Lego makes a shared film universe with humour and heart
Lego films have something for everyone with a combination of humour, energy and references to pop culture, and there are a lot more titles in the pipeline
There’s no way Ben Affleck’s Batman could hang in a live-action film with the Wicked Witch of the West, robotic Daleks from Doctor Who, King Kong and the Kraken of 1981’s Clash of the Titans.
But in the fledgling shared universe of the animated Lego films where literally anything goes? Everything is awesome.
Warner Bros’ new cinematic franchise is only two releases deep but already building what looks like a successful interlocking landscape. Written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the 2014 adventure comedy The Lego Movie introduced a signature creativity, spoofing sense of humour and cartoon look that captured audience imagination and rang up more than US$257 million in box office. The first spin-off just arrived with the superhero-centric The Lego Batman Movie, which opened at No. 1 last weekend with US$53 million against strong competition ( Fifty Shades Darker , John Wick: Chapter 2 ).
That’s not all: The Lego Ninjago Movie arrives on September 22 (based on a toy line inspired by Asian culture, martial arts and monsters) and The Lego Movie sequel is set for 2019.
It’s just the start of a series of films that aim to dig into brand crossovers and fill them with manic energy. While, say, a Marvel superhero film probably won’t be crossing over with Star Wars anytime soon, Lego has already tapped into a variety of huge properties with the freedom of animation, with characters from Gremlins and The Lord of the Rings stopping by Gotham City in Lego Batman.
“For fanboys and general audiences, this is as hip as it gets right now,” says Jeff Bock, senior box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. “You can throw some pop culture references in an Avengers movie but you can go gonzo in the Lego franchise.”