With a Danish brick cast, The LEGO Movie moves fast
- The first full-length LEGO feature, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s CGI-animated action-comedy breaks box-office records in the US
Released on 7 February, US directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s The LEGO Movie, featuring a Danish brick cast, recorded the best 2014 opening so far (and the second best of all time for a February) in the US, cashing in €50.7 million and reaching €105,622 million after two weeks.
World-premiered in Denmark on 94 screens (on 6 February) by local Warner Bros distributor SF Film, the LEGO characters have so far lured a 115,000-strong audience into the theatres. “They are likely to dominate the school holiday. We are excited about the success,” said film manager Sune Lind Thomsen, of SF Film.
Scripted by US writers Dan and Kevin Hageman, Lord and Miller, the film following the quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together was produced by Warner Bros, Village Roadshow Pictures and LEGO Systems Inc. Current worldwide takings exceed €143,224 million.
“The success can be attributed to a handful of factors,” wrote US website Box Office Mojo. “Most people have a generally positive experience with the tiny building blocks. Warner Bros built on this brand recognition with a marketing campaign that had something for everyone. In particular, the pop culture references and self-aware humour helped to lure in adults – and to that end, it didn't hurt that it received nearly unanimous praise from critics (95% on Rotten Tomatoes).”
In the original US version, seen by a 55% male and 59% over-18-year-old audience, Hollywood actors Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Berry and Alison Brie lend their voices to the action, while local casts provide dubbings for each territory. The film is being released in both 2D and 3D.
Last week (16 February), LEGO Systems Inc announced an increase in its US turnover for the ninth consecutive year, outpacing the American industry; in 2013, the company controlled 7.8% of the toy market and sold €990,460 million worth of LEGO-series toys, 1% up on its 2012 record.
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