What The LEGO Movie 2 Will Be About The surprising success of The LEGO Movie last February meant that a sequel to the much-loved animated hit was always going to be green-lit. The LEGO Movie 2 is due to be released in three years time, and now Phil Lord and Chris Miller have teased further details regarding what the film will actually entail. The duo, who co-wrote and directed the 2014 original, teased to Empire Magazine that The LEGO Movie 2 will see a continuation of the live-action element present in the first movie, and revolve around how growing up into the pre-teen years changes a kid's perspective on toys. "Well, I don’t want to give you spoilers, but we were really interested in what happens to that boy who’s in the meta story in the first movie when he’s four years older. When he’s an adolescent how does that change his point of view?" Meanwhile, this four-year gap would also give the follow-up the opportunity to place the likes of Emmett Brickowski, Wyldstyle, Batman, Metal Beard, and Benny in different circumstances than where we last saw them in the first movie.
And while Miller didn't mention them specifically, hopefully some more of these characters will pop up during the adventure too... But if Abraham Lincoln, the Statue of Liberty, Superman and Wonder Woman can’t star, then I’d just be happy if The LEGO Movie 2 can extend the original’s superb Star Wars homage - since the scene below was arguably the funniest movie moment of the year: At this point I would trust anything that came out of Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s minds. The writer/director team have been heavily involved in three of the most successful movie franchises of the last five years, in the shape of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street and The LEGO Movie. And while it’s disappointing that the pair are only writing The LEGO Movie 2 rather than directing it too, the fact that they are heavily involved in the construction of the film is enough to suggest their voice will still be prominent. The LEGO Movie 2 will be preceded by 2016’s Lego Ninjago and 2017’s Lego Batman, as Warner Bros. look to turn the construction toy into a bona-fide cinematic franchise.
Our community, 112 want it Our community, 137 want it Our community, 53 want itIt’s a miracle that two of the best writers in Hollywood can still get work. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller make films that call the industry out on creative laziness and executive complacency. This year they delivered The Lego Movie – a branded film that satirises corporate culture – and 22 Jump Street, a sequel to a reboot that ridiculed Hollywood’s chronic case of sequelitus. 22 Jump Street took over $100m at the US box office. The Lego Movie has topped $200m. Those figures must make their pitch meetings less awkward. Imagination at the executive level of mainstream movie-making has slumped to a low, even if the writing – thanks to the likes of Joss Whedon, Guardians of the Galaxy co-writer Nicole Perlman and Lord and Miller – is better than ever. Spider-man has been re-spun, Marvel’s super slate will deliver hits well into 2019. In the meantime, Lord and Miller – geeky subversives in the employ of the mainstream, but not in thrall to it – are as close to punk as Hollywood is going to get.
Should people be cynical about The Lego Movie? It’s been called a cash grab with a heart … Phil: “I wish I could say we grabbed a bunch of cash! It’s not like we’re shareholders.” Christopher: “We made something that uses Lego as a medium to tell a story, rather than a story to sell Lego. We saw it as a way to talk about creativity.” P: “We wanted to make an anti- totalitarian film for children. Something that was talking about the importance of freedom and innovation in keeping society honest. It’s a political film. You satirise the oil industry, marketing, capitalism …What’s fun for us is that both sides of the political spectrum have taken ownership. People on the right AND the left see it as a critique of the other side.” C: “We were using it as a Trojan horse to slip in some subversive ideas, under the cover of making a very corporate-friendly family movie.” Are you commenting on Hollywood too? C: “President Business [The Lego Movie’s baddie – a dictator who insists on everyone following the instructions] is based on bosses we’ve had.
But we have a gentle touch. We don’t punch anyone in the face, we just poke them.” How did you two meet?Chris lit my girlfriend’s hair on fire. C: “She was playing Tetris and I was drunk playing a game called Let’s See How Close I Can Get This Lighter to Heather’s Hair Without Her Noticing. And felt terrible about it.” P: “I just went up: PHWOOM!. She didn’t seem to notice.” P: “We were in our underwear drawing cartoons. And our friends would stop by and say: ‘I just had this intense interview with Morgan Stanley … C: “… in suits with a briefcase and the Wall Street Journal. We were being silly while other people were preparing to ruin the economy.” Your films are normally about a guy aching to be something he isn’t, then settling for something that’s almost there. How do you write about that journey when you’re successful? C: “We were both very small growing up and that attitude has stayed with us. We feel like the little guys.
And probably will for ever.” P: “Some people survived the neolithic age by being brave, others by being cowardly and smart. Our ancestors were hiders.” Did you see Frozen?I love that it has reminded Hollywood that female protagonists exist. And the fact that boys went to see that movie!” P: “I think we’re going to be very embarrassed in a few years, when we see a lot more women film-makers. People will look back and ask: ‘How did it take so long for you to figure this out?’” C: “When we started out making cartoons they’d say to us: ‘Girls watch shows about boys, but boys won’t watch shows about girls. So make it about a boy.’” P: “We immediately pitched a show about a girl.” C: “And they did not buy it.” Do you have kids? C: “I have two kids. A son who’s five and a daughter who’s two. My son is the voice of the Lego movie’s Duplo alien.” P: “He’s a passionate film-maker … C: “He’s been working on Star Wars: Episode C.
He thinks by the time he’s an adult they’ll be on episode 100.” I’ve got a scoop here …[to Chris]: Do you want to give any story details?” C: “It involves Anakin Skywalker’s father … P: “I guess that technically makes it a prequel?” C: “A pre-prequel I guess. Yoda’s grandson is also in it … P: “So it takes place 1,400 years in the future?” C: “I don’t know. It’s not that crazy an idea. Look at the hype for the Star Wars reboot. Star Wars 100 could happen. It’s like the real revenge of the nerds at the moment! P: “Perhaps, but you don’t want to be in some kind of nerdocracy. We saw that in high schools we visited for Jump Street. We thought that the jocks would be the kings because they’re the coolest looking, but it wasn’t the case. The nerds had more sex appeal.” C: “I like superhero films and I love Star Wars movies, but I want to make sure there’s a wide diaspora of films getting made. For those films you’re paying for a massive spectacle.