TL;DR, Warner Bros and New Line’s live-action/animation Hello Kitty movie will be co-directed by David Derrick Jr. and John Aoshima, and is scheduled to open worldwide on July 21, 2028. Producers include Ramsey Naito and Beau Flynn, and the project dates back to a 2019 announcement with format details revealed in 2021.

Warner Bros and New Line named David Derrick Jr. and John Aoshima as co-directors of the Hello Kitty movie and set a worldwide release for July 21, 2028. The date and team lock in the long-running hybrid project, confirming a live-action and animation approach for Sanrio’s global mascot.

Hello Kitty movie confirms July 21, 2028 release and new directors

Deadline reported that David Derrick Jr. and John Aoshima will co-direct Warner Bros and New Line Cinema’s live-action animation hybrid take on Sanrio’s mascot. The Hello Kitty movie is scheduled to open worldwide on July 21, 2028.

Ramsey Naito will produce the feature with Beau Flynn, aligning the project with experienced animation and franchise leadership. The studios described the film as a live-action animation hybrid, pairing live-action performances with an animated Hello Kitty.

Plot, casting, and additional crew were not announced at this stage. The date gives the studios a clear runway to build the hybrid pipeline and plan an international rollout.

• Worldwide release date: July 21, 2028, set for a coordinated global rollout by Warner Bros and New Line Cinema.
• Co-directors: David Derrick Jr. and John Aoshima, confirmed by Deadline as the duo leading the hybrid feature.
• Format: a live-action animation hybrid that combines live-action performances with CG-animated characters, including Hello Kitty.
• Producers: Ramsey Naito will produce alongside Beau Flynn, who has been attached on the project via FlynnPictureCo since the 2019 setup.
• Studios: New Line Cinema developing the project with Warner Bros, consistent with the banner used at announcement and in current reports.
• Scope: a family-targeted feature positioned for international audiences, leveraging Sanrio’s long-running character recognition.
• Calendar watch: families browsing our top animated picks may want this date circled well in advance.
• Status: casting, story details, and trailer plans have not yet been announced by the studios.

Who David Derrick Jr. and John Aoshima are, and what they bring to Hello Kitty

David Derrick Jr., identified with Moana 2, and John Aoshima, known for Ultraman: Rising, will steer the film as co-directors. Their backgrounds signal fluency in animation-driven storytelling and large-scale family features.

The pairing fits a directors brief that prizes clarity, timing, and character appeal in a hybrid environment. Their animation sensibilities can help integrate CG characters with live-action plates, reportedly a core need for a live-action animation hybrid.

On the producing side, Ramsey Naito will join the project with Beau Flynn. Deadline’s report credits Naito and Flynn as producers, setting a leadership group that spans animation and franchise production experience.

• David Derrick Jr. brings experience from Moana 2, a touchpoint for contemporary musical adventure and expressive character animation.
• John Aoshima’s Ultraman: Rising credit reflects action and heart blended through stylized CG, a useful mix for hybrid storytelling.
• Their combined track record points to clear visual staging and readable emotion, essential for CG characters interacting with actors.
• Ramsey Naito producer credit places seasoned animation oversight inside the core team, alongside Beau Flynn producer leadership.
• The directors’ filmographies align with what many consider the best animated movies traditions, built on character-first scenes and clean comedic beats.
• Expect a process that emphasizes layout, performance capture planning, and animation timing, all standard for a hybrid pipeline.
• While creative specifics remain under wraps, the assembled team suggests a steady, craft-forward approach to family cinema.

How the Hello Kitty movie changed since the 2019 announcement

The project first surfaced in 2019, when New Line Cinema and FlynnPictureCo were reportedly handling production and development. Beau Flynn was named producer and Wendy Jacobson was listed as executive producer at that time.

In 2021, reporting tied to the hybrid format reveal listed Jennifer Coyle and Leo Matsuda as directors, with Lindsey Beer handling the script. Known Universe, co-founded by Beer, was cited as an executive producer in that phase.

The broader Hello Kitty screen presence grew in parallel. The 52-episode Hello Kitty: Super Style! 3D series launched on Amazon Kids+ in December 2022 across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan, then reached Germany in 2023.

• 2019 announcement: New Line Cinema and FlynnPictureCo guided development, with Beau Flynn producing and Wendy Jacobson serving as executive producer.
• 2021 hybrid format reveal: The Hollywood Reporter listed Jennifer Coyle and Leo Matsuda as directors, with Lindsey Beer as scriptwriter and Known Universe as executive producer.
• 2022 series debut: Hello Kitty: Super Style! arrived on Amazon Kids+ in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan.
• 2023 rollout: the Super Style series premiered in Germany, while ABC Frontier distributed the series in Asia.
• Production partners on Super Style: French studios Watch Next Media and Monello Productions, working with Italy’s Maga Animation.
• 2018 catalog: Sentai Filmworks released Hello Kitty & Friends Let’s Learn Together as the first title in its Sentai Kids imprint, a note of range for the brand often adjacent to our best action anime list readership.
• Last June: Moonbug Entertainment partnered with Sanrio to announce a crossover series with CoComelon and Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty and Cinamoroll, with global distribution planned in 2026.
• Current phase: Warner Bros and New Line confirmed David Derrick Jr. and John Aoshima as co-directors and set a July 21, 2028 worldwide release.

Source: ANN