The LEGO Movie Assembles More Than $200 Million in Global Box Office

BURBANK, CA – February 19, 2014 – Audiences are connecting with “The LEGO® Movie” in a big way, driving the first-ever full-length theatrical LEGO adventure past $200 million in worldwide box office, less than two weeks after its record-breaking release. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

“The LEGO Movie,” from Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and LEGO System A/S, made its North American debut on Friday, February 7. It took in an opening weekend gross of $69.1 million, making it the largest February opening for any animated film and the largest opening for an animated Warner Bros. release. It has since gone on to earn a total of $146.3 million at the domestic box office, and still building.

The film has also launched its international engagements in a number of European, Asian, and Latin American markets, including the UK, Spain, Scandinavia, Hong Kong, Korea, Brazil and Mexico, earning $60.4 million to date, for a combined worldwide box office total of $206.7 million, and climbing.

Liam Neeson, Will Ferrell Lead Voice Cast of "The LEGO Movie"

Joining Chris Pratt in the voice cast of the first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO® adventure “The LEGO Movie” are Academy Award-honorees Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman, comic leading man Will Ferrell and talented actress Elizabeth Banks.

The latter plays the female master builder Wyldstyle. Banks says, “I enjoyed being an action hero. Wyldstyle is trying to live up to her name. She has a nice rebellious streak in her, which is something I think most kids can relate to, and she’s pushing the envelope a bit to establish her own way in life and her own look. What I loved about the character is that she’s smart and strong. She has kick-butt powers and a lot of sass and she’s no damsel in distress. She’s there to save the day.”

While recording her dialogue, “I rarely wore shoes,” Banks reveals. “I was usually barefoot because I like to jump around and move. You can’t make noise over your vocals, so I have to take my shoes off, especially in an action movie. There’s a lot of punching and jumping and running, and I did all of that behind the microphone.”

Will Ferrell who plays Lord Business calls his character “a real control freak. Lord Business runs everything and doesn’t want any creative expression or anyone building anything that’s not on the instruction worksheet. He’s built the entire universe just the way he wants it, just perfect, and it drives him crazy that people come around and dare to change things.”

Lord Business is also remarkably tall for a LEGO minifigure, notes Ferrell. “In his public persona as President Business he has a more pleasant look, very corporate, three-piece-suit and a tie and not a hair out of place. However, when he reveals his true self, the maniacal Lord Business, he wears an impressive cape and 20-foot-tall boots—or, the 20-foot equivalent in LEGO terms—so he can look even more evil and terrifying.”

Lord Business’s number one enforcer is the alternately intimidating and wacky Bad Cop/Good Cop, a swivel-headed minifigure with a split personality, each of which is voiced by Liam Neeson.

“What’s so fresh about Bad Cop/Good Cop is that we literally see both sides of him,” says producer Dan Lin. “He’s Bad Cop whenever he’s executing Lord Business’s orders, and that’s the straight-ahead tough guy we’re used to seeing in the movies. Then he’s got the Good Cop side too, so he’s fighting with himself. One side of his face has the mirrored sunglasses and gritted teeth and is very stern, and the opposite side is much softer, with a smile, and Liam gives each of them their own identity.”

“When I saw some of the animation, and bearing in mind the history of New York police, I thought he should be Irish, and specifically from the North of Ireland,” says Neeson, who gave Bad Cop that particular accent, while bringing a distinctly different inflection to his better half. “The Good Cop, he’s Irish too, but he’s a wee bit more feisty.”

Neeson and Ferrell acted out some of their interactions and improvised together, via headphones, while Neeson was in a recording studio in New York and Ferrell was in Los Angeles. “Liam’s measured and mostly serious delivery as Bad Cop juxtaposed against Will’s outsized comedy take on Lord Business is hilarious,” says Lin.

