Beloved '80s Animated Movie Is Heading to IMAX for the First Time
Beloved '80s Animated Movie Is Heading to IMAX for the First Time
Liz LindainTue, February 24, 2026 at 1:41 AM UTC
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This iconic classic is flying into IMAX theaters next month.
It was announced on Monday that Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service will be released in IMAX theaters for the first time the week of March 13. Following the success of Princess Mononoke on IMAX last December, the cinema technology company and film distributor GKIDS will continue their partnership and release more Studio Ghibli films throughout 2026.
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Kiki's Delivery Service is a Japanese animated fantasy film that follows a 13-year-old witch named Kiki (Minami Takayama) who moves to Koriko with her cat Jiji (Rei Sakuma) and they start a flying courier service. The movie is based on the 1985 children's novel with the same title written by Eiko Kadono.
Studio Ghibli is a popular Japanese animation studio that was founded by Miyazaki, Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata, and is best known for producing multiple children's anime films throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle and Ponyo.
The Studio Ghibli logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen.Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images (Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Kiki's Delivery Service was originally released in Japan on July 29, 1989, and it was considered the first Studio Ghibli film to be successful upon release, making a total of $31 million dollars at the box office and becoming one of the highest-grossing films in Japan that year. In addition, the film received critical acclaim and multiple film awards. Two years later, an English dub was produced for Japan Airlines' international flights, then Walt Disney Studios produced an English version in 1998, with Kirsten Dunst and Phil Hartman voicing Kiki and Jiji, respectively, a decade after its initial release.
Many fans of the legendary movie posted their excitement about the upcoming IMAX release on X.
"Seeing Hayao Miyazaki on a massive IMAX screen?" a user wrote along with a screenshot of the official IMAX poster. "My childhood is screaming 😁."
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"I feel like I'm flying when I watch the 4K trailer for Kiki's Delivery Service," Catsuka, a popular anime film fan account, quote-tweeted. "Thank you, GKIDS ♡."
An X account dedicated to posting film content wrote, "Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service in IMAX is going to look so good."
"Ahhhhggg!!! That’s amazing," another wrote. "I can’t wait."
"That’s amazing. Seeing Kiki in IMAX is going to feel magical," one user commented.
"Seeing Miyazaki’s world in IMAX is pure nostalgia overload," another wrote. "my inner child is absolutely losing it."
Tickets for Kiki's Delivery Service are now available in select movie theaters in the United States and Canada on IMAX's official website. Meanwhile, the film can be streamed on HBO Max.
Related: Fans Celebrate Anniversary of Iconic Movie Released 22 Years Ago
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
