‘Hello Kitty’ Movie in the Works, Sets Release Date

Warner Bros. has set a release date for its long-awaited Hello Kitty movie, and it looks like the studio’s giving it the Barbie treatment. Created by Yuko Shimizu in 1974, Hello Kitty is one of the most recognizable and profitable brands in the world, generating over $8 billion in profits for Sanrio by 2013. It’s honestly sort of shocking that no big-budget Hello Kitty feature film has been released… but that’ll soon change.

According to the studio, current plans call for Hello Kitty to arrive in theaters on Jul. 21, 2028. Warner Bros. and the official Hello Kitty X account released a video of Hello Kitty on the Warners lot, pointing at the water tower before the release date is displayed onscreen. Leo Matsuda, a storyboard artist on The Simpsons Movie and Zootopia, will direct from a script written by Wicked‘s Dana Fox. Warner Bros. released a statement via Variety:

“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.”

‘Hello Kitty’ is Getting the ‘Barbie’ Treatment

Work on a Hello Kitty movie was first reported in 2019 when Sanrio partnered with New Line Cinema, a Warner Bros. subsidiary. It marked the first time Sanrio had licensed the character for a feature film. Many expected Sanrio to team up with Universal, given the prominent presence of Hello Kitty merchandise and character meet-and-greets at Universal theme parks.

The release date for Hello Kitty is rather significant, as Jul. 21, 2028 will be five years to the day after Barbie was released and became a $1.4 billion hit — Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing film of all time, adjusted for inflation. Giving Hello Kitty the same release date shows the studio’s level of confidence, and it’s warranted: Like Barbie, Hello Kitty is a generational icon with a passionate fanbase, and the character’s big-screen debut could be marketed as an event.

Hello Kitty‘s arrival is three years away, but some studios are already taking advantage and dating other animated projects accordingly. DC Studios’ Robin-themed stop-motion film, Dynamic Duo, is already scheduled for Jun. 30, 2028. Incredibles 3 is expected to arrive in 2028, likely in June. On the non-live-action front, Sam Mendes’ four-part Beatles event film will kick off in April 2028, and Marvel has three dates reserved, with many expecting their May 2028 release to be an X-Men reboot.