In Morgan Freeman’s case, it’s his famously rich and authoritative voice that makes his characterization of the presumably wise wizard Vitruvius so laughable. Whether in his dramatic roles or noted documentary narrations, Freeman’s delivery unfailingly lends an air of truth and substance to whatever is being spoken. However, audiences will quickly grasp that not everything Vitruvius says can be trusted—or even makes much sense.

An ancient hippie sage clad in sandals and a tie-dyed shirt barely visible under his voluminous white beard, “Vitruvius talks a good game but he’s a little hazy on the details: like the prophecy and how, exactly, they’re going to stop Lord Business,” Miller concedes. “It’s almost as if he’s making it up as he goes along.”
Longtime fans of Freeman’s work will be surprised that this is the first time he has applied his resonant voice to an animated movie.

Opening across the Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 6, “The LEGO Movie” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

REVIEW The LEGO Movie

The LEGO Movie is by far the best looking commercial for the LEGO brand EVER and it also came in packaged with a movie which is very cool.

The film features the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, Elizabeth Banks, Alison Bree and a whole lot more (including three cast members of the 21 Jump Street reboot film). It's the typical story of mistaken identity and finding the hero within you. Typical stuff that will be an eye opener for kids. If you'd be looking for a deep storyline, The LEGO movie ain't for you. That being said, it's still a pretty enjoyable movie both in 2D and 3D. 

Chris Pratt is Emmet, a basic construction minifigure who has suddenly become the prophesied "Master Builder" who will save the Lego world from the nefarious Lord Business/ President Business. He has to stop Business from using the 'Kragle' which will end everything good and wonderful about their worlds. Pretty generic movie plot.

GOOD 

- It's a quirky film, I'll give them that. You just can't pass on the chance to see a movie featuring all sorts of licensed characters coming together albeit in LEGO form. Gandalf, Batman, Shaquille O'Neal and even the Ninja Turtles make cameos somewhere in the movie.

- The humor is OK. The film has several chuckle inducing moments and a few "laugh out loud" ones but it'll take some getting used to pop culture references to get some of the stuff thrown.

- Visuals are appealing for both kids and adults alike. There's something about the LEGO movie that will make you want to pickup a LEGO set and build, build, build!

- The soundtrack is awesome. Everything is awesome. Lonely Island.

- Voice acting done are nice. Morgan Freeman as Vetruvius and Chris Pratt as the bumbling but lovable Emett is one of the best quality I've seen as early as now. Alison Brie's character here is also adorbs to the 10th power. Oh and there's also the 'cameo' of 22 Jump Street stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill. .

- I was rooting for Liam Neeson as Bad Cop. The guy has some issues and he's also a very well-written villain. Plus throughout the movie he's got some sweet rides and superior weaponry as well.

- The inclusion of the surprise bit redeemed the movie. It's the major reveal AND a nice appearance of one of the cast. Very nice family values imbued in it. That was actually well-thought of. Good job producers and director!

BAD

- Under utilizing Will Ferrell was a bad idea. Sure he's Lord Evil and he's got a huge OCD for perfection and  weaponized glue but he's not effective as a villain. Where's the Mugatu? I was expecting a Mugatu-esque performance but that wasn't executed.

- For a movie that's 'General Patronage' it's got a lot of violence. Lego's getting blasted, getting their heads cut off, getting glued and a whole lot more... Brick violence kinda throws the film off by a few degrees.

- I had such high hopes that the 3D here would be magnificent but it's a dud. Not impressed, not happy. You wont be missing anything if you see the film in a regular theater.

VERDICT

3.5 out of 5 LEGO Bricks

Special thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures. THE LEGO MOVIE is NOW SHOWING! 

Chris Pratt Lends Voice to Accidental Hero, Emmet, in The LEGO Movie (Opens Feb 6)

In Warner Bros. Pictures' new 3D, animated comedy “The LEGO Movie,” the world is due for a disastrous end if not for one accidental hero: Emmet.

