A new live-action adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service is in development through a partnership between BBC Studios Kids & Family, UK production company Wheel in Motion, and Japan’s Kadokawa Corporation.
The Kiki’s Delivery Service live-action series will adapt author Eiko Kadono’s original novels rather than remake the 1989 animated film from Studio Ghibli. The announcement arrives during the 40th anniversary year of the book series, which first began publication in 1985.
According to the companies involved, the project is planned as a 10-episode television series. Each episode will run for approximately 30 minutes. The adaptation will draw primarily from the first novel in Kadono’s long-running series.
The Series Will Return to Eiko Kadono’s Original Story
The story follows Kiki, a 13-year-old witch who leaves home as part of her training. She settles in the coastal town of Koriko and launches a delivery business. Along the way, she forms new friendships and learns how to live independently.
A photo from Kiki’s Delivery Service – Youtube, GKIDS Films
The new Kiki’s Delivery Service series has attached screenwriter Irena Brignull, whose previous credits include The Boxtrolls, The Little Prince, and Skellig. She will adapt Kadono’s work for television.
Brignull shared her excited of the story, “Kiki is one of fiction’s great girl characters and I’m thrilled to be part of bringing her to life in this new adaptation. Embodying the magic that exists in re-invention and human connection, she shows us what’s possible when you venture boldly and big-heartedly into the world to find a sense of purpose.”
How the New Adaptation Differs From the Studio Ghibli Film
The novels have sold millions of copies worldwide since their debut. The first book later inspired the animated classic directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released by Studio Ghibli in 1989. That film introduced many international viewers to the character, but the upcoming television project will return directly to the original literary source.
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While the animated film remains widely known, the live-action series is being developed from the novels themselves. This approach places the spotlight on the material that launched the franchise four decades ago.
First Live-Action Television Adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service
The project will also mark the first live-action television adaptation of Kiki’s Delivery Service. A Japanese live-action feature film based on the property premiered in 2014, but this is the first time the story has been developed as a live-action TV series.
A photo from from Kiki’s Delivery Service – YouTube, IMAX
Takeo Kodera, Kadokawa’s director of international co-productions, said the project forms part of the celebration of the books’ 40th anniversary. He also highlighted the collaboration between the production team and Kadono during development.
Release Date and Cast Remain Unannounced
Several details remain unknown. The companies have not announced a cast, production schedule, or release date. Development on the Kiki’s Delivery Service live-action series is still underway.
A photo from Kiki’s Delivery Service – Youtube, GKIDS Films
For now, the announcement signals a new chapter for a literary property that has remained popular for decades. By adapting Kadono’s original novels for television, the creative team will bring Kiki’s story to audiences through a different format while drawing from the source material that started it all.
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