Labubu Gets Big Screen Deal as Sony Pictures Sees Franchise Potential

The toy line behind the monster-figurine brand Labubu could soon hit cinemas.

Sony Pictures has acquired screen rights to the Chinese collectible brand, steering it toward feature-film franchise status.

The deal, revealed this week via an exclusive from The Hollywood Reporter, positions Labubu as more than just a cult-favoured blind-box item.

Designed by Europe-based artist Kasing Lung and produced by toy-maker POP MART, Labubu surged in popularity after the company adopted a “blind-box” distribution model.

This packaging strategy means buyers only discover which character is inside after opening the box, feeding secondary-market buzz and demand.

The secondary-market frenzy has seen items trade at premium prices, boosting POP MART’s profits by an estimated 350%.

“I like the Labubus. I got like four of them,” said Dillon Brooks in an interview this October.

“Labubu is my baby,” said Lisa of the K-pop band in a Teen Vogue interview.

For marketers keeping an eye out for evolving brands, this move is a stark reminder that toy-led IP can be the baseline for a bigger media push. 

It's no longer mere merchandising, but work anchored in franchise ambition and deep IP thinking through a mature brand marketing strategy.

It also shows how established brands can create deeper meaning by treating cultural touchpoints as long-term assets instead of one-off tie-ins.

From Toy Box to Big Screen

The exact form of the Labubu film is still under wraps, with no director, producer, or cast confirmed yet.

The acquisition is at a very early stage, and Sony has declined to comment.

While the project develops, the rise of Labubu demonstrates a strategy that other brands, such as Hello Kitty or Lego, have followed.

And this means taking what once felt like niche collectibles and making them a part of mainstream media.

Much of Labubu’s global appeal stemmed from POP MART’s pop-up stores, organic celebrity endorsements, and social media excitement.

And these have gone viral across TikTok and Instagram communities.

Originally designed in 2015, Labubu gained global recognition when POP MART began rolling out blind-box editions and limited-run exclusives across Southeast Asia and beyond.

The brand then became a social media moment as second-hand trading hit the six-figure mark.

What We Can Learn from Labubu’s Movie Move

For marketers, Labubu provides a timely study in turning collectible brand energy into media momentum.

• Collectible products can become content IP when they carry a story and fandom beyond the shelf.
• Social-media excitement and blind-box mechanics fuel brand loyalty before traditional ads even kick in.
• Brands like Minecraft and Lego showed the path, and Labubu’s move mirrors that pattern and shows currency today.

The real test will be whether Labubu can retain its cult-cool roots while scaling into mainstream film fans and franchise territory.

Our Take: Will Toy Culture Drive Cinema Hits?

What I find fascinating is how this toy line didn’t just ride a trend but sparked one.

It proves that products are quickly becoming media brands, and fans are becoming audiences.

The bigger challenge now for Labubu is keeping that early-adopter energy alive when the brand shifts to mass media.

If Labubu loses its collector-edge in the process, the gamble could flatten.

In other news, Liquid Death landed a deal with the upcoming "Running Man" film, which will bring the product to the big screen. 

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