Death Note: The Musical releases trailer for Barbican return |

Death Note: The Musical has released an official trailer – giving fans their first full look at the stage adaptation of the manga story ahead of its return to London’s Barbican Theatre from 23 March to 15 May 2027.

The trailer for Death Note: The Musical follows a sold-out UK premiere at the Barbican, where the reimagined production broke the venue’s record for highest-grossing single week of a musical, then broke the record for highest-grossing single performance five times over. Since premiering in Japan in 2015, Death Note The Musical has enjoyed multiple sold-out runs across Japan and Korea, winning four Korea Musical Awards, alongside record-breaking, sold-out concerts at London’s Palladium and Lyric Theatre in 2023.

Watch the trailer for Death Note: The Musical

About Death Note: The Musical

Death Note: The Musical is based on the internationally bestselling manga series by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, and combines gripping psychological drama with a contemporary score by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie & Clyde), lyrics by Jack Murphy, additional lyrics by Morgan Reilly, and a book by Ivan Menchell.

The story follows Light Yagami, a brilliant but disillusioned high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook dropped by a Shinigami, or god of death, granting him the power to kill anyone simply by writing their name within its pages. As Light begins his crusade to rid the world of criminals, he attracts the attention of the enigmatic detective known only as L, sparking a tense and thrilling battle of wits.

Critical acclaim

The production’s Barbican run drew strong reviews, with WhatsOnStage calling it “a very big show in every sense: ambition, emotions, scale, spectacle, cast… and sheer entertainment value,” The Stage describing it as “kinetically powerful and atmospheric,” and The Guardian writing: “I would challenge anyone not to have a good time with this.”

Cast and creative team

The previous London cast was led by Xander Pang as Light Yagami and Colin Ryan as L, alongside Stephanie Zaharis as Misa Amane, Telly Leung as Ryuk and Grace Mouat as Rem.

This new production is directed by Stephen Whitson (Hamilton), designed by Jon Bausor (Spirited Away), and choreographed by Fabian Aloise (Evita), with orchestrations and arrangements by Jason Howland. It is produced by HoriPro and Trafalgar Theatre Productions in association with the Barbican.

Book tickets to Death Note: The Musical at the Barbican Theatre here