Warner Bros. has released a slew of new high-resolution images from directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s upcoming animated film The LEGO Movie. Created using a mix of stop-motion and CG animation, the pic revolves around Emmett (voiced by Chris Pratt), an ordinary construction worker who finds himself anointed “The Special”, a master builder who will lead a band of rebels to save the world from the evil President Business (Will Ferrell). These new images give us a look at the colorful cast, from known characters like Superman and Green Lantern to new characters like Good Cop/Bad Cop, Pirate Metalbeard, and Benny the Astronaut. The film continues to look like a great time, and I can’t wait to catch it in theaters in a few weeks. Hit the jump to take a look at the images, which also include photos of the voice cast during recording sessions. The film also features the voices of Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Charlie Day, and Alison Brie.
The LEGO Movie opens in 2D and 3D on February 7th. Here’s the official synopsis for The LEGO Movie: The original 3D computer animated story follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared. Chris Pratt (“Moneyball”) stars as the voice of Emmet. Will Ferrell (“The Campaign”) stars as the voice of his primary adversary, President Business, an erudite, anal-retentive CEO who has a hard time balancing world domination with micro-managing his own life; while Liam Neeson (“Taken” and “Taken 2,” Oscar nominee for “Schindler’s List”) voices the president’s powerful henchman, known as Bad Cop, who will stop at nothing to catch Emmet. Starring as Emmet’s fellow travelers are Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (“Million Dollar Baby”), as Vitruvius, an old mystic;
Elizabeth Banks (“The Hunger Games,” Emmy nominee for “30 Rock”), as tough-as-nails Lucy, who mistakes Emmet for the savior of the world and guides him on his quest; Will Arnett (Emmy nominee, “30 Rock”), as the mysterious Batman, a LEGO minifigure with whom Lucy shares a history; Nick Offerman (NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”) as a craggy, swaggering pirate obsessed with revenge on President Business; and Alison Brie (NBC’s “Community”) as a sweet, loveable member of the team, with a powerful secret. Click on any image for high-resolution.All photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Hollywood has more than its fair share of Batman movies — but that doesn’t mean it’s going to stop anytime soon. Because that’s what Hollywood is the best at doing: taking one item that sells and then cranking out different versions of it all the live long day. Although it’s already having some production stumbles, there’s a standalone Batman pic with Ben Affleck slated for a 2018 release date, but before that, the masses will be treated to THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, based on the Batman character voiced by Will Arnett that was a fan favorite in 2014’s animated hit The Lego Movie.
But just because he is a fan favorite, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he deserves his own standalone movie. There have been many critical bombs when it comes to spinoff character movies like Elektra, The Scorpion King, and Catwoman — all God awful failures that deserve a good laugh. But then there are those that have succeeded like Minons from The Despicable Me franchise and Puss in Boots from Shrek. That said, animated spin-offs tend to work very well and The Lego Batman Movie is no exception. Keeping in spirit with its predecessor, director Chris McKay balances mature wit and child-like silliness to tell a surprisingly heartfelt superhero tale. Obviously set in the Lego universe, the movie follows self-praising Batman as he saves Gotham City day after day from all the evil villains. As a hero who prides himself on being a lone vigilante, his ego grows even more as the city celebrates him before he goes home to his Bat Cave to eat his Lobster Thermidor by himself while avoiding his feelings of loneliness due to the tragic death of his mother and father — but his trusty father-figure butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes) tries to push him to come to grips with his emotional turmoil only to have him push his repressed feelings
Bet you didn’t see that emotional heaviness coming in a Lego movie, did you? On a routine confrontation between Batman and the Joker (Zach Galifianakis), the Dark Knight says that he doesn’t need the Joker in his life and refuses to say “I hate you,” hurting the Joker’s feelings. To get back at him, he aims to go into the forbidden Phantom Zone to release some of the most dangerous monsters and villains from Warner Bros. IP (like the Eye of Sauron from Lord of the Rings and Voldermort from Harry Potter) into Gotham City to reek havoc and ultimately destroy Batman. This forces Batman to reevaluate his role as a lone vigilante and try to work with others to save Gotham City and come face to face with his feelings of loneliness. From the opening credits, Arnett stays 100 percent committed to the full-of-himself Batman, a subversive take on an iconic character that is, if you think about it, wildly accurate. Batman loves to be alone, he thinks highly of himself, and has major issues of commitment and being alone (take a look at the string of women he’s had).
Arnett is in top form as he voices this version of Batman/Bruce Wayne that delightfully skewers every single Dark Knight before it and will probably be more entertaining than the forthcoming Batfleck film. Based on Arnett’s Batman in The Lego Movie, this movie could have been a one-note joke of Batman congratulating himself for its entire 104-minute run-time, but the robust writing team of Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Jared Stern, and John Whittington managed to craft an unexpectedly sweet story that folded in Batman’s relationship with Alfred, his overeager, wide-eyed adopted son Robin (Michael Cera), and the take-charge Barbara Gordon (a.k.a. Batgirl a.k.a. Rosario Dawson). Not only is there an overarching theme of family in the story, but also a lesson of not being afraid to ask for help when you need it. Both are very timeless morals that many children — and adults can benefit. But dont get it twisted — there isn’t Full House vibe to this moral story of family and belonging.