Hello Kitty, an iconic Japanese cartoon character, is finally hitting the big screen after 40 years.
According to a report from Deadline, the movie will most probably be animated and carry a budget anywhere between $160 million and $240 million.
The new "Hello Kitty" movie is still in its early stages of production, but reports said the movie would be released in global theaters anytime in 2019.
While Hello Kitty fans still have to wait for further details about how the movie will go about, the official Facebook page of the popular Sanrio character reveals that Hello Kitty is from the London suburbs and is living with her parents and Mimmy, her twin sister.
The page also said "she has lots of friends at school with whom she shares many adventures" and listed listening to music, reading, traveling and collecting cute stuff as some of her many interests.
According to reports, Japanese company Sanrio has already made its very own media production, the Sanrio Media & Pictures Entertainment, in the U.S. last month so it can start introducing other characters to the entertainment industry.
"Sanrio Inc. can confirm that a U.S.-based entity has been formed to create feature films based on Sanrio characters and to expand its animated film and digital content business globally," Entertainment Weekly quoted the company as saying.
In January, Sanrio sold the rights to Little Miss and Mr. Men characters to Fox Animation.
Currently, the company is considering introducing Little Twin Stars and My Melody — both celebrating their 40th year this year — to the movies. Hello Kitty celebrated her 40<sup>th last year.
The red-bowed anthropomorphized feline has appeared in different TV adaptations since 1987, according to Cinema Blend. "Hello Kitty's Paradise," the longest running of all adaptations, reportedly ran for 12 years.
Hello Kitty, whose full name is Kitty White, is a fictional character produced by Sanrio, created by Yuko Shimizu and currently designed by Yuko Yamaguchi. She is depicted as ananthropomorphic white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow.
