LOS ANGELES: Iconic Japanese brand Hello Kitty, famous globally for the red-bowed cat with six symmetrical whiskers, is getting her own film adaptation. Japanese lifestyle company Sanrio is planning to finance and produce a feature based on the character and release it globally in 2019. The film will go through Sanrio’s recently established US subsidiary. The project will have an expected budget of anywhere from $160 million-$240 million, including P&A, according to Sanrio execs.
US-based Sanrio Media & Pictures Entertainment was established in June to help exploit the Japanese company’s IP and brand library worldwide. Fox Animation acquired film rights to Sanrio’s ‘Mr. Men and Little Miss’ characters in January. Sanrio managing director Rehito Hatoyama was appointed chief exec of the new US unit and will oversee the Hello Kitty project.
The company is also considering other character properties to star in films as well, with a dedicated fund likely to be established for these projects. Sanrio’s other characters include My Melody and Little Twin Stars. They are both celebrating their 40th anniversaries. Hello Kitty turned 40 last year.
Say hello to ‘Hello Kitty’ the movie
Say hello to ‘Hello Kitty’ the movie
Makkah museum displays world’s largest Qur’an
MAKKAH: The Holy Qur’an Museum at the Hira Cultural District in Makkah is showcasing a monumental handwritten copy of the Holy Qur’an, recognized as the largest Qur’an of its kind in the world.
The manuscript measures 312 cm by 220 cm and comprises 700 pages, earning the museum recognition from Guinness World Records for displaying the world’s largest Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The manuscript is a magnified reproduction of a historic Qur’an dating back to the 16th century, the SPA stated.
The original copy measures 45 cm by 30 cm, with the chapters written primarily in Thuluth script, while Surah Al-Fatiha was penned in Naskh, reflecting the refined artistic choices and calligraphic diversity of the era.
The Qur’an is a unique example of Arabic calligraphy, gilding and bookbinding, showcasing Islamic art through intricate decorations, sun-shaped motifs on the opening folio, and elaborately designed frontispiece and title pages that reflect a high level of artistic mastery.
The manuscript was endowed as a waqf in 1883. Its original version is currently preserved at the King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries, serving as a lasting testament to Muslims’ enduring reverence for the Qur’an and the richness of Islamic arts across the centuries.
