Hello Kitty Movie Gets Directors Including Moana 2 Filmmaker
David Derrick Jr. and John Aoshima will direct the film, which has a script by Jeff Chan and a roster of veteran writers.
- Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and New Line Cinema have hired Moana 2 co-director David Derrick Jr. and Ultraman: Rising co-director John Aoshima to direct the upcoming Hello Kitty feature film, scheduled for July 21, 2028.
- The project has been in development since at least 2019, when Sanrio and New Line first licensed the character to a major film studio. Derrick Jr. and Aoshima replace veteran animator Leo Matsuda, who was previously attached to direct.
- Joining as producers are former Paramount Animation president Ramsey Naito and Beau Flynn, who spent nearly a decade securing rights from Sanrio founder Shintaro Tsuji. Both directors hold overall deals with Warner Bros. Pictures Animation.
- Script duties are currently handled by Jeff Chan following earlier drafts by multiple writers. The film will follow Hello Kitty and popular Sanrio characters on a cinematic adventure designed to delight audiences of all ages.
- Introduced in 1974, Hello Kitty now appears on approximately 50,000 types of merchandise sold annually in over 130 countries and regions, positioning this film as a major expansion for a globally recognized brand.
12 Articles
12 Articles
'Hello Kitty' Movie Sets David Derrick Jr., John Aoshima to Direct
Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have signed “Moana 2” co-director David Derrick Jr. and “Ultraman: Rising” co-director John Aoshima to direct their upcoming film adaptation of Sanrio’s “Hello Kitty” franchise, which will be released July 21, 2028. Ramsay Naito, the former head of Paramount and Nickelodeon Animation, has also joined the project as a producer alongside Beau Flynn. Shelby Thomas is overseeing for FlynnPictureCo. “Moana 2” was Derr…
'Hello Kitty' Movie At New Line Finds Directors
Sanrio’s Hello Kitty feature film from New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation has tapped directors David Derrick Jr. and John Aoshima to helm. Beau Flynn is producing and the project has recently added Ramsay Naito joining as well. Shelby Thomas is overseeing for FlynnPictureCo. The film will be distributed globally by Warner Bros. Pictures […]
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