Rotoscopers
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar
No Result
View All Result
Rotoscopers
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar
No Result
View All Result
Rotoscopers
No Result
View All Result
Home The Latest Animation News

Chris McKay: ‘LEGO Batman’ Will Inform ‘The LEGO Movie Sequel’ + LCU Connections Teased

Brandon Smith by Brandon Smith
March 24, 2017
in The Latest Animation News, Warner Animation
3 min read
0
‘The LEGO Batman Movie’: New Details, First Images, and More!
1k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

NOTE: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for The LEGO Batman Movie. If you haven’t seen the movie, click away now or proceed with caution! 

Before 2014, most people would have scoffed at the idea of an animated shared universe on the big screen (crazy Pixar theories nonwithstanding). But leave it to Warner Animation Group to blow expectations out of the water. With The LEGO Movie and now The LEGO Batman Movie, the studio appears to have successfully adapted the shared universe model to the world of animation. Under the guidance of filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, film producers Roy Lee and Dan Lin, and with assistance from the overall ‘think tank’ of Warner Animation Group, these movies now constitute themselves under what I call the LEGO Cinematic Universe (or LCU).

For fans of the movies who are probably wondering how these movies will eventually connect with each other, you’re in luck.

A few days after LEGO Batman’s release, director Chris McKay sat down with Entertainment Weekly for a post-mortem interview of sorts, talking everything from the surprise appearances of villains from other movies and TV shows, the challenges of signing off on those characters, who he didn’t manage to get in (Kathy Bates’ character from Misery, for example), and fulfilling a childhood dream (casting Billy Dee Williams to play Two-Face).

But the most exciting parts of the interview came towards the end, when McKay began hinting towards the larger mythology of the LCU. Specifically, he talked about the relationship between the LEGO ‘world’ and the ‘real world’ and how that relationship will connect these films down the line:

“Everyone says this, but for lack of a better phrase, there’s a LEGO cinematic universe that we’re building that has a sci-fi premise, as far as the world that the movies are taking place in for the majority of the running time, and the other world that’s out there. I think over the course of the movies, we’re building out the relationship between those. There’s no mandate necessarily to do that, but we are very actively working to find all of the rules and develop that relationship between the real world and the LEGO world. You’ll start to see it in what we’re doing with Ninjago and what we’re doing in LEGO 2.”

To sum up: in future movies, the interplay between the different dimensions will come into focus as it unfolds in the background of all these different stories being told.

But these movies won’t just be connected by a sprawling “sci-fi premise” as it were. Certain characters will have arcs that will play out over multiple LCU installments. An (appropriate) example is Batman, who McKay confirmed as having a major role in The LEGO Movie Sequel. McKay even went as far as to mention that the aftermath of the events of LEGO Batman may carry over into LEGO Movie 2:

“There’s definitely a part for Batman in LEGO 2. Everyone loves Will Arnett and the Batman character. There are going to be repercussions of what’s happened in [LEGO Batman]. If you agree that he went through some change, there’s more stuff in store for Batman in LEGO 2.”

If McKay’s words are any indication, there seems to be a strong, definite direction with these movies. One that can allow the franchise to pursue different storylines and genres while also maintaining a connective tissue throughout.

Animated franchises have been ambitious before (How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda), but nothing has been attempted quite to the extent and size of the LCU. Assuming that this franchise keeps up the winning streak, it’ll be fun to see how all these overarching elements play out.

The LEGO Batman Movie is now in theaters. The LEGO Ninjago Movie arrives on September 22, 2017. The LEGO Movie Sequel bows on February 8, 2019 and an untitled LCU film (possibly The Billion Brick Race) is in development.

What do you think? Are you excited for what’s in store for future LEGO movies?

Tags: The LEGO Batman Moviethe lego movie sequelThe LEGO Ninjago Movie
Previous Post

Animation Addicts Podcast #143: ‘Atlantis: The Lost Empire’ – Can We Get Helga Workout Videos, Please?

Next Post

Studio Ghibli Countdown: ‘My Neighbor Totoro’

Brandon Smith

Brandon Smith

Brandon is your average nerd with a love for nerdy things (games, comics, anime/manga, etc.). He also loves reading and writing and plans to be an author someday. For now, he writes with passion and curiosity about the world of animation. He lives with his family in North Carolina and is currently attending college.

Related Posts

[REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More?
Animated Movies

[REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More?

July 1, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon
Animation Addicts Podcast

Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon

June 28, 2022
[SERIES REVIEW] ‘Amphibia’: Disney Channel’s Magnun Opus
Disney

[SERIES REVIEW] ‘Amphibia’: Disney Channel’s Magnun Opus

May 21, 2022
Katy Perry to Star in Animated Musical Film ‘Melody’
The Latest Animation News

Katy Perry to Star in Animated Musical Film ‘Melody’

May 11, 2022
Load More
Next Post
Studio Ghibli Countdown: ‘My Neighbor Totoro’

Studio Ghibli Countdown: 'My Neighbor Totoro'

Discussion about this post

Popular Posts

  • [REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More? 97 views
  • Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon 78 views
  • Animation Addicts Podcast #254: Swan Princess 9 Kingdom of Music – This Ain’t Your Momma’s Swan Princess 41 views
  • Animation Addicts Podcast #255: Swan Princess 10: A Royal Wedding – What Else Is There? 26 views
  • Animation Addicts Podcast #256 Alice In Wonderland – Know Your Drugs 21 views
  • 11k Fans
  • 12k Followers
  • 5.8k Followers
  • 5.3k Followers

Recently Added

[REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More?

[REVIEW] ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’ – If It Ain’t Broke… Just Add More?

July 1, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon

Animation Addicts Podcast #257: Looking Back At The Disney Afternoon

June 28, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #256 Alice In Wonderland – Know Your Drugs

Animation Addicts Podcast #256 Alice In Wonderland – Know Your Drugs

June 21, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #255: Swan Princess 10: A Royal Wedding – What Else Is There?

Animation Addicts Podcast #255: Swan Princess 10: A Royal Wedding – What Else Is There?

June 14, 2022
Animation Addicts Podcast #254: Swan Princess 9 Kingdom of Music – This Ain’t Your Momma’s Swan Princess

Animation Addicts Podcast #254: Swan Princess 9 Kingdom of Music – This Ain’t Your Momma’s Swan Princess

June 7, 2022
Rotoscopers

© 2019 Rotoscopers

Important Links

  • About
  • Support
  • Contact
  • Store
  • Privacy Policy
  • User Posts

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar

© 2019 Rotoscopers

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Posting....