Hello Kitty Movie Confirmed for Worldwide Theatrical Release on July 21 2028

Warner Bros. has confirmed that its planned Hello Kitty film will open in theaters worldwide on July 21, 2028. The production involves Sanrio, New Line Cinema, and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation working together, and the film will feature other Sanrio characters alongside Hello Kitty.

The project was first announced in 2019, with New Line Cinema and FlynnPictureCo named as the companies handling production and development. Beau Flynn is attached as producer, with Wendy Jacobson as executive producer. When the live action and animation hybrid format was announced in 2021, animators Jennifer Coyle and Leo Matsuda were named as directors, with Lindsey Beer writing the script. Beer’s company Known Universe is also serving as executive producer.

Hello Kitty has been active in animation in recent years. The 52-episode series Hello Kitty: Super Style! launched on Amazon Kids+ in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan in December 2022, with Germany following in 2023. ABC Frontier handled Asian distribution, while French companies Watch Next Media and Monello Productions produced the series with Italian animation studio Maga Animation. Sentai Filmworks also released a Hello Kitty and Friends animated series in 2018 as the first title in its Sentai Kids imprint.

On the brand side, Moonbug Entertainment announced a partnership with Sanrio to produce a crossover series featuring characters from CoComelon alongside Sanrio properties including Hello Kitty and Cinnamoroll. Moonbug plans to distribute the series globally in 2026.

My take: A theatrical Hello Kitty film with major studio backing has been a long time coming, and July 2028 gives the production plenty of room to get the look and tone right. Hello Kitty works best when she is gentle and a little whimsical, and I hope the film leans into that rather than chasing something too big and loud.