This article chronicles the history of the depiction of Lego building toys in media franchising with emphasis on film and television co-produced by owner The Lego Group.
Brickfilms (films using Lego) have existed since the 1970s. In 2003, Lego officially made its first partnership to make films based on its toy property. They chose Bionicle as the property and they made a deal with Miramax to make a trilogy of Bionicle films. After the trilogy ended, a new trilogy based on Bionicle was planned with Universal Pictures after the Miramax film contract ended and the first film in the new trilogy would be titled , but plans broke down between Lego and Universal, resulting in the fifth film being cancelled. Another film was later released, entitled . The film received positive reviews from fans and critics and, after the DVD release, a sequel was set to star Clutch as the hero again. A short film based on Clutch Powers was later released but a full sequel never materialized.
In the summer of 2009, Lego made a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to make a film based on the property. In the same year, Lego also planned the concept for the now successful theme Lego Ninjago. In 2011, Lego released a TV series titled Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu and Ninjago series achieved popularity. A video game based on the show was later released and the show reached its planned conclusion after a two-year run.
A new show titled Legends of Chima aired in January 2013 and was intended to be Ninjago
In 2014, Mixels also debuted. In late 2015, Nexo Knights was introduced, replacing Legends of Chima.
In late 2016, Ninjago released a Halloween TV special for its fifth anniversary.
An additional film with Warner Bros named Billion Brick Race was planned, but cancelled in 2018 for unknown reasons. Little is known about what the film was supposed to be, with the exception of some concept artwork shared by director Jorge Gutierrez.
In March 2019, Ninjago released an 88-minute TV movie called March of the Oni on Cartoon Network, which also celebrated the 100th episode of the show. The show reached its 11th year of airing having released season 15 in 2022.
By April 2020, Universal Pictures established a five-year deal for exclusive rights for the production of further Lego films with The Lego Group; the four existing Lego films made by Warner Bros. (The Lego Movie, The Lego Movie 2, The Lego Batman Movie, and The Lego Ninjago Movie) would stay with that studio. This move potentially allows Universal to make Lego films based on its own catalog of properties such as Woody Woodpecker, Curious George, Jaws, Jurassic Park, Fast & Furious, The Land Before Time, Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets, Johnny English, Sing, Back To The Future, Bourne, Ted, Shrek, Trolls, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, The Boss Baby, Spirit, Shark Tale, The Bad Guys, Over The Hedge, Monsters Vs. Aliens, Megamind, The Croods, Ruby Gillman, and The Wild Robot.[1] [2] [3]
In January 2024, it was announced that Pharrell Williams is making an animated biographical film of his career in Lego form. It is set to be released in October 2024 by Focus Features.[4]
| Year | Title | Co-production with | Distributor | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | The Lego Movie | Warner Animation Group Village Roadshow Pictures Vertigo Entertainment Lin Pictures | Warner Bros. Pictures | ||
| 2017 | The Lego Batman Movie[5] [6] | Warner Animation Group DC Entertainment RatPac Entertainment Lin Pictures Lord Miller Productions Vertigo Entertainment | Spin-offs of The Lego Movie. | ||
| The Lego Ninjago Movie[7] | Warner Animation Group RatPac Entertainment Lin Pictures Lord Miller Productions Vertigo Entertainment | ||||
| 2019 | Warner Animation Group Rideback Lord Miller Productions Vertigo Entertainment | Sequel to The Lego Movie. | |||
| Upcoming | |||||
| 2024 | Piece by Piece | Tremolo Productions I Am Other | Focus Features | Animated biographical film about Pharrell Williams. | |