A construction worker and self-described nobody, Emmet adheres to the rules in every aspect of his life, content in the belief that he is the most ordinary, unremarkable person ever, until a crisis of monumental proportions reveals a surprisingly extraordinary side of him he never knew.

Providing the voice of Emmet is rising star Chris Pratt (“Delivery Man,” “Moneyball”) who will soon be seen in the Marvel feature “Guardians of the Galaxy,” in which he plays Star-Lord.

“On day one, we talked about our experiences building something out of LEGO bricks and the frustration we’d sometimes feel when we couldn’t find a specific piece right away. That feeling encapsulates who Emmet is to us,” says Dan Hageman, who, with writing partner and brother Kevin Hageman worked on the story with screenwriters Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. “He thinks his happiness is tied to following the instructions yet the fate of the world will rely on him discovering his own creativity,” adds Kevin.

Pratt says, “This challenge takes him through LEGO realms he didn’t know existed, where everything is just ridiculous but in a good way. It’s all beautiful, imaginative, exciting and very funny. There are loveable characters, amazing sets, insane action, a lot of love and a really positive message that you can feel comfortable bringing your kids to see.”

Emmet never met an instruction manual he didn’t like. Whatever the rules are, he’s glad to follow; whatever song is playing on the radio, he’ll sing along; whatever everyone else has for lunch or watches on TV, well, he’s cool with that. He even consults a book to remind him to shower and put on his pants (in that order) every morning before joining the Bricksburg citizenry on their orderly commute to work.

“We wanted someone with incredible comedy chops as our lead, but someone who can also be sweet and endearing, and embody this ‘regular guy’ spirit. Chris Pratt was our first choice; right out of the box,” says Lord.

Each day on the construction crew, Emmet happily razes any buildings deemed “weird” and replaces them with ones that look exactly like all the others, on orders from President Business. Says Pratt, “The city of Bricksburg is this big sprawl where everything looks the same and it’s all pre-fab modular homes, and any areas that have any flavor are being destroyed. So it’s being built as a kind of homogenous, utopian model, though you quickly sense there’s some underlying darkness here; something is controlling the people of Bricksburg.”

But life as he knows it is about to change when Emmet accidentally veers off the path at his site, falls headlong into a freshly excavated pit, and meets the trespassing Wyldstyle: the most beautiful and exciting woman he has ever seen. From her graffiti-splashed black hoodie to the turquoise and hot-pink streaks in her hair, to her take-charge attitude, there’s clearly nothing ordinary about this woman.

When Wyldstyle encounters Emmet at the construction site, she is there searching for the one thing that can block Lord Business’s terrible plan, according to prophecy: The Piece of Resistance. So when that vital piece turns up inexplicably fused to Emmet’s back, like it or not, the guy whose only ambition in life is to fit in suddenly becomes The Special, the most important person in the universe. And the most hunted. Before he knows what’s happening, Emmet is careening at high speed through the Bricksburg cityscape with Lord Business’s robot assassins in fierce pursuit.

Opening across the Philippines on Thursday, Feb. 6, “The LEGO Movie” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Warner Bros.Wins 2013 Box Office Crown, Announces 2014 Slate

In a record-breaking year, Warner Bros. Pictures emerged as the top-grossing studio for 2013, ranking number one in domestic, international and worldwide market shares. The Studio took in an estimated combined global box office gross of $5.035 billion, setting a new Warner Bros. benchmark and becoming only the second studio ever to cross the $5 billion threshold. It also marked the fifth consecutive year Warner Bros. has surpassed $4 billion worldwide, which is an industry record. Globally, the Studio has now ranked #1 or #2 in nine of the past ten years, also an industry record.

