Just when I was ready to mock Sony’s upcoming Labubu movie, they’ve brought in Paul King to direct it, and now I’m wondering whether this is King selling out or Sony having such an ingenious idea that it was too hard for him to resist.
Labubus these collectible designer toy figures based on Labubu, a mischievous, wide-eyed character created by illustrator Kasing Lung. Labubus are known for their fairy-tale–meets-creepy aesthetic and are produced in many themed versions by brands like POP MART. Many kids have these dolls.
I trust Paul King — mostly because he’s the man behind those first two wonderful ‘Paddington’ movies — but I'm struggling to think of anything interesting that he could do with a Labubu movie.
King, who wisely exited this year’s “Paddington 3,” most recently directed “Wonka,” which starred Timothee Chalamet and turned out to be a massive holiday success — grossing $634M worldwide. King is rumored to have already signed on for ‘Wonka 2.’