Collectors, brace yourselves, because the Labubu craze is about to go from key chains to the big screen.
Sony has officially picked up the film rights to Labubu, the tiny, sharp-toothed critters that have been dangling from backpacks and belt loops everywhere. If you thought the fad might fade soon, well, nope. A Labubu movie is happening, and these fuzzy little gremlins are about to get a whole lot harder to escape.
Right now, the project is still in its earliest stages, which means there are more questions than answers. Sony hasn’t announced a director, a producer, or even whether the movie will be animated or live-action.
And honestly, a live-action Labubu might send half the audience straight under their seats. An animated version might be less scream-inducing, but no promises.
For anyone late to the Labubu phenomenon, these creatures are collectibles from China, mostly sold through Pop Mart in “blind box” packaging. That means you don’t know which character you’re getting until you open it, a feature that has turned many casual shoppers into full-on treasure hunters. Fans clip them to bags, backpacks, belt loops, and pretty much anything that can hold a key ring. The price usually sits between $20 – $50 bucks depending on whether you’re grabbing a vinyl or plush version, but the resale market can be… ambitious.
Because the toys are so popular, rare designs tend to spark bidding wars, and knock-offs are just about everywhere. A movie could boost all that even further, which means collectors might be both thrilled and terrified right now.
More Labubu content? Fun. Higher prices? Not as fun.
The Labubu brand already has a devoted fanbase online, so a movie makes sense in the same way every toy eventually gets a movie. But it will be interesting to see how Sony brings these oddball characters to life. Labubu toys have a very specific vibe, equal parts cute and mildly unhinged, and translating that into a family-friendly film, or even a not-so-family-friendly one, feels like a challenge.
