It seems like any animated movie worth its salt is receiving the live-action treatment. In 2025 alone, three of the most high-profile movies of the year were live-action adaptations of animated favorites. Snow White came first, led by Rachel Zegler, and shrouded in controversy. Thankfully, the poor reception and box office failure of this Disney project were overcome by Lilo & Stitch, as Ohanas in their many millions flocked to theaters and helped the project to a billion-dollar haul and the green light on a sequel.
But of the three, the best came in the summer, as DreamWorks released its first live-action remake of an animated feature ever with How to Train Your Dragon. Scoring big at the box office and receiving near-perfect reviews from critics, the film, like Lilo & Stitch, is also confirmed to be getting a sequel. Now, the great Studio Ghibli is getting in on the act, as one of its best projects comes to live-action life in time for the 40th anniversary of the source material. The film in question is Kiki’s Delivery Service, originally released as a novel in 1985 by Eiko Kadono, before becoming a hit anime just three years later.
Just a couple of weeks after a sequel novel was announced, it has been reported that BBC Studios Kids & Family is teaming up with UK production company Wheel in Motion and Japan’s Kadokawa Corporation to bring a live-action Kiki’s Delivery Service television series to life. Planned to be split into ten parts, the series will be based primarily on the first volume of Kadono’s six-book series, with Irena Brignull of The Boxtrolls and The Little Prince fame attached to write.
“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,” Brignull said in a statement about the adaptation, adding, “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.”
A Big-Budget Live-Action Adaptation Debuts Next Month
Before Kiki’s Delivery Service arrives, the next big-budget live-action adaptation of an animated favorite is sailing into theaters next month. Dwayne Johnson will portray a live-action version of his beloved Maui, alongside Catherine Laga’aia as the titular daughter of Motunui’s chief, in the long-awaited live-action Moana remake. Scheduled for release on July 10, the film marks the directorial debut of Thomas Kail, who is a Tony winner for his work on Hamilton.
via Collider