Christian Bale reveals which film of his he considers a ‘masterpiece’ worth showing his children

Bale surprisngly picked Hayao Miyazaki's 2004 Oscar-nominated Studio Ghibli classic over the Dark Knight trilogy

Christian Bale, known globally for his portrayal of Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, recently revealed the one film from his career he would proudly recommend to his children.

According to industry  insiders, when asked which of his works he would share with them, Bale named Howl’s Moving Castle, calling the Studio Ghibli classic a “masterpiece.”

Directed and written by Hayao Miyazaki, the 2004 animated feature was adapted from Diana Wynne Jones’ 1986 novel.

The English-language version, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures in 2005, features Bale as the voice of Howl, a charismatic wizard whose magical moving castle roams a war-torn land. The story follows Sophie Hatter, a young woman cursed by a witch to live as an elderly lady, who finds purpose and courage through her encounters with Howl, his apprentice Markl, and the fire demon Calcifer.

Despite deviating from the original book’s themes, the film preserves its essence of transformation, love, and anti-war sentiment. Upon its release, Howl’s Moving Castle grossed over $236 million worldwide on a modest $24 million budget. It received widespread acclaim and several major award nominations, including a nod for Best Animated Feature at the 78th Academy Awards.

In 2025, former Studio Ghibli animators Akihiko Yamashita and Yoshiharu Sato released a new 55-minute animated film, Ashita no Arika, under their Trash Studio banner, celebrating the legacy of Ghibli’s craftsmanship.

Howl’s Moving Castle continues to enchant audiences and remains available for streaming on HBO Max.