In one of the most interesting moves for a modern biopic film,Piece By Piecetells the life story of musician Pharrell Williams using the medium of LEGO bricks — but this doesn’t mean it can replace the other LEGO movies.Piece by Piecehas been reviewed quite well, with the heartwarming story and animation style praised as particular highlights. It delves into thetrue story of Pharrell, illustrating his life through LEGO animation. It’s great to see filmmakers taking creative risks with documentaries like this, and it is equally great to see the return of LEGO to the big screen.
Piece by Pieceis the first LEGO movieto be released sinceThe LEGO Movie 2: The Second Partcame out in 2019, and it is the first to be released by Universal Pictures after they secured the rights back in 2020. With their rights to LEGO expiring in 2025, it could also be the only LEGO film released by Universal Pictures.It would be quite sad ifPiece by Piecewas the last hurrah for LEGO on the big screen. Hopefully, this film is just a sign of more good things to come for the beloved and colorful franchise.
Piece By Piece Is Better As A Biopic Than A LEGO Movie
The Film Doesn’t Follow The Trends Of Previous LEGO Movies
WhilePiece by Pieceis a great film, it isn’t necessarily what one would have expected from the next LEGO-based project. It is naturally very different to the LEGO projects that have come before. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing,the film is very clearly a Pharrell Williams bio-pic first, LEGO movie second. That isn’t to say the film doesn’t make great use of the chosen medium. The film uses plenty of charming LEGO spins on what would normally be very basic scenes. It also features great depictions of all ofPiece by Piece’s LEGO musicians.
Every LEGO Movie Ranked, Worst To Best (Including Piece By Piece)
From the LEGO Movies to Batman and Pharrell’s Piece by Piece, the LEGO movies vary in quality and awesomeness, which helps rank every installment.
While Pharrell has still been releasing new music, he hasn’t seen the same level of success he was in the early-mid 2010s with the trifecta ofGet Lucky, Happy,andBlurred Lines.The LEGO format ofPiece by Piecereally helps to sell the film, as a regular film about Pharrell Williams might not get many people excited, The creativity on display fromPiece by Piece’s director Morgan Neville absolutely shines, leading to more interest being garnered in the project than it could have had if it were a straight-laced biopic. However, that doesn’t necessarily make it a LEGO movie.
A Real New LEGO Movie Is What The Franchise Really Needs Next
They Can Absolutely Reproduce The Success Of The Original
Piece by Pieceis a very interesting idea for a biopic, but it isn’t really a LEGO film. Rather, it is a film that tells its story using LEGO. One might have hoped the first LEGO project sinceThe LEGO Movie 2’s box office disappointmentwould be something more akin to those original two movies orThe LEGO Batman Movie, rather than a film about a real-life musician. Despite the stumblings of the franchise withThe LEGO Movie 2andThe LEGO Ninjago Movie,there remains plenty of potential to tell so many more LEGO stories.
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (2019)
$192.3 Million
While the LEGO movie franchise has had its issues, it could absolutely still be salvaged. LEGO toys continue to gain popularity, and the brand continues to branch out into more expansive LEGO projects like video games. The success of prior films provesthereis absolutely space for the LEGO film series to make a successful comeback.Piece by Pieceis a good first step in reintegrating the franchise back into the film landscape, but hopefully, it will lead to more LEGO projects down the road.
Universal Is Almost Out Of Time To Make A Proper LEGO Movie After Piece By Piece
Their Deal For The LEGO Rights Expires Soon
After the disappointing box office ofThe LEGO Ninjago MovieandThe LEGO Movie 2, Warner Bros. (who produced the previous four LEGO films) let the film rights expire in 2020. While not too surprising, given the franchise had released two back-to-back box office missteps,it was disappointing to see the LEGO movies given up on so quickly. One major issue was that three LEGO films were released so close together, potentially crowding the market too quickly. Regardless of the reasons, the rights lapsed. Now, LEGO has a deal with Universal Pictures, setting them up to producePiece by Piece.
While Universal now holds the rights to make LEGO films, Warner Bros. still owns the world and characters that they created, so a direct sequel to the previous films is exceedingly unlikely.
Universal had a five-year deal, spanning from 2020 to 2025, to create their own series of LEGO films. However, the hope of new LEGO films under the new rights holders has been unfounded.Universal has released a grand total of zero LEGO projectsoutside ofPiece by Piece.There are potential plans for another LEGO movie, though what form that takes is anyone’s guess. With the rights once again expiring in a year, whether Universal can produce any LEGO-related material outside ofPiece by Pieceremains very much up in the air, which feels like a wasted opportunity.
Piece by Piece
Cast
Piece by Piece, released in 2024, embarks on a vibrant animated journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Presented through LEGO animation, the film explores Williams’s evolution and contributions to music, offering audiences a unique visual and sonic exploration of his creative legacy.
LEGO
The Lego Moviefranchise is a multimedia series based on the popular Lego construction toys. The franchise began with the critically acclaimed 2014 animated filmThe Lego Movie, which became a massive commercial success. Known for its unique animation style, humor, and heartwarming messages, the franchise expanded to include spin-offs, sequels, and various other media, such as video games and TV shows. The films are set in a universe where Lego characters come to life, often blending elements of adventure, comedy, and satire.
