A Labubu Movie Is Officially in Development — No, We’re Not Joking

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Labubu, the popular collectible toy, is going to be made into a movie. Created in 2019 by artist Kasing Lung, who was born in Hong Kong and now lives in Belgium, and originally produced by How2 Work, Labubu figures are sold at Pop Mart stores. They became a global trend in 2024 after Blackpink’s Lisa was seen carrying one as a keychain. Their popularity is also due to being sold as ‘blind boxes’ – meaning customers don’t know which figure they’re getting – which makes them highly sought-after and valuable on the resale market.

Sony Pictures is planning a movie based on the popular character Labubu, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The project is in its early stages – no director or writers have been hired yet, and it’s not yet known whether the movie will be live-action or animated. Sony has not released any further details at this time.

Is Labubu Here to Stay or a Passing Fad?


Pop Mart

With the Labubu toy line becoming incredibly popular worldwide, a Labubu movie is a very appealing idea. In 2025, Pop Mart’s revenue more than doubled thanks to the brand, quickly making it worth over a billion dollars. This could be great news for Sony, which is actively seeking a new major film franchise. While Sony still has Spider-Man, those movies are made in partnership with Marvel Studios and Disney. Recent attempts to launch spin-off films based on Spider-Man-related characters – like Morbius, Kraven the Hunter, and Madame Web – were unsuccessful, and Sony recently sold KPop: Demon Hunters to Netflix, giving Netflix a potential hit series. Sony is clearly hoping for a big success, and Labubu could be it.

It’s still uncertain whether Funko figures are a temporary trend or if they’ll remain popular for years to come, similar to Hello Kitty, which just landed a movie deal. Funko was a major collectible for almost ten years, but recently, profits have dropped sharply, in part because of competition from Labubu. This has raised questions about the company’s future. Although Warner Bros. Animation agreed to produce a Funko movie back in 2019, the project has been stuck in development for six years.

It’s easy to assume the upcoming Labubu movie is just a way to quickly make money. However, given the success of films like The Lego Movie and Barbie, it could be good, depending on who Sony Pictures chooses to work on it. The big question is whether Sony will rush production to capitalize on Labubu’s current popularity, or if the movie will be released after the trend has faded. Alternatively, could waiting actually allow the film to connect with audiences when nostalgia for Labubu kicks in? Only time will tell if Sony makes the right decision.

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2025-11-17 14:50