Alright, JoBlo readers, this is the one you’ve all been waiting for. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Animation and New Line Cinema are developing a big-screen adaptation of the popular Japanese character Hello Kitty. On the official Warner Bros. Instagram, the studio announced that they will be releasing the all-new animated feature film on July 21, 2028. The Warners Instagram page showcased a short video of the Hello Kitty character on the studio lot, happily waving, before zooming in on the famous water tower to show a pretty pink bowtie on the iconic WB shield.
The caption for the post read, “Hello Hollywood. HelloKittyMovie is coming to theaters July 21, 2028!” This new project will come from director Leo Matsuda. The script will be written by Wicked screenwriter Dana Fox, and Beau Flynn is on board to produce the project, while Shelby Thomas will oversee it for Flynn Picture Company. There is no word yet on the plot, but it will no doubt be adorable.
Shintaro Tsuji, the founder of Sanrio, the company that launched the character, expressed his excitement that the character was being developed for a film back in 2019, “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.”
According to Wikipedia, “Originally, Hello Kitty was only marketed towards a child and preteen audience. In the 1990s, the target market for Hello Kitty was broadened to include teenagers and adults as a retro brand. Marketing to those who could not get Hello Kitty merchandise as children, and those who fondly remember items they had, Sanrio began selling Hello Kitty branded products such as purses and laptops. The 1994–1996 Face series was the first to be designed specifically for mature consumers.
The Hello Kitty brand rose to greater prominence internationally during the late 1990s. At that time, several celebrities, such as Mariah Carey, had adopted Hello Kitty as a fashion statement. New products featuring the character were made available in a large variety of American department stores.”
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