Universal Taps Patty Jenkins and More for Live-Action Lego Movies

Universal Taps Patty Jenkins and More for Live-Action Lego MoviesUniversal Taps Patty Jenkins and More for Live-Action Lego Movies

As a lifelong Lego enthusiast who has spent countless hours building, dismantling, and rebuilding my minifigure-filled cityscape, I can hardly contain my excitement about these new collaborations between The Lego Group and Universal Pictures. The involvement of directors like Patty Jenkins, Jake Kasdan, and Joe Cornish promises a fresh and creative approach to the beloved Lego universe.


Universal Pictures and The Lego Group are expanding their collaboration with three fresh projects from distinguished blockbuster filmmakers: Patty Jenkins, Jake Kasdan, and Joe Cornish. These directors have been tapped to lead the new ventures, each originating from a different high-profile production. According to Deadline, these projects are currently under development in varying stages.

Kasdan is set to direct a movie scripted by Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul (The D-Train), which is developed from an original idea and early draft by Matt Mider and Kevin Burrows (Animal Friends). The director behind Jumanji and Red One will produce the film, along with Melvin Mar, through their production company Detective Agency. At this point, details about the movie’s central idea or release date are not available, although it has been announced that Kasdan’s third Jumanji installment is scheduled for a 2026 theater release in December.

On Jenkins’ project, the script was co-written by the Wonder Woman director and DC alum Geoff Johns. Jenkins is also serving as producer through her production company Wicious Pictures. For Cornish, he’s currently working on rewriting a draft penned by Heather Anne Campbell (Rick & Morty), which in turn was developed from a treatment written by Simon Rich (Man Seeking Woman).

It’s yet unknown how exactly the three projects will use Lego, but since the collaboration between these companies began, the intellectual property has been used imaginatively and successfully. For instance, the original Lego Movie from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller was released in 2014, kick-starting a franchise that has since become a significant box office player. This franchise includes The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, Lego Batman, and the Lego Ninjago Movie, collectively earning approximately $1.1 billion at the box office.

[RELATED: Patty Jenkins Says DC “Not Interested” in Another Wonder Woman Movie “For the Time Being”]

Creators are not just sticking to traditional methods; they’re venturing into new territories, such as the unconventional LEGO-animated biopic about Pharrell Williams titled Piece by Piece. This film, unlike others, narrated the entire story using LEGO animation and has been positively received by both critics and viewers. Interestingly, this isn’t the only aspect of its empire; many of these innovative projects have also made their way into the video game realm.

These three directors are quite distinct from each other, yet, based on Lego’s history of successful films, they each seem capable of making a significant impact within their respective fields.

As a cinephile, I’m eager to hear your thoughts on the latest movies! Let’s exchange ideas about wrestling and cinema. Feel free to reach out to me on Threads and Twitter at @mattaguilarcb!

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2024-10-31 22:39