Hello Kitty is ready for her close-up. The incredibly adorable, bow-wearing feline and the rest of her pals - My Melody, Gudetama, and Little Twin Stars - will star in a new feature film from Warner Bros.' New Line Cinema and Flynn Picture Company.
It's unclear if the film is being developed as an animated or live-action (or some sort of hybrid) feature; however, this will be the character's first English-language feature film. The search for writers is underway. Beau Flynn is on board as a producer alongside executive producer Wendy Jacobson.
Hello Kitty, aka Kitty White, was first created in 1974 and was introduced on a coin purse by Sanrio in 1975. Since then, the fictional character has become a staple in Japan's Kawaii culture and a global phenomenon. Hello Kitty has appeared across various media formats including comic books, television, video games, and animated movies. She's also featured on more than 50,000 branded products with estimated retail sales revenue exceeding $50 billion - making Hello Kitty the second-highest grossing franchise of all-time (behind Pokemon).
“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,” said Sanrio founder Shintaro Tsuji.
A release date has not yet been announced.