Warner Bros. has crossed the $1 billion mark, both domestically and internationally, 13 years in a row, another industry record. The Studio took in an estimated $1.895 billion at the domestic box office, with eight films crossing $100 million, including three that went on to gross more than $200 million. At the international box office, Warner Bros. set a new Studio record of $3.14 billion, marking the fourth consecutive year—and the sixth year overall—that it has earned more than $2 billion. Ten Warner Bros. releases earned more than $100 million internationally, of which seven grossed more than $200 million—both unprecedented achievements for the Studio. In addition, two of those films took in more than $300 million, and two more crossed the $400 million mark.

Two current hits, still in theatres, are among the Studio’s highest-grossing films for the year: “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” at $659 million worldwide and counting; and “Gravity,” at $663 million to date. The Summer blockbuster “Man of Steel” was the Studio’s top-grossing release for the year, at $668 million globally. Among the other worldwide box office highlights for 2013 are: “Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Pacific Rim,” with $411 million; “The Hangover Part III” at $362 million; “The Great Gatsby” at $351 million; “The Conjuring,” with $318 million; and “We’re the Millers” at $270 million.

Moving into 2014, the Studio’s First Quarter titles include:

“Grudge Match” – Starring movie legends Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone as old boxing rivals who come out of retirement for one final match.

“The LEGO Movie” - The first-ever, full-length theatrical LEGO® adventure which will incorporate some of the LEGO world’s most popular figures while introducing several new characters, inviting fans who have enjoyed the brand’s innovative toys and hugely popular video games for generations to experience their visually unique LEGO world as never seen before.

“Winter’s Tale” - Set in a mythic New York City and spanning more than a century, this story of miracles, crossed destinies, and the age-old battle between good and evil stars Colin Farrell, Russell Crowe and Jessica Brown Findlay.

“300: Rise of an Empire” - Told in the breathtaking visual style of the blockbuster “300,” this new chapter of the epic saga takes the action to a fresh battlefield—on the sea—as Greek general Themistokles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war.

For its Summer slate, Warner will rollout more potential blockbusters led by:

“Godzilla” - An epic rebirth to Toho's iconic Godzilla, this spectacular adventure pits the world's most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity's scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.

“Edge of Tomorrow” - Starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, the epic action unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world.

“Blended” - This comedy marks the third collaboration between Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, following their successful onscreen pairings in the hit romantic comedies “50 First Dates” and “The Wedding Singer.”

“Jupiter Ascending” - Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis star in this original science fiction epic adventure from “Matrix” filmmakers Lana and Andy Wachowski.

“Into The Storm” - Told through the eyes and lenses of professional storm chasers, thrill-seeking amateurs, and courageous townspeople, this thriller throws you directly into the eye of the storm to experience Mother Nature at her most extreme. Starring “The Hobbit's” Richard Armitage.

Come Fall, the Studio will release:

“Jersey Boys” – Clint Eastwood directs the legendary story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and tells the meteoric tale of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time.

“Tammy” – A fast food employee (Melissa McCarthy) loses her job and heads out on the road with her grandmother (Susan Sarandon) in this comedy written by the “Bridesmaids” star.

“Dolphin Tale 2” will tell another true story inspired by the life of Winter, but also involves a new baby dolphin named Hope who was rescued by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in 2010.

“Inherent Vice” – Based on the Thomas Pynchon novel, which is part noir, part psychedelic romp, the Joaquin Phoenix-Reese Witherspoon starrer provides a classic illustration of the principle that if you can remember the sixties, you weren't there.

“The Judge” – Robert Downey Jr. stars as big city lawyer who returns to his childhood home where his estranged father, the town’s judge (Robert Duvall), is suspected of murder.

“Interstellar” – Directed by Christopher Nolan, this epic thriller chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers (Matthew McConnaughey, Anne Hathaway) who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.

“Horrible Bosses 2” – The follow-up to the 2011 hit comedy reunites Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis as everyone’s favorite working stiffs Nick, Dale and Kurt. Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx and Kevin Spacey also reprise their starring roles, while Chris Pine and Christoph Waltz star as new adversaries standing between the guys and their dreams of success.

