Labubu movie confirmed: Wonka director Paul King to helm Sony, Pop Mart adaptation
Labubu was originally a storybook character created by artist Kasing Lung.
Pop Mart has some news: The viral forest elf that took over 2025, is heading to Hollywood. In a new move that proves they’re playing in the big leagues, the Chinese toy giant is teaming up with Sony Pictures for a Labubu feature film.
The project will be directed by Paul King, known for Wonka, Paddington, and the BBC comedy series The Mighty Boosh. No release date has been announced.
Pop Mart has expanded beyond toys into a broader entertainment and collectibles business. Valued at nearly $40 billion, the company has surpassed established brands such as Mattel. Its Labubu figures have gained international popularity, driven in part by the appeal of blind-box packaging and visibility among celebrities including Rihanna and Lisa.
And if you're still trying to understand where exactly the Labubus emerged from and how they just took over the world...well, we have an idea.
Who are the Labubus?
Before becoming the world's obsession, Labubu was originally a storybook character created by artist Kasing Lung. Born in Hong Kong, Lung moved to the Netherlands at the age of seven, where he developed an early interest in Nordic fairy tales, particularly stories featuring elves. Drawing inspiration from this folklore, he created The Monsters, an illustrated book series launched in 2015 that introduced a whimsical group of female elf characters called Labubus.
“At that time, there were no game consoles or computers, so I had to draw dolls with a pen, so I had the idea of painting fairy tales since I was a child,” Lung said in an interview with Hypebeast, as reported by the Bangkok Post.
While living in Belgium, Lung worked as a children’s book illustrator and became the first Chinese recipient of an Illustration Award. He later published My Little Planet in 2013, followed by another children’s book, Lizzy Wil Dansen, in collaboration with writer Brigitte Minne.
“That’s why I wanted to create something that I’ve always known existed in my heart,” he said in an interview with CGTN Europe last March. “It’s amazing that so many people love it.”
His best-known characters, Labubu, Spooky, Tycoco, Zimomo and Pato — are collectively known as The Monsters. The characters are generally portrayed as kind-hearted but mischievous, with good intentions that often lead to chaotic situations. Lung has said there are around 100 variations of Labubu across the series. One storyline follows Labubu in a relationship with a shy skeleton named Tycoco, whom she often playfully teases.
From niche art toys to global popularity
Following the release of The Monsters series, Lung introduced an art toy collection based on the characters. However, wider international attention came after he partnered with Chinese toy company POP MART in 2019.
According to POP MART, sales from the initial Monsters release set a record in the art toy category. Over time, Labubu figures gained visibility beyond collectors, appearing as accessories on celebrities including Dua Lipa, Rihanna and Lisa from BLACKPINK.
Labubu toys are sold in blind boxes, meaning buyers do not know which design they will receive until the package is opened.
