Warner Bros. Reveals 2028 Summer Release Date for the Highly Anticipated Hello Kitty Feature Film

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Warner Bros has announced the release of another exciting franchise animation film, “Hello Kitty”. It is co-produced by Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and New Line Cinema. The film is inspired by the famous Sanrio toy franchise.

Originally, Hello Kitty was created by Yuko Shimizu, a Japanese designer, in 1974. Soon after the release, it became a merchandise character and eventually turned out to be one of Japan’s most popular global cultural contributions.

A Decade-Long Quest for Film Rights and Production Team

Producer Beau Flynn of FlynnPictureCo. spent nearly a decade on this film project. He was actively working with Sanrio founder Shintaro Tsuji to protect the rights of the character. This is the first time Sanrio has licensed film rights to this classic cat character. Additionally, New Line Cinema first announced the English-language feature project in 2019.

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Currently, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and New Line Cinema are moving forward as Leo Matsuda is set to direct the long-awaited animated movie. Matsuda had also previously directed a short film named ‘Workings’. Dana Fox, who wrote the musical fantasy Wicked, is involved in drafting the script. Shelby Thomas will be looking into the project on behalf of FlynnPictureCo. 

The Cinematic Debut of a Global Icon: What to Expect

newsThe studio stated, “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." However, it is not yet known if Kitty White will speak in the upcoming film, as she has been completely silent in her past animated series.

One of the other reasons for Kitty White’s silence is the lack of mouth in the character design. Sanrio has licensed film rights for other characters, including the cracked egg Gudetama and the rabbit My Melody. Therefore, it would not be surprising to see them together in the same cinematic universe. According to sources, the film is officially set for a worldwide release on 21 July 2028.

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Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and New Line Cinema are producing the Hello Kitty animated film. The movie will be directed by Leo Matsuda, who will bring back the Sanrio character to the big screen.