The most famous flying broom of fantasy imagery is preparing to sail the skies of the small screen in a completely new guise. BBC Studios Kids & Family has formalized the production of the first live-action television series based on the Kiki narrative universe.
The international operation was born from a strategic partnership between the British broadcasting giant, the production company Wheel in Motion and the Japanese major Kadokawa Corporation. The announcement comes in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the original literary saga born in 1985, a cultural franchise that has managed to conquer entire generations by selling millions of copies all over the world.
@Lucky Red/YouTube
The project and the challenge beyond Studio Ghibli
In the collective imagination the character is inextricably linked to the 1989 animated masterpiece Kiki – Home deliveriessigned by master Hayao Miyazaki for Studio Ghibli. The developers of the new series, however, have clarified that it will not be a remake of the animated feature film, nor of the 2014 live-action cinematic film directed by Takashi Shimizu.
The production optioned the six books written by Eiko Kadono (winner of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award), deciding to structure the first season into ten episodes of thirty minutes each. This initial installment will faithfully focus on the events of the first volume, focusing on the teenager’s formative journey to the coastal town of Koriko and the birth of his air shipping business.
An excellent signature for the screenplay
To preserve the delicacy and magical atmosphere of the source material, the writing of the screenplay was entrusted to Irena Brignull. The author boasts solid experience in author animated cinema, having already signed globally successful films such as Boxtrolls – The magic boxes (nominated for an Oscar), Skellig and the adaptation of The little prince by Netflix.
Executives involved, including Grainne McNamara for the BBC’s children’s division and Takeo Kodera for Kadokawa’s international co-productions, expressed enthusiasm for a partnership that aims to modernize the Kiki myth for a global audience. At the moment the companies have not yet disclosed the details relating to the casting or the official debut date.
You might also be interested in:
