Warner Brothers announces LEGO movie [News]

Variety recently reported that Warner Brothers has brokered a deal with LEGO. They are making a movie. Did you see this coming? I sure didn’t.

Here’s what Variety has to say:

WB is toying with plans to develop a movie around Lego and its popular building blocks.

Scribes Dan and Kevin Hageman are penning the script for the family comedy that will mix live action and animation. Warners is keeping the plot tightly under wraps, but it’s described as an action adventure set in a Lego world.

Apparently, LEGO has been approached about making a movie before, but has always turned the idea down. This time, things seem to be different.

Directors and producers in town have attempted to make a Lego movie for years, approaching the Danish toymaker with various ideas, but Lego turned down most of them because it’s highly protective of its brand.

But the company sparked to Lin and the Hageman brothers’ embrace of core values Lego wanted to include in a film, especially “a fun factor, creativity and that imagination has no boundaries,” Lin told Daily Variety. The film’s been in development for more than a year, with the scribes and producers making several trips to Denmark to work with Lego’s execs on the concept.

Also helping is the long relationship Warner Bros. has had with Lego over the years. Warner has licensed characters like Batman, Harry Potter and Speed Racer to Lego to integrate into playsets, and through TT Games, the videogame publisher that WB bought in 2007, has produced the popular “Lego Star Wars,” “Lego Indiana Jones,” “Lego Batman” and, soon, “Lego Rock Band” titles.

Read the whole article here.

Thanks to Richard for letting me know…

So, what are your thoughts?

24 comments on “Warner Brothers announces LEGO movie [News]

  1. polywen

    Couldn’t be any worse than any of the other toy tie-in movies. If they could make it about Lego Universe, it might be a nice boost for that mmorpg.

  2. kunert

    I agree with JD_Luse. No stop motion, no sale for me. But I have no doubt that the CGI route will be taken, presumably to appeal to the masses instead of the art-house Coraline crowd.

  3. Xiphos Systems

    No way, man…the Viewmaster movie is where it’s at. That’s true originality, right there.

  4. skippy_magoo

    It’s going to fun with everyone camping out in line for the premier and dressing up as their favorite brick. I am going as a MdLilac Cheese Slope.

  5. DonSolo

    You know, it may just be me, but “toying with plans” doesn’t exactly translate to anything concrete. Yes, this time they’ve gotten farther than previous pitches, but it’s by no means a done deal.

  6. TooMuchCaffeine

    And Peter Jackson’s directing it, and Steven Spielberg is producing it, and George Lucas is executive-producing it, and M Night Shyamalan is writing it, and Megan Fox is starring in it, and so is Johnny Depp, and Industrial Light and Magic are doing the CGI in it, and Linkin Park and Hannah Montana are doing the soundtrack for it, and Bungie have got the game license for it, and Frank Miller is writing the comic adaptation of it, and Universal are building a ride at Islands of Adventure based on it, and Kenner have got the toy license for it, and McDonald’s and Burger King are fighting over the Happy Meals for it, and…

  7. buriedbybricks

    They’ll probably make it similar to Jumanji or Zathura. A game or toy that provokes the childrens imagination into making it reality, fun and adventure insues. It probably doesn’t matter what WE think, after all it’ll be aimed at our kids and i just hope mine will be old enough to find it appealing. If not, i’m thankful for DVD!
    Love the new tagline on the home page btw, lol

  8. Josh Post author

    @ buriedbybricks – Thanks, I couldn’t resist. ;) Unfortunately, we’ve just been informed that “The Brothers Brick Unleashed” will be a straight to TV movie.

  9. Creative Anarchy

    I’m just not sure what they can do to lego to make it sellable in movie format. I mean I’m a fan but I have to add “Adult” to “Fan of Lego” for a reason. I’m expecting something very kiddy, hopefully with some nice merchandise on the side.

  10. Dr. X

    I wonder if the ‘mix of live-action and animation’ will be similar to Looney Tunes: Back in Action, which had Looney Tunes characters edited in (very well) over a normal live-action background.

    Oh, and lol@TooMuchCaffiene.

  11. David4

    Freshies or yellow? ;)

    Anyways this seems like an idea from the 80s, the toys come alive and make a mess. I’m sure it will be an “ehh” kids film. :)

  12. The Ranger of Awesomeness

    I have a question: Do you think that the LEGO characters in the movie will have QC issues such as loose arms and see-though legs? ;)

  13. LilBanshee

    The only good movie EVER made off of a toy was Clue because it used an original idea.

    We don’t need any more toy movies. We don’t need Transformers 2:, Masters of the Universe, Monopoly, Battleship, Ouiji Board, Viewmaster, or anything else, especially Lego. One Bionicle movie was enough.

  14. Teddi Gramz

    What the hell? That doesn’t… The Bionicle movies had the Bionicle storyline, but… what will this be based on?

    I’m tempted to say Epic fail but I won’t

  15. Jai

    This news doesn’t thrill me. But who knows what the final result will be? I sure don’t, so I’ll leave it at that.

    No, wait — I will say that I’ll boycott the movie if it uses fleshies. :D

  16. :Bob:

    Hopefully there will at least be a Jessica Rabbit equivalent character in it…”I’m not bad. I’m just drawn that way.”

  17. chip1225

    Breaking News!!!!!
    On Wikiapedia, I have discoved that Walden Media is Doing this film with Waner Bros has well. My Opinion…. THEY ARE GOING TO KILL THIS FILM LIKE THE NARNIA FILMS WITH DISNEY.
    (Me in background..Sob, Sob, Sob, Sob)
    Thanks, a lot Waner Bros, You have Kill Lego, Well Done.

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