The LEGO Batman Movie under fire for being 'pro-gay propaganda' Because Bruce Wayne and Batman aren't the same person? Thursday 23 February 2017 12:15 GMT When The LEGO Movie hit cinemas in 2014, some people were very displeased by the ‘anti-business’ rhetoric being projected onto their kids. The film’s villain is, of course, President Business (a character who bears a striking resemblance to another current President). Now, those same critics are calling out The LEGO Batman film for apparently being ‘pro-gay propaganda’. Those of you who have seen the film are probably thinking ‘Wait a minute, did I miss something? There are no obviously gay characters, are there?’ Well, as brought to light by The Mary Sue, there are some people out there (read: conspiracy theorists) who believe the filmmakers were attempting to subliminally brain wash us. Founder of website Voice of the Family, John-Henry Westen, said of the film: “It was chock full of pro-gay propaganda.
Think the sexual innuendo of the Flintstones minus the real humour. “It seemed the creators were so anxious to subtly indoctrinate the little ones into the gender ideology that making it humorous came as a distant second thought.” First look at the LEGO Batman movie Western cites a review written by Michael Hamilton throughout, one that focusses on the adoption of Dick Grayson (Robin) by Batman and Bruce Wayne. Yep, Batman and Bruce Wayne are the same person, as admitted in the review, but there’s an ongoing joke in the film about Robin not realising this and thinking he has two Dads. The fact Robin is so OK with having two Dads adopt him, plus the hilarious relationship between the Joker and Batman has ignited fury in Hamilton. He writes: “The writers could have clumsily stacked topics such as gender identity, gender roles, and gender neutrality all over the story board like so many LEGOs. Instead, these topics hide in plain sight, because they are the foundation.
“Few parents and fewer kids will question any of it, because there’s a way to interpret all of it as technically innocent. That’s what makes these messages subliminal (and potentially powerful). LEGO Batman makes them seem plain as vanilla and American as apple pie.” There are, at no times in the film, romantic relations between the Joker and Batman. Nor does the ongoing “two Dads” joke ever reference a gay relationship. “[The] subliminal nature of LEGO Batman’s questionable themes is a mixed blessing,” Hamilton continues. “They’re subtle enough most people won’t notice. But failing to notice grants them normalcy, as though you’d be crazy or cruel to suggest anything was amiss here.” If we really are going to read into The LEGO Batman Movie, perhaps we should celebrate how Robin having two fathers is normal. Neither the character nor the majority of the audience question the idea of two men adopting a child together. (It also seems ironic that pro-family advocates are complaining about a film that focusses on the importance of family.)
Meanwhile, you can read our review of the genuinely hilarious film here. has confirmed the release dates for two Lego Movie spinoff pics and the sequel to its 2014 hit. The feature has been moved up to the February 10 slot, which the studio had set aside for an untitled film. The Lego Ninjago spinoff has been moved back to September 22, 2017, domestically, with international dates to follow. The Lego Movie Sequel will open May 18, 2018, a week earlier than originally slated. If that February date sounds familiar, that’s the weekend Warner Bros opened the first Lego Movie last year — February 7, to be exact — and scored a whopping $69M debut. It then went onto gross a domestic haul of $257.7M and another $211M internationally to bring its total worldwide cume to $468.7M. No wonder they are doing a number of spinoffs. The Lego Movie Sequel has its new weekend to itself for now. The Lego Batman flick will go up against Fox’s The Mountain Between Us, starring Charlie Hunnam and Rosamund Pike.
And Ninjago‘s lone competition that weekend is an untitled Sony movie. The studio announced the sequel and spinoffs in October. “We are very excited about dating our upcoming LEGO animated features, which already have a worldwide fan following, built on the foundation of the first film,” said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warners. “These three films already in the pipeline are just the beginning of a creative and diverse animation slate that will be delighting audiences for years to come.” Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy Johnson said the latest evidence of this propaganda campaign is "The Lego Movie," in which the bad guy is a heartless businessman intent on destroying the world for profit. "That's done for a reason," Johnson said. "They're starting that propaganda, and it's insidious." The local blog included the comments in its statewide newsletter. In condemning "The Lego Movie," Johnson may be doing the work of his well-heeled supporters.
At a separate event earlier this month, video of which was posted to YouTube Thursday, Johnson recalled a phone conversation with a father who'd recently been assaulted by the same type of propaganda. Typically, when senators are calling people they don't know well -- it's known as "call time" -- they're fundraising. "I actually called a gentleman, it was a couple months ago, he was so upset, he took his children to an animated movie ... guess who the villain was? That propaganda starts very early," said Johnson. For Johnson, a self-described "rich guy," the offense is also personal. When he jumped into the race in 2010 against incumbent Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold, he said in interviews that his wealth had been called to service by Fox News pundit Dick Morris. “I was sitting home, watching Fox News, and Dick Morris came on and said… ‘If you’re a rich guy from Wisconsin, step up to the plate,’" Johnson said. "And I kinda looked at [my wife] Jane and go, ‘Is he like talking to me?’”
Johnson has several reasons to be concerned about how people view the rich. While he is often described as a "self-made millionaire," Johnson's wealth actually comes by virtue of marriage. He made his fortune as an executive at a plastics company owned by his father-in-law. Then the company, in a roundabout way, paid for what was referred to in the press as a self-financed campaign in 2010. Johnson spent around $9 million on his campaign; after winning election, the company made a lump sum payment of around $10 million to Johnson. Requests for comment from Johnson were not returned. Johnson may still be taking his direction from Fox News, which has repeatedly slammed "The Lego Movie," comparing it to "The Lorax," "The Muppets" and "It's A Wonderful Life" in terms of propaganda value. One Fox segment, though, suggests that the critique can be taken too far. "I think about 'It's A Wonderful Life,' where Mr. Potter, the banker, is considered the villain," says one Fox host, laughing at the very idea.