Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away Shares First Look at West End Debut

Studio Ghibli is gearing up for another headline debut. Earlier this year, the company earned the world's attention as director Hayao Miyazaki unearthed his latest film, The Boy and the Heron. Now, Spirited Away wants to retake the spotlight, and it is starting a comeback campaign with help from the West End.

As you can see below, the team behind Spirited Away's stage play is back in action, and the group is taking over the United Kingdom. After all, the hit adaptation is slated to take the stage at the West End before long. Toho Co is teaming up with PW Productions on the international run, and director John Caird will oversee the breathtaking show.

Currently, Spirited Away is still working on its global debut behind the scenes, but the West End is gearing up for ticket sales. The show will take place at the London Coliseum if you happen to be in town when Spirited Away makes its West End launch. Ticket pre-sales will kickstart on September 5th in England, so interested patrons better keep an eye on the show. After all, Spirited Away is an award-winning production in Japan, and this West End launch will hopefully be no different.

Of course, this is not the first time Studio Ghibli has commanded the focus of the West End. The theatre hub stood to attention for Miyazaki's work last year when My Neighbor Totoro took to the stage. The hit adaptation played to sold-out shows each week, and its production team earned a few Olivier Awards for their impressive work. Now, Spirited Away is going to take on live theater, so let's hope the West End has braced itself.

If you are not familiar with Spirited Away, you should know the movie is Studio Ghibli's most famous. The feature stands as the studio's highest-grossing feature, and it tells the fantastical tale of a girl named Chihiro as she finds herself whisked into a magical world by a disgruntled witch. If you want, you can watch the original Spirited Away film on Max now, so you can read up on its official synopsis below for more details:

"Chihiro's family is moving to a New house, but when they stop on the way to explore an abandoned village, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress, Yubaba. Put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons, Chihiro must use all her wits to survive in this strange New place, find a way to free her parents and return to the normal world. Overflowing with imaginative creatures and thrilling storytelling, Spirited Away became a worldwide smash hit, and is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of all time."

What do you think about this latest look at Spirited Away's stage show? Are you hoping the adaptation heads to Broadway in NYC? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!