| TBA | Untitled Lego Movie film[8] [9] | Rideback Lord Miller Productions Vertigo Entertainment | Universal Pictures | Live action/animation hybrid. Reboot of The Lego Movie franchise. | |
| Year | Title | Co-production with | Distributor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Creative Capers Entertainment Create TV & Film Limited Miramax Home Entertainment | Buena Vista Home Entertainment | ||
| 2004 | Prequel to Bionicle: Mask of Light. | |||
| 2005 | Sequel to Bionicle: Legends of Metru Nui. | |||
| 2009 | Tinseltown Toons Threshold Animation Studios | Universal Studios Home Entertainment | ||
| 2010 | ||||
| Hero Factory: Rise of the Rookies | Warner Home Video | Film version of episodes 1–4 of Hero Factory. | ||
| 2011 | Hero Factory: Savage Planet | Film version of episodes 6 and 7 of Hero Factory. | ||
| 2013 | Warner Premiere TT Animation DC Entertainment | Based on the video game . Includes a Clark Kent/Superman Lego minifigure. | ||
| 2015 | [10] [11] | M2 Entertainment | ||
| Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment | Includes a Batzarro Lego minifigure. | |||
| Lego DC Super Heroes: Justice League – Attack of the Legion of Doom | Includes a Trickster Lego minifigure. First Lego DC film based on the timeline of The New 52. | |||
| 2016 | Lego DC Super Heroes: Justice League – Cosmic Clash[12] | Includes a Cosmic Boy Lego minifigure. | ||
| Lego Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood | Warner Bros. Animation | Includes a Scooby-Doo Lego minifigure. | ||
| Lego DC Super Heroes: Justice League – Gotham City Breakout | Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment | Includes a Nightwing Lego minifigure. | ||
| 2017 | Lego Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash[13] | Warner Bros. Animation | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment | |
| [14] | Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment | |||
| 2018 | Lego DC Super Heroes: The Flash[15] | Included as part of a bundle with Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Aquaman: Rage of Atlantis in some editions.[16] | ||
| [17] | ||||
| Lego DC Super Heroes: Aquaman – Rage of Atlantis[18] | Includes a Jessica Cruz Lego minifigure. | |||
| 2019 | [19] | Includes a Mini Ultimate Batmobile Lego vehicle. | ||
| 2020 | [20] | Includes a Shazam Lego minifigure. |
| Year | Title | Co-production with | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Jack Stone | Artworld UK | Released on VHS.[21] |
| Monty Python & the Holy Grail in Lego | Spite Your Face Productions | Released as a bonus feature on the Monty Python and the Holy Grail DVD release. | |
| 2005 | Treehouse Animation | Premiered on Cartoon Network. | |
| 2006 | Lego Batman: Bricks, Bats & Bad Guys | ||
| 2008 | Lego Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Brick | M2Film | |
| 2009 | |||
| 2010 | Lego Clutch Powers: Bad Hair Day | Tinseltown Toons Threshold Animation Studios | Released as a bonus feature on the DVD release. |
| LEGO Prince of Persia Mini Movie | Unknown | Aired on Disney XD. | |
| M2Film | Premiered on Cartoon Network. | ||
| 2011 | Lego City: A Clutch Powers 4-D Adventure | Threshold Animation Studios | Shown in the Legoland theme parks. |
| 2012 | The Lego Story | Lani Pixels | Produced to celebrate The Lego Group's 80th anniversary. |
| Lego Marvel Super Heroes TV Short | Unknown | Aired on Disney XD. | |
| 2013 | Legends of Chima: 4D Movie Experience | M2Film | Shown in the Legoland theme parks. |
| 2014 | Enter the Ninjago | Warner Animation Group Animal Logic | Released as a bonus feature on The Lego Movie DVD release. |
| 2016 | Pure Imagination Studios | Shown in the Legoland theme parks. | |
| Nexo Knights 4D: The Book of Creativity | M2 Entertainment | ||
| Lego Jurassic World: Employee Safety Video | Universal Pictures Home Entertainment | Released as bonus on the Jurassic World/Lego Jurassic World 2-pack DVD. | |
