten (24)
Howl’s Moving Castle has the logic of a dream: behind every door lie multiple realities, one more astonishing than the next.
March 13, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
[Miyazaki] may have made better films than Howl’s Moving Castle, but it still exhibits his amazing imagination and astonishing detail.
December 8, 2014
Derek Malcolm
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Howl’s Moving Castle is Japanese and anime, and therefore automatically more artistic than its US counterparts. The right cultural cachet gives you a lot of leeway.
December 8, 2014
John Lyttle
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
A floatingly delightful fairytale with its heart set on repealing the law of gravity.
December 8, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Miyazaki’s vision is an extraordinary one, and Howl’s Moving Castle confirms his fascination for transformations, for dangerous journeys and strange adventures.
December 8, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/5
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
Miyazaki isn’t interested in the jolts of surrealism so much as imbuing his audience with the idea that reality can change at any moment, and change back just as quickly.
December 8, 2014
Sam Adams
Philadelphia City Paper
TOP CRITIC
A wonderful animated film that speaks to the imagination of the viewers in many ways. Gorgeous animation and interesting characters inhabit Miyazaki’s wondrous world. [Full review in Spanish]
November 17, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Fico Cangiano
CineXpress Podcast
Unique.
September 22, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Whereas Spirited [Away] saw the world through the eyes of a child, Howl sees it through the eyes of an adult who longs to be young again.
June 5, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)
Despite Miyazaki’s undoubted gifts for story, character and cute animation, the diverse cultural agendas jar badly.
April 26, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Eddie Harrison
The List
I do find it a bit slow… [but] I’m glad I saw it.
February 15, 2019 | Rating: 6/10
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
The rich landscapes and colours just jump off the screen at you in the best possible ways. Each character has such unique features and expressions that make them truly stand out.
August 20, 2018
Stephanie Cooke
Rogues Portal…
Plot
In Howl’s Moving Castle, a young girl named Sophie befriends a wizard named Howl, but their relationship is threatened by the evil Witch of Waste, who casts a spell on Sophie that ages her prematurely. Howl must use his magical talents to battle the witch and return Sophie to her former youth and beauty.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Lauren Bacall voices the character of the evil Witch of Waste in Howl’s Moving Castle.
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