Another major Japanese franchise is making its way to Hollywood, as anime continues to dominate streaming and the box office. Following the immense success of franchises like Pokémon, which has been the world's highest-grossing media franchise since 1996, the beloved Japanese character Hello Kitty is expanding its presence for a Western audience with an upcoming film project. Hello Kitty, introduced by Sanrio in 1974, stands as the 10th-highest-grossing global franchise, positioned between Harry Potter and Call of Duty.

Since its inception, Hello Kitty has appeared in numerous animated TV shows and web series, leading to the expansion of its universe with other popular characters. In 2019, it was initially announced that Hello Kitty would receive her first movie from New Line Cinemas. Years later, a significant update has confirmed that the Hello Kitty movie is scheduled for release in two years and has found a new home at Warner Bros.

The project has tapped David Derrick Jr., co-director of "Moana 2," and John Aoshima, director of "Ultraman: Rising," to co-direct the feature. Reportedly, this Hello Kitty film will be a live-action/animation hybrid. The production team includes Ramsey Naito, known for "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie," and Beau Flynn, who produced "Black Adam," with Lindsey Beer, screenwriter for "Chaos Walking," also involved in the project. The film is officially slated to enter theaters on July 21, 2028.

While awaiting the movie's release, fans have several other Sanrio projects to enjoy. The Japanese stop-motion animation series "My Melody & Kuromi" premiered on Netflix in 2025, detailing My Melody and Kuromi's rivalry as Kuromi attempts to surpass My Melody's baking skills in Mariland. Additionally, the Hello Kitty and Friends YouTube channel hosts a vast array of content, including shorts and web series like "Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures," which boasts over 170 videos across 13 seasons.

A notable crossover event, "Gundam vs Hello Kitty," was released in 2019, consisting of three episodes. This special series, which holds a My Anime List score of 6.65, featured Megumi Hayashibara voicing Hello Kitty and Toru Furuya, a star from "Mobile Suit Gundam," as Amuro Ray.