Pop Mart (泡泡玛特) and Sony Pictures to develop LABUBU live‑action/CGI movie

Film project announced at Paris show

It has been reported that Pop Mart (泡泡玛特) and Sony Pictures today unveiled plans to develop a LABUBU live‑action/CGI feature, marking a high‑profile push to turn a Chinese designer toy into a global film property. The announcement reportedly took place during The Monsters ten‑year global tour’s Paris stop, where the collaboration was publicly revealed. Can a collectible vinyl figure become the next cross‑border entertainment franchise? The teams involved clearly think so.

Paul King — director and producer of Wonka and the Paddington films — will direct and produce, and will co‑write the screenplay with Steven Levenson, it has been reported. LABUBU creator 龙家升 (Kasing Lung) is set to serve as a film producer. The project is described as early‑stage development and plans to blend live‑action sets with CGI creatures in a manner similar to the Paddington films; no release date or financing details have been disclosed.

From designer toy to mainstream IP

LABUBU was designed by artist 龙家升 (Kasing Lung) and originally released as part of a monster‑series figure line by toy firm How2Work; Pop Mart later promoted the character in 2019 and the toy reportedly surged in popularity across Southeast Asia before exploding in China over the past two years. Social media "unboxing" videos, scarcity of rare variants and celebrity endorsements have driven feverish secondary‑market demand, and it has been reported that a cottage industry of collectors and resellers has emerged around the brand.

Industry and geopolitical context

The move highlights how Chinese consumer IP is increasingly being packaged for global audiences through partnerships with established Western studios. Such collaborations proceed even as broader US‑China geopolitical frictions affect technology and trade; entertainment tie‑ups can face fewer regulatory headwinds but still navigate cultural and commercial complexities. For now, the project signals another example of Chinese pop culture crossing borders — but much remains uncertain while the film remains in early development.