After years in the making, one of Sanrio’s most beloved icons is set to make her way onto the silver screen for the first time. New Line and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation have announced that development on a new Hello Kitty movie is underway, with a theatrical release scheduled for 21 July 2028.
The news comes by way of an Instagram post from the studio, which writes, “Hello Hollywood 🎀🌴🎬 #HelloKittyMovie is coming to theatres July 21, 2028!”. It then added in a separate statement: “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.”
Story details are under wraps, but Leo Matsuda, whose credits include Big Hero 6 and Zootopia, will direct the project. Dana Fox, of Wicked fame, is handling the script, while Beau Flynn steps in as producer, after spending nearly a decade working with Sanrio founder Shintaro Tsuji to secure rights to the character.
First announced in March 2021, the untitled Hello Kitty feature was originally billed to feature both animated and live-action elements, much like 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit and other similar hybrid works. New Line acquired the film rights to the classic cat in 2019, marking the first time Sanrio has granted it to a major studio.
It’d be interesting to see if Hello Kitty will talk in the forthcoming outing, as her adventures in various animated series have all been silent to date. If anything, it’s likely that other Sanrio characters, such as Gudetama, My Melody, and Little Twin Stars, will appear, allowing for entertaining, adorable, and even chaotic interactions to take place.
The Hello Kitty movie hits cinemas on 21 July 2028.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
