Hello Kitty, the animated Japanese cat, is headed for the big screen, with a movie scheduled for 2019.

The Sanrio character, who celebrated her 40th birthday in 2014, will be the star of her own film, reported Screen Daily.

Hello Kitty
Hello Kitty (Itsuo Inouye/AP)

Details of the movie are being kept under wraps, but the project – which will be financed and produced by the new US subsidiary wing of Japanese company Sanrio – is expected to cost between 20 billion Japanese yen (£105 million) and 30 billion Japanese yen (£157 million), including production and advertising.

Hello Kitty, initially known as “the white kitten with no name”, was created by Yuko Shimizu and introduced in Japan in 1975.

Originally meant to be a little girl named Kitty White, who was born in the London suburbs, she is five apples high and weighs the equivalent of three apples.

Lady Gaga with a Hello Kitty doll
Lady Gaga with a specially designed Hello Kitty doll (Shizuo Kambayashi/AP)

She has become a favourite with celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Avril Lavigne.

The character, who fronts a wide range of products as well as a theme park, restaurant and convention, has been the star of several TV shows and numerous video games, and has recorded an album.

Other Sanrio characters such as My Melody and Little Twin Stars, who are both celebrating their 40th anniversaries this year, could also be headed for big screen outings.

Hello Kitty and My Melody
Hello Kitty and My Melody feature on postcards (Kyodo/AP)

Sanrio sold film rights to its Mr Men and Little Miss characters to Fox Animation in January.