TheLegofranchise is the next to dive into the realm of live-action, proving that this recent trend is getting out of hand. There have been a handful of animated Lego movies over the years, each of which was a fair success. It was only a matter of time before more went into production, and word is now out that there is not only one but three live-action Lego projects in the works. This is an interesting twist since the foundation of the Lego franchise doesn’t seem to leave much room for this medium. However, the massive success of other live-action projects seems to have inspired further reimaginings.
So far, there is virtually no information regarding whatthese three Lego movieswould be about or how their live-action format would be approached. They will all be produced by Jill Wilfert and Ryan Christians, and their individual directors will be Jake Kasdan, Patty Jenkins, and Joe Cornish. Kasdan’s Lego movie will be written by Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul, while Jenkins co-wrote her own with DC Entertainment’s Geoff Johns. With all these names attached,these Lego movies certainly sound promising, but the idea oflive-action makesthese projects a little tougher to swallow.
Lego Live-Action Movies Continue A Disappointing Industry Trend
Not Everything Needs The Live-Action Treatment
Popular IPs have been getting the live-action treatment for decades now, with Disney especially known for turning its beloved animated classics into true-to-life remakes. While this makes sense for some stories and worlds,it’s far more strange when applied to IPs that depend heavily on concepts that are, by nature, not meant to be realistic.A Minecraft Movieis a prime example. The movie has yet to be released, but the trailer itself revealed a bizarre CGI recreation of the block-based video game. The high stylization ofMinecraftjust never needed a live-action twist.
It’s difficult to imagine how the build-unbuild-and-rebuild factor of Lego could be brought to live-action in a meaningful way.
Now, the upcoming live-action Lego movies have continued this frustrating trend. Over the years,it’s been standard for IP established in live-action to get the Lego treatmentsince this toy company brings buildable versions of fictional worlds and characters to life. This was a charming factor ofprevious Lego movies, but these three live-action movies have pulled an unnecessary Uno-reverse on this trend. It’s difficult to imagine how the build-unbuild-and-rebuild factor of Lego could be brought to live-action in a meaningful way.
The Lego Live-Action Movie Plans Prove That Hollywood Got The Wrong Message From Barbie’s Success
Not Every Toy Can Be Meaningfully Brought To Life
Theupcoming live-action Lego moviesare among a long list of toy franchises that are being brought to Hollywood in a new medium. Following the success of 2023’sBarbie, Mattel and other toy companies began signing deals left and right to get stories surrounding their products on the big screen. Of course, Lego had already done this long before, butThe LegoMovieand its sequel were predominantly animation. Now that the character of Barbie has been brought to live-action,it seems that everyone wants to duplicate this massively successful and culturally impactful moment.
The Lego Movieis available to stream on Prime Video.
However, this should never have been the message that Hollywood walked away with.Barbiewasn’t just a toy brought to life—the movie was a powerful message about feminism, misogyny, and self-acceptance. A toy that depicts an impossibly perfect woman brought to life to become a real person with all the messiness of womanhood is a story that means something.Legohas the potential to bring similarly impactful stories to audiences, but this is something that animated movies have already achieved. It’s a franchise about creativity and imagination—something perfect for a stylized medium.
LEGO
The Lego Moviefranchise is a multimedia series based on the popular Lego construction toys. The franchise began with the critically acclaimed 2014 animated filmThe Lego Movie, which became a massive commercial success. Known for its unique animation style, humor, and heartwarming messages, the franchise expanded to include spin-offs, sequels, and various other media, such as video games and TV shows. The films are set in a universe where Lego characters come to life, often blending elements of adventure, comedy, and satire.
