Sony has formally taken the rights to develop Labubu, the hugely successful, fanged plush toy, into a feature film. Started as an indie designer toy produced in 2015 by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, Labubu quickly became a worldwide phenomenon.
And now that the property has entered the Hollywood arena, it seems that the Labubu craze is just beginning.
Labubu Is Not The First Toy Movie Adaptation, But The Concept Is Brand-New
At its core, Labubu’s appeal lies in its striking design, fluffy rabbit-esque ears, a mischievous grin full of sharp teeth, and an aesthetic that blends cuteness with a little chaos. However, the cultural explosion happened in 2024 when a K-pop megastar, Lisa, casually wore a Labubu keychain on her bag. Overnight, social media was overwhelmed. And with fans searching for the toy, prices soared, and the world was interested. What was previously a niche hit among collectors immediately became a pop culture phenomenon.
Related: Why Sony’s Spider-Man Spinoff Universe Is Awful
Sony is now hoping to make that momentum into a full-fledged movie franchise. Although the specifics remain a secret, no director, writers, or format is confirmed. However, early indications suggest the studio views Labubu as a long-term investment. And judging by the history of Hollywood with toy adaptations, it could be the right time, or it could be a very dangerous time. Films based on toys have a long history of Hollywood presence.
However, their success has been erratic. The initial big wave came in the 1980s when studios discovered that kids were equally eager to see their favorite toys on-screen as they were to own them. Movies such as ‘The Care Bears’, ‘The Transformers: The Movie’, ‘G.I. Joe: The Movie’, ‘My Little Pony’, and even the weird ‘The Garbage Pail Kids’ soon crowded the theaters.
Although most of these movies were small-scale, they paved the way to an industry that feeds on nostalgia and brand loyalty. Transformers would later become a box-office phenomenon, grossing more than 5 billion dollars in theaters. However, in 2023, all this changed once again with the ‘Barbie’ by Greta Gerwig. The film not only broke the billion-dollar threshold, making $1.447 billion, but it was a cultural event. All the studios suddenly desired their own toy-to-movie success story.
Labubu is considered by Sony as a part of this new trend. But as all studios well know, a hit such as ‘Barbie’ is lightning in a bottle. It is not certain that the following toy films will follow the same success. Labubu appeals to the contemporary collector, Gen Z trend-followers, and K-pop fans, all of whom are very active audiences. However, like any trend, studios fear that it will fall as quickly as it has ascended.
The Blind Boxes System Made Labubu Popular
The emergence of Labubu is inexplicable without the concept of the blind-box trend, which has turned the process of purchasing toys into an addictive game of luck. Blind boxes have a very simple yet ingenious formula: You buy a sealed box, and you don’t know what’s inside. You hope it’s the rare edition. And that is precisely what makes collectors addicted. The model has been heavily embraced by designers and companies such as POP MART, Kasing Lung, Mighty Jaxx, and Funko.
In case you missed it: Sony’s ‘Spider-Punk’ Is The Spider-Verse Spinoff That Can Reinvent Superhero Genre
Each series features common designs, uncommon variants, and ultra-rare “chase” editions that fuel a treasure-hunt mentality. Social media unboxings, trading communities, and resale markets amplify the hype. Labubu is ideal for blind boxes as its designs are creepy-cute to pastel-pretty, new collections are released randomly, uncommon versions are resold at high prices, and the common guessing game unites the fans.
This trend has had a great impact on pop culture in the past few years. The trick of blind boxes is to make people believe that they could get the rare one. And the psychology behind it has become a case study in consumer behavior. So when Sony looks at Labubu, they don’t just see a toy. They see an inbuilt community that lives on story, lore, and creative design, and a well-placed brand.
