It’s official – the ‘Hello Kitty’ movie is set for a theatrical release. A feature based on the Sanrio character has been in the works for a long time. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and New Line Cinema have finally confirmed the release.On 30 Oct., the studio announced the release date. “Hello Hollywood,” said an Instagram post from the studio on Wednesday. “#HelloKittyMovie is coming to theatres on 21 July 2028!”“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 told Variety in a statement.The release announcement was accompanied by a video of a costumed performer as Kitty White. Check out the post here.
Meet the team behind Hello Kitty
Director Leo Matsuda, who has previously directed animated films such as Inner Workings and worked as a story artist on films including Zootopia and Wreck-It Ralph, is directing the upcoming feature. Dana Fox, who wrote the musical fantasy Wicked, has crafted the most recent draft of the script. Plot details of the feature have not yet been revealed.Producer Beau Flynn has spent nearly a decade in discussions with Sanrio founder Shintaro Tsuji to secure the rights to the beloved feline character. Shelby Thomas will oversee the project for Flynn Picture Company.
Who is Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty is one of the most beloved cartoon characters in global pop culture. She was created in 1974 by Japanese designer Yuko Shimizu and is owned by the company Sanrio.The character’s real name is Kitty White, a British anthropomorphised, white, round-faced, cartoon catlike girl with black eyes, a yellow nose, and no visible mouth. She wears a signature red bow on her left ear. Though Hello Kitty has feline characteristics such as pointed ears, whiskers, and a tail, the company portrays her as a girl, not a cat. According to the biography created by the company, the cute kitty was born in suburban London, where she lives with her parents and her twin sister, Mimmy. She enjoys baking, playing the piano, and making friends. Over the years, the third-grader has evolved into a symbol of friendship and kindness.Hello Kitty first appeared on children’s items such as coin purses, and now she features on everything from school supplies to aeroplanes, fashion collaborations, and even theme parks.News of the company eyeing a film adaptation emerged in 2015, and four years later, New Line and Flynn Picture Company confirmed that they were developing an “English-language film based on the venerable kids’ brand.”“I am extremely pleased that Hello Kitty and other popular Sanrio characters will be making their Hollywood debut. Hello Kitty has long been a symbol of friendship, and we hope this film will only serve to grow that circle of friendship around the world,” Sanrio founder Shintaro Tsuji said in a statement in 2019.
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