On the morning of March 19, Pop MART and Sony Pictures jointly announced the latest developments for the LABUBU film project. The two parties will collaborate to develop a live-action animated film centered around Pop MART's classic IP character, THE MONSTERS (LABUBU).
The film is planned to be directed and produced by Paul King, renowned for directing the *Paddington* series and the box office hit *Wonka*. THE MONSTERS artist Kasing Lung will be deeply involved in the film's creative process. Additionally, Paul King will co-write the screenplay alongside Steven Levenson.
This announcement was made by Kasing Lung and Paul King during the Paris stop of THE MONSTERS' 10th-anniversary global tour exhibition. The project is currently in its early development stages and is planned to combine live-action footage with CGI to bring LABUBU's fantastical world to the big screen. Kasing Lung will serve as an executive producer on the film. Joining Paul King as producers will be Michael Schaefer, known for his work on *The Martian*, and Vivian Wen-Shan She, who contributed to *A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood* and *Wish Dragon*. Brittany Morris will oversee the project on behalf of Sony Pictures.
Kasing Lung was born in Hong Kong, China, and grew up in the Netherlands. In 2015, inspired by Norse mythology, he created a picture book trilogy including *The Mysterious Buka*, *Pedro and the Maiden*, and *Milo's Requiem*, gradually shaping the THE MONSTERS elf troupe—which includes LABUBU, characterized by its nine teeth and upright pointed ears. In April 2019, Pop MART collaborated with Kasing Lung to launch the first collectible toy series, "THE MONSTERS Forest Concert Series," bringing LABUBU into the public eye.
Director Paul King has received multiple British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) nominations; *Paddington* (2015) was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, while *Paddington 2* (2018) was nominated for Best British Film and Best Adapted Screenplay. His latest work, *Wonka* (2024), has grossed over $635 million worldwide and earned another BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film. Steven Levenson is an award-winning screenwriter and playwright, known for works such as the musical films *Dear Evan Hansen* and *tick, tick... BOOM!*, as well as the Writers Guild of America Award-winning series *Fosse/Verdon*.