“This Is Where I Leave You” – Based on the hilarious and poignant best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper, it features a starring ensemble cast including Jason Bateman, Tina Fey and Jane Fonda.

“Live By Night” – Ben Affleck writes, produces, and stars in this adaptation of Dennis Lehane's sprawling crime novel centering on the prodigal son of a prominent police chief, and his gradual descent into the criminal underworld.

“The Hobbit: There and Back Again” – The final film in an epic Trilogy adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings.”

The New Posters for The Lego Movie Looks Adorable

As early as now I'm marking the date - Feb 6, 2014 which is the release date for Warner Bros. Pictures' THE LEGO MOVIE.

Here's they go.

The lead characters of Warner Bros.' original, 3D adventure comedy “The LEGO Movie” get solo posters of their own which have just been launched online.

The characters receiving the special treatment are Batman (voice of Will Arnett), Benny (voice of Charlie Day), Emmet (voice of Chris Pratt), Lord Business (voice of Will Ferrell), Vitruvius (voice of Morgan Freeman) and WyldStyle (voice of Elizabeth Banks).

The first-ever full length theatrical LEGO movie follows Emmet, an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

Opening across the Philippines on Feb. 6, 2014, “The LEGO Movie” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Star Wars Characters Are Also Appearing in The Lego Movie

The Wall Street Journal reports that the lovable Lego-ized characters from Star Wars will be making an appearance in Warner Bros. Pictures' THE LEGO MOVIE. 

You better be ready as this will be a good way to start the hype for Star Wars Episode VII. 

The LEGO Movie Shares Main Poster Art

“The Story of a Nobody Who Saved Everybody.” That's the banner line of “The LEGO Movie's” main poster which has just been launched by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures.

An original, 3D adventure comedy, the first-ever full length theatrical LEGO movie follows Emmet (voice of Chris Pratt), an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.
Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (“21 Jump Street,” Golden Globe nominee “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”) are directing from their original screenplay, story by Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman and Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, based on LEGO construction toys. The film will incorporate some of the most popular LEGO figures while introducing several new characters, inviting fans who have enjoyed the brand’s innovative toys and hugely popular video games for generations to experience their visually unique LEGO world as never seen before.




The film being produced by Dan Lin (“Sherlock Holmes,” “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”) and Roy Lee (“The Departed,” “How to Train Your Dragon”).

Opening across the Philippines on Feb. 6, 2014, “The LEGO Movie” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Two Versions of Trailer for THE LEGO MOVIE

Here are two varying trailers for THE LEGO MOVIE from Warner Bros. Pictures. and yes it features more Batman.

The film stars Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Will Ferrell and Will Arnett as Batman... Speaking of the caped crusader, the first trailer has more Batman scenes...





Coming 2014 from Warner Bros. Pictures

Chris Pratt Lends Voice to the Warner's The Lego Movie

Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures have just assembled the teaser poster and trailer (http://youtu.be/AiPhFB5bgD0) for their upcoming original, 3D adventure comedy “The LEGO Movie.”

The first-ever full length theatrical LEGO movie follows Emmet (voice of Chris Pratt), an ordinary, rules-following, perfectly average LEGO minifigure who is mistakenly identified as the most extraordinary person and the key to saving the world. He is drafted into a fellowship of strangers on an epic quest to stop an evil tyrant, a journey for which Emmet is hopelessly and hilariously underprepared.

Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (“21 Jump Street,” Golden Globe nominee “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”) are directing from their original screenplay, story by Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman and Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, based on LEGO construction toys. The film will incorporate some of the most popular LEGO figures while introducing several new characters, inviting fans who have enjoyed the brand’s innovative toys and hugely popular video games for generations to experience their visually unique LEGO world as never seen before.

The film being produced by Dan Lin (“Sherlock Holmes,” “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows”) and Roy Lee (“The Departed,” “How to Train Your Dragon”).



Opening across the Philippines on Feb. 6, 2014, “The LEGO Movie” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.