'Hello Kitty' movie in the works for 2028
Hello Kitty is ready to say hello from the big screens as a feature film based on the iconic Sanrio character is slated for release in 2028.
In an Instagram post, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and New Line Cinema announced that they are officially moving forward with the production of the movie, which is set to be released on July 21, 2028.
"Hello Hollywood. Hello Kitty Movie is coming to theaters July 21, 2028!" Warner Bros. captioned the post, which showed the character pointing at the studio's famous water tower adorned with Hello Kitty's red bow.
"The film marks Hello Kitty’s Hollywood theatrical debut as Hello Kitty and her friends embark on a cinematic adventure sure to delight audiences of all ages," the studio said in a statement, per Variety.
Japanese Brazilian art director and animator Leo Matsuda will sit in the director's chair. He previously worked on several hit films such as The Simpsons Movie, Rio, Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6, and Zootopia.
He also served as the director of Inner Workings, an animated short film that premiered alongside Moana. With this, he became the first Brazilian to direct a short film for Disney.
Dana Fox, who is the executive producer of Wicked, meanwhile, wrote the most recent draft of the script.
News that a full-length animated Hello Kitty theatrical feature was first announced in 2015 and was initially planned for 2019. Once released, it will be Sanrio’s first film produced outside of Japan in its 60-year history.
Hello Kitty was first created in 1974 and is depicted as an anthropomorphized white cat with a red bow and no visible mouth. While this is so, Sanrio explained that the character is actually not a cat but a "little girl born and raised in the suburbs in London."
Since her creation, she has been a pop culture icon and has been featured on thousands of products worldwide, from stationery, toys, and fashion accessories to home décor, electronics, and even airplanes.