Verve Signs ‘Hello Kitty’ Director Leo Matsuda

Leo Matsuda, the Japanese-Brazilian filmmaker at the helm of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and New Line’s Hello Kitty movie alongside Jennifer Coyle, has signed with Verve for representation.

Recently, Matsuda’s Hello Kitty has been slated for release on July 21, 2028. There’s no word yet on the plot of the film, other than it centering around the iconic Japanese character. Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. broke the news of the project — billed as an animated/live-action hybrid — in 2021, two years after New Line’s acquisition of film rights to the global Hello Kitty brand.

Lindsey Beer penned the screenplay, with her Known Universe to executive produce. Beau Flynn is producing through FlynnPictureCo. after spending nearly a decade working to secure rights to Hello Kitty.

Currently, Matsuda is also set to write and direct Yokai Samba, based on his own original idea, for DreamWorks Animation. Previously, he directed Tropical Santa for Netflix and Sputnik for DreamWorks. He made his directorial debut with Inner Workings, the acclaimed short that premiered alongside Moana.

Matsuda got his start as a Story Artist for Disney Animation, working on modern classics including Zootopia and Big Hero 6. He was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production for his work on Wreck-It Ralph and continues to be represented by SEL Media Group and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum.