The Lego Movie is a Lego product line based on the 2014 film of the same name. It was licensed from The Lego Group, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Warner Animation Group. The theme was first introduced on 26 December 2013 in the United Kingdom and 30 December in the United States to coincide with the release of the film, along with The Lego Movie Videogame. Further sets were produced to coincide with the release of the second film in The Lego Movie franchise, titled The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. The product line was discontinued by 31 December 2019.
Overview
On 7 February 2014, The Lego Movie was released by Warner Bros. Pictures. The storyline follows the adventures of Emmett Brickowski, an ordinary construction worker, voiced by Chris Pratt, who along with several other Lego characters, must save the world from an evil overlord. To promote the film, The Lego Group released a collection of Lego construction sets and a set of collectible Lego minifigures, which were based on the characters and locations in the film. A range of other merchandise and media was produced as part of the marketing programme, including The Lego Movie Video Game and a number of books published by Penguin and Scholastic.[1]
In 2019, a sequel was released, titled The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. It was released in North America and the United Kingdom on 8 February 2019.[2] To promote the sequel, The Lego Group designed a collection of Lego sets based on the additional characters and locations introduced in the film.[3] An accompanying video game was developed, titled The Lego Movie 2 Videogame, which was released on 26 March 2019.[4]
Development
Following the success of The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie, The Lego Group aimed to make a fourth success with The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. The development of the theme was the result of a collaboration between the film makers and Lego designers. The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part was developed to reach a wider audience than The Lego Movie film, which meant that it diverged from the film storyline. The development of both the film and its associated product line was predominantly influenced by the writers and directors of the film, however the Lego design team ensured that the characters remained true to the film.[5] Matthew Ashton, The Lego Group's Vice President of Design commented, "I also coordinate toy development from our side. When we're reviewing the scripts and the storyboards and animatics ... we're like, 'Actually this would make a really good toy,' and then we co-develop that with the animation and art teams at the studio to make sure we create something that does everything that it needs to do, be as action packed as it needs to be in the movie and then also makes a really good playable, buildable toy at the same time."[6]
Characters
Toy line
Short films
Several short films set within the franchise were produced, most of which were released on the home media releases of the films. In addition, various other shorts made to promote the films were released on YouTube.
Batman's A True Artist (2014)
Batman's A True Artist is a stop-motion animated short film included on the home media release of The Lego Movie. It is presented as a music video to Batman's song from that film. It was created by 6 year-old Markus Jolly.[104]
Michelangelo and Lincoln: History Cops (2014)
Michelangelo and Lincoln: History Cops is a stop-motion animated short film included on the home media release of The Lego Movie. It is presented as a trailer to a fictional action blockbuster starring the master builders, Michaelangelo and Abraham Lincoln as they fight crime.[105]
Enter the Ninjago (2014)
Video games
The Lego Movie Videogame (2014)
The Lego Movie Videogame is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game based on The Lego Movie. The game was developed by TT Fusion and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It was released alongside of the film in 2014 for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.[109][110]
Theme park attractions
A short 4D film attraction titled The Lego Movie: 4D – A New Adventure was released on 29 January 2016 at Legoland Florida Resort. The attraction was later rolled out to Legoland California, Legoland Windsor, Legoland Billund, Legoland Deutschland and Legoland Malaysia. It was also rolled out in Legoland Discovery Centres.[132]
On 27 May 2021, Legoland California Resort opened The Lego Movie World, which features six attractions based on the films The Lego Movie and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. The attractions include Emmet's Flying Adventure, Unikitty's Disco Drop, Benny's Playship, The Awesome Shop, Build Watevra You Wa'na Build, and Queen Watevra's Carousel.[133]
Publications
In 2019, In 2016, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part magazine published by Media Lab Books was launched from January 2019 in US to accompany the toy line.[134][135]
Several books were also released about The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part and published by DK. A book titled The Lego Movie 2: Keeping It Awesomer With Emmet, which included an exclusive Emmet minifigure.[136] A book titled The Lego Movie 2 The Awesomest, Most Amazing, Most Epic Movie Guide In The Universe! features the images from the movie and photography of the newly released The Lego Movie 2 sets and minifigures. The Lego Movie 2 Ultimate Sticker Collection features 1,000 colourful and reusable stickers. The Lego Movie 2 Emmet To The Rescue (DK Reader Level 1) and The Lego Movie 2 Awesome Heroes (DK Reader Level 2) aimed at children aged 4+ (level 1) and children 6+ (level 2).[137]
Reception
In November 2014, the Toy Retailers Association listed the Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! (set number: 70816) on its official list of Dream Toys 2014.[138] In 2015, the Toy Industry Association listed The Lego Movie theme on its official list of 2015 Toy of the Year Awards.[139]
In June 2018, MetalBeard's Sea Cow (set number: 70810), Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! (set number: 70816), Cloud Cuckoo Palace (set number: 70803), Double-Decker Couch (set number: 70818), The Lego Movie Series (set number: 71004), Western Emmet, Super Secret Police Dropship (set number: 70815), Castle Cavalry (set number: 70806), Ice Cream Machine (set number: 70804) and Melting Room (set number: 70801) was listed as the "Top 10 Best Lego Movie Sets " by Lego fansite BricksFanz.[140]
In October 2018, Getaway Glider (set number: 70800) was listed as one of the "Top 10 Western Lego Sets" by Lego fansite BricksFanz.[141]
Awards and nominations
In 2014, Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! (set number: 70816) was awarded "DreamToys" in the Build The World category by the Toy Retailers Association.[142]
See also
- Lego Space
- Lego Adventurers
- The Lego Batman Movie
- The Lego Batman Movie (Lego theme)
- The Lego Ninjago Movie
- The Lego Ninjago Movie (Lego theme)
- Unikitty!
- Lego Unikitty!
- Lego Minifigures (theme)
- The Lego Movie Videogame
- The Lego Movie 2 Videogame
- Lego Dimensions
External links
References
- Deangelea Millar. Lego blocks out merchandise plans for 'The Lego Movie' Los Angeles Times, 2013-07-16, retrieved 2021-04-11^
- The Lego Movie 2 Will Screen Two Weeks Early at Select Theaters CBR, 2019-01-25, retrieved 2021-04-11^
- Sophie Charara. From space dinosaurs to a flying party bus, these are the craziest sets from The Lego Movie 2