BBC Studios Kids & Family is developing a live-action television series based on Hayao Miyazaki’s “Kiki’s Delivery Service” [1].
The adaptation seeks to introduce the beloved story to a new generation of viewers while celebrating the 40th anniversary of the original film [4, 5].
BBC Studios is producing the series in the U.S. and the United Kingdom in partnership with Japan’s Kadokawa Corporation, and the production company Wheel in Motion [1, 2]. The collaboration brings together British and Japanese production expertise to translate the animated world into a live-action format [2].
The series will consist of 10 episodes [6]. Each episode is expected to be approximately 30 minutes long [7].
While specific casting and plot details have not been released, the project is designed to honor the legacy of the original work. The announcement came this week in June 2026 [1, 2].
“The adaptation coincides with the 40th anniversary of the original film.”
This partnership reflects a growing trend of Western studios collaborating directly with Japanese intellectual property holders to create high-budget, live-action adaptations. By timing the release with the film's 40th anniversary, the producers are leveraging nostalgia while expanding the reach of Studio Ghibli-associated stories into the episodic television market.
