Just a quick reminder to our readers in the UK and Ireland. The Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli classic Kiki's Delivery Service arrives in cinemas on Friday 21 August 2026. Screenings will be available on IMAX and then released more widely in 4K across UK and Irish cinemas from Friday 28th August 2026.
The film will be released both dubbed in English and in Japanese with English subtitles, so check the screening details to make sure you get the showing you want.
Kiki's Delivery Service is rated U and is a wholesome Ghibli story about a young witch finding her way in the world.
The dub is excellent and features Kirsten Dunst as Kiki and the late great Phil Hartman as Jiji the cat. The more attentive fans will notice that this version of the dub is subtly different from the original, as the extra dialogue added for the dub has been removed, making it closer to to the original Japanese version. The ad-libs such as Jiji going "Hello Kitty" and Ursula explaining that she knows the person giving them a lift while hitch hiking have been removed (along with some other spoiler details we won't elaborate on here). The opening and ending themes is also the original Japanese in this version, while the first version of the dub had songs Soaring and I'm Gonna Fly by Sydney Forest.
The original version with extra dialogue and English language songs is still on Netflix, so if you can't catch it at the cinema or want to watch it more than once you can. You can also watch the Studio Ghibli catalogue on Netflix.
We've seen the movie on IMAX and like any Ghibli film watching it on a big screen is a must, but seeing it on an IMAX screen is another experience. It's huge and the level of detail you can catch is amazing. Kiki's a great film for everyone, kids, grown ups and fans of Studio Ghibli.
You can find a screening near you and book tickets on the GKIDS website.
Press release as follows:
Tickets on Sale Now For
KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE
Coming to IMAX® Screens in the UK and Ireland 21 August 2026
NEW YORK/LONDON - KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE, the timeless and beloved classic from Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki and globally celebrated animation house Studio Ghibli, comes to cinemas in the UK and Ireland, presented newly remastered in 4K, exclusively in IMAX® theatres. The release marks the first time ever that KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE will play on IMAX® screens in the UK and Ireland. Tickets are on sale now with showings in both the original Japanese language with subtitles and English language dubbed versions. KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE will also be released widely in 4K across UK and Irish cinemas from 28 August 2026.
The upcoming IMAX® release follows this month's earlier announcement that GKIDS had acquired the UK and Ireland distribution rights to the 23 film-library of Japan's renowned Studio Ghibli, one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world. Additionally announced future titles slated to come to IMAX® screens in the UK and Ireland include Arrietty and Whisper of the Heart. Like GKIDS and IMAX®'s partnership in North America, fans can look forward to additional IMAX® releases of new Studio Ghibli 4K Remasters in Autumn 2026 and beyond, plus the re-release of the entire library across all home video platforms.
First released in 1989, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE is one of Director Hayao Miyazaki's most adored features from Studio Ghibli. The hand-drawn, animated feature, based on the novel by Eiko Kadono, is produced, written, and directed by Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, and features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator, the renowned composer Joe Hisaishi. The new 4K remaster highlights the great thought and care put into every frame of the film, celebrating the authentic craftsmanship of Studio Ghibli's detailed artwork.
In the UK and Ireland, GKIDS will be working in close partnership with sister-company and longtime collaborator Anime Limited, the Glasgow-based distributor, which was recently acquired by GKIDS' parent company Toho Global.
About Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, inspiring filmmakers and audiences alike for more than 40 years with beloved stories and breathtaking visuals. Under the brilliance of visionary animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio's films are known for timeless classics such as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Ponyo; and have won countless international awards including two Academy Awards® for Best Animated Feature for Spirited Away and The Boy and the Heron, as well as five additional Oscar® nominations for Howl's Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There, and The Red Turtle. Director and studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki was separately given an Honorary Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governors Awards in 2014, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures paid tribute to his artwork with a special exhibit when the Museum opened in September 2021. The studio, in conjunction with the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka and Ghibli Park, received the Honorary Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
About GKIDS:
GKIDS is the Academy Award-winning curator, producer, and distributor of artist-driven, globally inspired cinema dedicated to connecting North American audiences with distinctive stories from around the world. Widely celebrated for its leadership in the "animation is film" movement, the studio has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape for feature animation in the U.S. and internationally for nearly two decades. GKIDS represents the work of many of the world's most acclaimed animation filmmakers, including Makoto Shinkai (Your Name., Weathering With You), Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress), Tomm Moore (Song of the Sea, Wolfwalkers), Mamoru Hosoda (Mirai, Wolf Children), and serves as the North American home of Japan's legendary Studio Ghibli.
Upcoming theatrical releases include the highly anticipated Godzilla Minus Zero, the follow up to director Takashi Yamazaki's Academy Award-winning Godzilla Minus One; and Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, the latest Aardman feature in the beloved Oscar-nominated film series. In addition to the Oscar-nominated films Kokuho and Little Amélie and the Character of Rain, recent theatrical releases are the box office hit Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution, Mamoru Oshii's cult classic Angel's Egg, and the critically acclaimed All You Need Is Kill, alongside groundbreaking television series such as Dan Da Dan, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Arcane: League of Legends. @GKIDSFilms
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