Sony Pictures is moving ahead with a Labubu movie, a signal that the bunny-eared creature has crossed from collector subculture into mainstream consciousness.
On November 14, The Hollywood Reporter broke the news and confirmed that plot details remain under wraps. Movies based on toys are nothing new. G.I. Joe and Transformers built global box office franchises from action figure roots, and The Lego Movie proved that a brand without preset characters can still power a major studio project. Barbie pushed this even further when it cleared one billion dollars at the worldwide box office in 2023 and earned eight Oscar nominations.
Labubu was created by Hong Kong-born, Europe-based artist Kasing Lung and first produced by How2Work as part of a series of monster figures back in 2015. The character’s momentum accelerated in 2019 when Chinese retailer Pop Mart took over production and distribution. Lines formed around blind-box drops, and secondary-market prices climbed.
What sets Labubu apart is that it comes from the world of art toys rather than mass-market lines. Celebrities amplified the craze, including Rihanna and Lisa of BLACKPINK, who were both photographed with the figures within the last two years. A film studio at the caliber of Sony offers Labubu a new cultural stage, confirming that designer toys are no longer a niche interest, but a global market with stories large enough for Hollywood to chase.
