Amidst a new iteration simmering in development under a different studio, executive Jill Wilfert sheds light on the original Lego Movie franchise. Stemming from the iconic toy brand, the franchise debuted with the eponymous 2014 film helmed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, a monumental success grossing over $468 million and garnering a stellar 96% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Following three subsequent releases, Lego opted to transfer the property rights to Universal in a five-year deal.
In a recent comprehensive interview with Variety, Jill Wilfert delved into her involvement with crafting the original Lego Movie franchise. Reflecting on the hiatus preceding the sale of franchise rights, the Head of Global Entertainment at Lego acknowledged the studio’s misstep of rushing into multiple movie projects, which ultimately led to declining box office returns. Nonetheless, Wilfert emphasized that despite dwindling financial gains, the films consistently earned acclaim from critics. Dive into Wilfert’s insights below:
In hindsight, we would probably say we had too many films too close together. All those movies did get good reviews. If you even look back to “Lego 2”, the reviews were better than the box office might indicate. I think people that did see it really did enjoy it. But really, in the film industry, it’s tough. I think you have to bring something unexpected to the table. And for us, going through that timeframe we felt like it was the right time to maybe take a little bit of a pause, re-evaluate what we’re doing.
In addition to the films, we also have been very active in the serialized content space, so we continue to create content tied to these properties. So we really, at that point, focused on continuing to fuel our franchises with animation and then go into a new space with more reality-style television with “Lego Masters”, which has been hugely successful for us.
Jill Wilfert
Every Project Scrapped After The Lego Movie Franchise’s Ending
Indeed, as Wilfert highlighted, the Lego Movie franchise experienced considerable success throughout its four-installment journey. Following the groundbreaking 2014 debut, subsequent releases upheld the franchise’s acclaim. The 2017 entry, Lego Batman Movie, stood out as another critical darling, achieving significant box office success. Similarly, 2019’s Lego Movie 2: The Second Part maintained positive critical reception, although experiencing a slight decline in box office performance compared to its predecessors. Below, examine the franchise’s critical scores and box office figures for a comprehensive comparison:
While the company may have intended to reassess its strategies, the move to transfer rights to another studio resulted in numerous planned projects being put on hold. Among these was an anticipated in-universe spinoff titled The Billion Brick Race, slated to be helmed by Jorge R. Gutierrez, known for his work on The Book of Life. Drawing inspiration from classic racing films like The Cannonball Run (1981), the project underwent a prolonged development phase, with Gutierrez departing the production in 2018.
Another significant title left in limbo following the conclusion of the Lego Movie franchise was Lego Superfriends, slated as a sequel to the Batman spinoff. Scripted by Michael Waldron and Dan Harmon of Rick and Morty fame, the film aimed to delve into Batman’s dynamic with the Justice League while confronting adversaries like Lex Luthor and OMAC. However, given Warner Bros.’ ownership of the DC rights, the likelihood of this project materializing appears slim. Nonetheless, with The Lost City duo Aaron and Adam Nee steering the next Lego Movie instalment, anticipation for fresh entertainment remains high.
Source: Variety
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