Universal Pictures and the LEGO Group have sealed an exclusive five-year deal "to develop, produce and distribute theatrical releases based on its intellectual property and original ideas," Universal announced Thursday. LEGO had previously made their movies at Warner Bros., including The LEGO Batman Movie. According to Deadline, the original two LEGO Movies, LEGO Batman Movie, and The LEGO Ninjago Movie all "remain in the Warner Bros library." Although Warners' original LEGO films grossed a combined $1.1 billion globally, each film following 2014's blockbuster The LEGO Movie saw sizable drops in their opening weekends and overall box office totals. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/02/10/lego-batman-is-one-of-the-best-reviewed-batman-movies-yet"] What's not completely clear is what rights, if any, Warners may have to continue exploiting or producing sequels to those movies they do have the rights to, or if Universal can use any LEGO Movie characters such as Emmet Brickowski, Wyldstyle, President Business, and the like since they were original creations for the Warners films. (IGN had reached out to Warners for clarification on the matter but had not heard back at time of publish.) According to Deadline, though, it does sound like that's that for any more LEGO Batman screen adventures. "When one of the LEGO films on the drawing board didn’t go forward, a ticking clock expired and the LEGO’s film business became a free agent," the site reports. "Branded IP with proven box office draw doesn’t come along often, and Universal pounced." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/09/21/kid-lego-fan-asks-ninjago-cast-the-tough-questions"] Warners' LEGO Movies utilized that company's deep bench of characters and world-famous IP beyond the aforementioned Batman, including a slew of other DC superheroes and villains as well as characters from Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Scooby-Doo, and Speed Racer. Likewise, Universal has many properties that could be exploited in their own LEGO Movies. Universal franchises include Jurassic Park, Fast and the Furious, Minions/Despicable Me, and The Secret Life of Pets, as well the iconic Universal Monsters (including The Mummy). Universal also has Back to the Future, Jaws, Insidious, E.T., The Purge, Woody Woodpecker, Casper the Friendly Ghost, American Pie, Battlestar Galactica, Jason Bourne, Psycho, An American Tail, Land Before Time, Smokey and the Bandit, and Dumb and Dumber. Universal and LEGO previously teamed on the TV special Jurassic World: The Secret Exhibit and the 13-episode mini-series LEGO Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar. LEGO and Universal have also teamed for a LEGO Jurassic World video game. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/18/lego-jurassic-world-launch-trailer"] “Universal’s commitment to unique storytelling from diverse voices makes the Studio the perfect partner as the LEGO Group enters this new phase of filmmaking,” said Jill Wilfert, Head of Entertainment, the LEGO Group. Do you want to see Dominic Toretto and the Bandit race each other in a new LEGO Movie? Or maybe a meet-up of the Jurassic Park and Mummy characters? The Insidious crew crossing paths with Casper? Sound off in the comments!
source https://www.ign.com/articles/future-lego-movies-could-include-jurassic-park-fast-and-furious-and-minions
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