Hello Kitty to Star in Her First-Ever Hollywood Movie

The Japanese pop culture phenomenon is getting the Hollywood treatment, as Sanrio has just announced today its partnership with New Line Cinema and Flynn Picture Co. This collaboration is set to produce an English-language film for its beloved cat, a first in the character’s 45-year history.

This new venture for Hello Kitty is the product of nearly five years of negotiations for films rights with the Sanrio Co. Interestingly, the company’s partnership with New Line Cinema also gives the Western movie outfit the film rights to other Sanrio characters, such as My Melody and the famous lazy egg Gudetama.

CEO Shintaro Tsuji, Sanrio’s founder and President, has already expressed excitement over the iconic cat’s newest venture. “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.”

Likewise, New Line Cinema executives Richard Brener and Carolyn Blackwood are also “thrilled” with “bringing her story to the big screen globally for the first time ever… with the positive and family-oriented values that Hello Kitty and Sanrio embody, there has never been a better time than now to share her message with the world!”

New Line Cinema is a production label of Warner Bros. Entertainment and has produced several successful Hollywood films, most notably the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Flynn Picture Co. has also produced large commercial films such as Rampage, Skyscraper, San Andreas, and Journey to the Center of the Earth.

No details about the upcoming movie has been released as of this writing. According to a statement for Sanrio, initial preparations for the movie are still underway: "A search for writers and creative talent will commence immediately.”

Source: Bloomberg, BBC News