THE Lego the franchise is the next to delve into the live-action realm, proving that this recent trend is getting out of hand. There have been several animated Lego movies over the years, each of which has been a reasonable success. It was only a matter of time before more went into production, and now rumor has it that there are not just one, but three live-action Lego projects in the works. This is an interesting twist, as the foundation of the Lego franchise doesn’t seem to leave much room for this medium. However, the huge success of other live-action projects appears to have inspired further reimaginings.
So far, there is practically no information about what these three Lego films would be or how their live-action format would be approached. All will be produced by Jill Wilfert and Ryan Christians, and their individual directors will be Jake Kasdan, Patty Jenkins and Joe Cornish. Kasdan’s The Lego Movie will be written by Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul, while Jenkins co-wrote his own with DC Entertainment’s Geoff Johns. With all these names attached, These Lego Movies Certainly Look Promisingbut the idea of ​​live action makes these projects a little harder to swallow.
Lego’s 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, with Disney especially known for turning its beloved animated classics into realistic remakes. While this makes sense for some stories and worlds, is much stranger when applied to IPs that rely heavily on concepts that, by nature, are not intended to be realistic. A Minecraft movie is an excellent example. The film hasn’t been released yet, but the trailer itself revealed a bizarre CGI recreation of the block-based video game. High stylization minecraft I just never needed a touch of live action.
It’s hard to imagine how the build, deconstruct, 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 established live-action IP to get the Lego treatment as this toy company brings buildable versions of fictional worlds and characters to life. This was a charming factor of the previous Lego movies, but these three live-action films put an unnecessary reversal on that trend. It’s hard to imagine how the build, deconstruct, and rebuild factor of Lego could be brought to live action in a meaningful way.
Live-Action Lego Movie Plans Prove Hollywood Got the Wrong Message from Barbie’s Success
Not every toy can come to life in a meaningful way
The upcoming live-action Lego movies are among a long list of toy franchises being brought to Hollywood in a new medium. After the success of 2023 BarbieMattel and other toy companies began signing deals left and right to show stories about their products on the big screen. Of course, Lego had already done this a long time ago, but Lego Film and its sequel were predominantly animated. Now that the Barbie character has been brought into live action, it seems like everyone wants to duplicate this hugely successful and culturally impactful moment.
However, this should never have been the message Hollywood conveyed. Barbie wasn’t just a toy come to life – the film was a powerful message about feminism, misogyny and self-acceptance. A toy that depicts an incredibly perfect woman brought to life to become a real person with all the confusion of femininity is a story that means something. Lego has the potential to bring equally impactful stories to the public, but this is something that animated films have already achieved. It’s a franchise about creativity and imagination – something perfect for a stylized medium.