After turning the marmalade-loving bear Paddington into a cinematic icon, Paul King has found his next “cute” creature to adapt to the big screen. According to a new report on Thursday afternoon, Sony Pictures has tapped the director to helm its new film based on the global collectible icon Labubu. He’ll both direct and produce the project, which is still in early stages of development, alongside Department M and Wenxin She. A writer has yet to be found for the feature, though it does appear that Sony is working quickly with the brand owner, Pop Mart, to make the adaptation a reality.

Sony picked up the rights to a Labubu movie last month in hopes of riding the wave of popularity surrounding the monster doll. Originally designed by artist Kaising Lung and included as part of a line of figures by How2 Work, the collectibles only went supernova after Chinese-based retailer Pop Mart began making and selling them in 2019 and included them in their blind boxes. They quickly became a hot item among buyers looking to snag the various dolls, particularly after a wave of celebrity endorsements from artists like BLACKPINK‘s Lisa. The line has a whole array of characters to build a film around, also including Zimomo, Mokoko, and Tycoco.

King may be exactly what a Labubu movie needs, considering the wonders he worked on Paddington. The heartfelt adventures of the titular bear, voiced by Ben Whishaw, earned him multiple BAFTA nominations, including as a director and a co-writer, and turned him into a beloved name among audiences. Although he didn’t return for the most recent installment, Paddington in Peru, he did at least reprise his writing duties and remained on as an executive producer. More recently, King drew further acclaim by helming the Timothée Chalamet-led Wonka, which won big for Warner Bros. with a $635 million global haul for telling the origin story of the whimsical chocolatier.

What Else Does Paul King Have on the Docket?

In addition to Labubu, King is also interested in continuing the story of Wonka. Even before the new adaptation of the Roald Dahl tale became a rousing success, the thought of further expanding on Willy Wonka’s past was front of mind for the director, and developing that sequel remains on his to-do list. Just over a year ago, he confirmed that a script was half done and that a story was firmly in place, though nothing has come of the idea yet. Chalamet would presumably be back in the fold for the film, and King has made it known that he’d love to do more with the Oompa Loompas if given the chance.

via Collider