Paddington Director Brings Labubu to the Big Screen After Monstrous Reveal
Sony Pictures and Pop Mart have greenlit a live-action Labubu feature, bringing the adorable monsters to theaters with Paddington director Paul King set to helm and co-write alongside a multiple award-winning screenwriter.
Labubu is headed to the big screen. Sony Pictures and Pop Mart have officially greenlit a live-action feature built around Kasing Lung's wildly loved little monsters, with Paddington filmmaker Paul King directing and co-writing. Smart match.
The reveal landed at The Monsters' 10th anniversary exhibition in Paris, which also served up an early peek at the world behind the story. The plan is a hybrid of live-action and CGI to bring Labubu and its friends to life. The movie is in early development and aims to stick close to the original books.
Who is making this
- Director/co-writer: Paul King (also producing)
- Co-writer: Steven Levenson, the award-winning playwright/screenwriter behind 'Dear Evan Hansen' (Tony Award), 'tick, tick... BOOM!' (WGA nomination), and 'Fosse/Verdon' (Emmy nomination)
- Producers: Michael Schaefer ('The Martian'), Wenxin She ('A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood', 'Wish Dragon'), and Paul King
- Executive producer: Kasing Lung, creator of Labubu and The Monsters
- Production overseen at Sony Pictures by Brittany Morrissey
Why Labubu makes sense for a movie
Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised artist Kasing Lung introduced Labubu in The Monsters Trilogy of picture books in 2015. The mix of whimsical storytelling and distinctive creature design took off globally, basically begging for a cinematic take. Fans have been waiting for a live-action version; now it is finally in motion.
King plus Levenson is a savvy combo: warmly chaotic visuals meets sturdy character work. The target here sounds clear enough — a colorful, heartwarming adventure that honors the books while scaling up for a big-screen spectacle.