Stitch, Toothless and more cute sidekicks rule multiplexes

This summer has been invaded by a group of adorable furry monsters with sharp teeth.

- Esther Zuckerman

They are known as Labubus, and they are everywhere.

The trendy key-ring dolls, from Chinese purveyor Pop Mart, have received endorsements from Barbadian pop star Rihanna and American singer Cher, and are omnipresent on social media. In a way, they have also infused the movies.

Not literally, of course, though I wouldn't put it past some executive to be developing a Labubu franchise right now.

No, it is more that the spirit of Labubus is everywhere on-screen. The blockbuster business has been overtaken by cuteness - sometimes ugly, chaotic cuteness in the style of the Labubu craze, but cuteness nonetheless.

Nearly every major movie released since May features a cute sidekick, there to make audiences coo with delight.

The season opened with Disney's live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch, featuring the charmingly manic blue alien Stitch. It became a box-office success in part because of fans' enduring love for the extraterrestrial with a penchant for causing a ruckus. You could say Stitch is the original Labubu. They do look an awful lot alike.

In June, another remake was buoyed by a CGI cutie: Toothless, the title star of How To Train Your Dragon, whose oversized eyes and pointy chompers have a Labubu-esque quality.

Also like Stitch, Toothless looks wild but, at times, acts as a pet, be that a cat or a dog depending on the moment in the story.