New Line Cinema is Making a HELLO KITTY Movie
Hello Kitty… you all know the brand. The face of the kitty cat plastered on all things pink. It’s a global phenomenon. Well, Hello Kitty is going to get a big screen adaptation thanks to New Line Cinema. I guess it was only a matter of time before this happened.
This is the first movie deal made for Hello Kitty outside of Japan in the brand’s 45-year history, so any fans of Hello Kitty are sure to see this as a big deal. This is said to be the first time “Sanrio has granted film rights to Hello Kitty and other popular characters—including Gudetama, My Melody, Little Twin Stars and more from its expansive universe—to a major film studio.”
Now whatever creative team that is brought in to develop the film will have to come up with a story that revolves around Hello Kitty. There’s no real narrative behind it, so they can pretty much come up with anything they want, but I imagine friendship will be the main theme. Regardless of that, the producers are all excited for it.
Sanrio founder, President and CEO, Shintaro Tsuji, had this to say in a statement:
“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.”
Richard Brener, President and Chief Creative Officer, and Carolyn Blackwood, President and Chief Content Officer of New Line Cinema, said in a joint statement:
“We are thrilled to partner with Sanrio and FlynnPictureCo. on developing a film based on this treasured icon. It’s a rare privilege to have the opportunity to explore the possibilities of such timeless IP. Hello Kitty and her friends have been part of our shared culture for decades, and we look forward to exploring where her newest adventure will take her.”
Beau Flynn, CEO, FlynnPictureCo., added:
“Hello Kitty has been one of the most beloved characters around the world for the last forty-plus years. We’re incredibly honored that President Tsuji has entrusted us with the responsibility of bringing her story to the big screen globally for the first time ever, and it’s a dream that we get to do this with our long-term partners at New Line and Warner Bros. 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!”
With Hello Kitty being the insanely huge world brand that it is, a movie like this could be a huge box office hit. While I’m not really interested in seeing a Hello Kitty movie, there are a lot of fans out there that will be.