Hello Kitty Officially Confirmed To Return Ahead Of Major Movie Debut

6 days ago 13

Published Apr 25, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT

John Dodge is an MTV Writer for CBR who specializes in movies, television, comics, and pop culture. He has a deep knowledge of franchises like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Marvel, and DC Comics, along with a passion for indie and horror titles. An expert on obscure productions from the ’80s and ’90s, John is known for his encyclopedic recall of cult classics like Beetleborgs.

IDW Publishing is about to bring Sanrio's most beloved mascot straight to the world of comics. Say hello to Hello Kitty once again.

Sanrio and IDW Publishing have officially unveiled Hello Kitty's first major comic book series — Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World!. The upcoming series is written by fan-favorite Detective Comics and This One Summer scribe Mariko Tamaki, with art by rising star Cody Lemieux. Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World! #1 is currently slated to arrive in stores everywhere on August 12.

Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World! #1

Written by MARIKO TAMAKI
Art by CODY LEMIEUX
Main cover art by PAULINA GANUCHEAU
Variant covers by RIAN GONZALES; CHRISSIE ZULLO UMINGA; MIN HO KIM; TOKITOKORO; and NATALIE HAINES

The official solicit synopsis for Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World! #1 from IDW Publishing reads, "Everything is going well in Hello Kitty’s life: Her friends are happy, her radio show is popular, and she even has the perfect gift to give! But all of that comes to a screeching halt when My Melody bursts in to reveal that her bow has gone missing!"

IDW Publishing's synopsis continues, "Suddenly, the iconic symbols of our favorite characters all start disappearing, and it’s up to Hello Kitty to solve the case! But that’s not all—as friends start to suspect each other, our super detective must solve the mystery and keep everyone together! It’s a mess only Hello Kitty can solve!"

Hello Kitty has been Sanrio's leading mascot character for decades, and has been the literal face of the company for nearly as long. While Hello Kitty and her kawaii cast of friends continue to dominate numerous niche corners of pop culture, their impending entry into the realm of comic books stands as one of the wider franchise's boldest moves yet.

That being said, the announcement of Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World! is just one of many that fans have received this year, just as it is just one of several major new forays that Hello Kitty is set to embark upon in the years to come. Back in October 2025, it was confirmed that Hello Kitty is finally heading to the silver screen for her very first animated feature film.

Hello Kitty is set to be directed by Leo Matsuda, while Wicked scribe Dana Fox is reportedly overseeing the latest drafts of the screenplay. The film is being produced by New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures in collaboration with FlynnPictureCo., whose founder, Beaugh Flynn, spent nearly a decade personally negotiating the rights to the project with Sanrio founder Shintaro Tsuji.

Later this year, Hello Kitty will be undergoing what is by far her biggest shakeup yet as the character and brand prepare to get their first new lead designer in nearly five decades. In February, Sanrio announced that longtime Hello Kitty lead designer Yuko Yamaguchi, who took over the role in 1980, would be stepping aside for incoming lead designer Aya. Yamaguchi will pivot to serving as a leading consultant for Sanrio as a whole, and is expected to give a dual interview alongside Aya sometime this Summer for an upcoming edition of the official Sanrio magazine — Ichigo Shimbun (Strawberry Newspaper).

Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World! #1 from IDW Publishing goes on sale on August 12.