After several years in development, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and New Line Cinema are finally moving forward with the production of the Hello Kitty feature film, scheduled for release on July 21, 2028.
“Hello Hollywood 🎀🌴🎬 #HelloKittyMovie will be in theaters on July 21, 2028!,” the studio wrote on Instagram on Wednesday.
“This film marks Hello Kitty’s Hollywood theatrical debut as she and her friends embark on a cinematic adventure that is sure to entertain audiences of all ages,” the studio said in a statement.
Leo Matsuda is directing, with Dana Fox (Wicked) writing the latest script draft. Matsuda directed the short film “Inner Workings” and also worked as a story artist on films such as “Zootopia” and “Shrek-It Ralph.”
FlynnPictureCo. producer Beau Flynn spent nearly a decade working with Sanrio founder Shintaro Tsuji to obtain the rights to the character. Shelby Thomas will direct for Flynn Pictures.
Japan’s Sanrio first introduced the adorable big-headed feline in 1974 and quickly expanded its merchandising on a large scale, with entire stores devoted to thousands of items branded with Hello Kitty and her friends, including Dear Daniel and her superhero alter ego Strawberry Man. Japan is home to a Hello Kitty theme park, Hello Kitty cafes, dozens of video games, and numerous collaborations with luxury clothing and other adult products.
The English-language feature project was first announced by New Line in 2019 and was the first time Sanrio had licensed the film rights to a classic cat. It’s still unclear whether Kitty White (yes, she has a last name) will speak in the film, but because she doesn’t have a mouth, she’s been completely silent in the several animated series depicting her adventures so far. Sanrio has also licensed the rights to other characters, including the cracked egg character Gudetama, the rabbit character My Melody, and the Little Twin Stars, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see these characters play in the same sandbox as Hello Kitty.
Matsuda is represented by Verve and SEL, a media company led by manager Stacey Lubliner.
