Kiki’s Delivery Service Set for New Live-Action Adaptation
A new live-action adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service is officially in development through a collaboration between BBC Studios Kids & Family, U.K.-based production company Wheel in Motion, and Japanese publisher Kadokawa.
The project will bring Eiko Kadono’s beloved fantasy novels to television with plans currently calling for a ten-episode series, with each episode running for approximately 30 minutes.
The upcoming adaptation will draw its story primarily from the first volume of Kadono’s long-running Kiki’s Delivery Service novel collection.
Screenwriter Irena Brignull, whose previous credits include The Boxtrolls and The Little Prince, has been attached to write the series.
First published in 1985, Kiki’s Delivery Service follows the coming-of-age journey of a young witch named Kiki and her loyal black cat companion, Jiji.
The original novel series ultimately expanded to six main volumes before concluding in 2009.
Kadono later revisited the world of the series in 2014 with a side story centered on Osono, one of the franchise’s notable supporting characters.
The author’s contributions to children’s literature were further recognized in 2019 when she received the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing.
English-language readers were first introduced to the series through a translation by Lynne E. Riggs published by Annick Press in 2003.
A new English edition of the first novel was later released by Penguin Random House in 2020 featuring a fresh translation by Emily Balistrieri.
While the novels remain highly regarded, many international fans first discovered Kiki through Studio Ghibli’s acclaimed animated adaptation directed by Hayao Miyazaki.
Released in 1989, the animated film adapted the first novel and went on to become one of Studio Ghibli’s most celebrated productions.
The story follows Kiki as she leaves home in accordance with a long-standing witch tradition and sets out to develop her magical abilities in the wider world.
After arriving in a seaside town with Jiji by her side, Kiki establishes a delivery service using her broomstick while navigating the challenges of independence, self-confidence, and growing up.
The English-language release introduced the story to an even broader audience through a voice cast that included Kirsten Dunst, Janeane Garofalo, Phil Hartman, and Debbie Reynolds.
The film first reached North American audiences through a dubbed VHS release in 1998 before receiving a DVD edition in 2003.
A later Blu-ray and DVD release arrived through GKIDS in 2017, while streaming availability expanded further when the film joined HBO Max in 2020.
Interest in Kiki’s Delivery Service has remained strong in recent years, with GKIDS recently bringing a newly restored 4K version of the film to IMAX theaters across North America.
The special IMAX presentation debuted on March 13 as part of a wider initiative to bring restored Studio Ghibli classics back to theaters during 2026.
Studio Ghibli animator Atsushi Okui has overseen work on the IMAX versions, which are being produced from new 4K restorations of the films.
Kiki’s adventures have inspired multiple adaptations across different forms of media over the years.
A stage musical directed by the late Yukio Ninagawa ran from 1993 through 1996.
The first two novels later served as the basis for a live-action film released in 2014 starring Fūka Koshiba in the lead role.
The franchise also inspired a West End stage production in London in 2016, followed by stage musicals that were performed in Tokyo and Osaka during 2017 and again in 2021.
Development on the new live-action television adaptation has now been confirmed, with BBC Studios Kids & Family, Wheel in Motion, and Kadokawa planning a ten-episode series based on the first Kiki’s Delivery Service novel.
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