| The Master | Warner Animation Group Animal Logic | Shown in theaters with Storks. | |
| 2017 | Batmersive VR Experience | Virtual reality short film; released online. | |
| Dark Hoser | Released as bonus features on The Lego Batman Movie DVD release. | ||
| Batman is Just Not That Into You | |||
| Cooking with Alfred | |||
| Movie Sound Effects: How Do They Do That? | |||
| Shark E. Shark in "Which Way to the Ocean?" | Released as bonus features on The Lego Ninjago Movie DVD release. | ||
| Zane's Stand Up Promo | |||
| 2018 | Pure Imagination Studios | Shown in the Legoland theme parks. | |
| Emmet's Holiday Party | Warner Animation Group Animal Logic | Released on YouTube. | |
| 2019 | Lego City 4D - Officer in Pursuit | Pure Imagination Studios | Shown in the Legoland theme parks. |
| Lego City Sky Police and Fire Brigade - Where Ravens Crow | M2 Entertainment | Released on YouTube as a two-part short series. |
| Year | Title | Co-production with | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Lego Atlantis: The Movie | Threshold Animation Studios | Cartoon Network | |
| 2011 | Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace | Animal Logic Lucasfilm Animation | Includes a Young Han Solo Lego minifigure in the DVD release. | |
| 2012 | Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out | Threshold Animation Studios/Lucasfilm Animation | Includes a Darth Vader with Medal Lego minifigure in the DVD release. | |
| 2013 | Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload | Arc Productions Marvel Entertainment | Disney XD | Originally released as a five-part short miniseries. |
| 2014 | "Brick Like Me" | Gracie Films 20th Century Fox Television | Fox | Aired as the 550th episode of The Simpsons. |
| Jake's Buccaneer Blast | M2Film | Disney Junior | Originally released as an eight-part short series. | |
| Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment | Cartoon Network | [22] | ||
| 2015 | Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Avengers Reassembled! | Arc Productions Marvel Entertainment | Disney XD | [23] |
| Lego Scooby-Doo! Knight Time Terror | Warner Bros. Animation | Cartoon Network | [24] | |
| Lego Elves: Unite the Magic | Ja Film | Disney Channel | ||
| 2016 | Lego Jurassic World: The Indominus Escape[25] [26] | Universal Pictures Home Entertainment | Direct-to-video | Originally released as a five-part short series. |
| Lego Elves: Dragons To Save, Time To Be Brave | Ja Film | Disney Channel | ||
| Lego Elves: Down a Dark Path | ||||
| Lego Frozen Northern Lights[27] | M2Film | Originally released as a five-part short series. | ||
| Wil Film ApS | Cartoon Network | Halloween special of Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu. | ||
| 2017 | Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Galactic Wonder | Warner Bros. Animation DC Entertainment | Boomerang Cartoon Network | |
| Lego Marvel Super Heroes - Guardians of the Galaxy: The Thanos Threat | Marvel Entertainment | Disney XD | [28] | |
| 2018 | Lego Marvel Super Heroes - Black Panther: Trouble in Wakanda | YouTube Disney XD | [29] | |
| Atomic Cartoons Universal Studios | NBC | [30] [31] | ||
| 2019 | Lego Marvel Spider-Man: Vexed by Venom | Atomic Cartoons Marvel Entertainment | YouTube Disney XD | [32] [33] |
| 2020 | Lego Monkie Kid: A Hero is Born | Flying Bark Productions | TV3 | |
| Lego Jurassic World: Double Trouble | Atomic Cartoons Universal Studios | Nickelodeon | [34] [35] | |
| The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special | Atomic Cartoons Lucasfilm Animation | Disney+ | [36] | |
| Lego Marvel Avengers: Climate Conundrum | Atomic Cartoons Marvel Entertainment | YouTube Disney XD | ||
| Lego Hidden Side: Night of the Harbinger Halloween Special | Pure Imagination Studios | Cartoon Network | [37] | |
| 2021 | Lego Monkie Kid: Revenge of the Spider Queen | Flying Bark Productions | TV3 | |
| Atomic Cartoons Lucasfilm Animation | Disney+ | [38] [39] | ||
| Lego Marvel Avengers: Loki in Training | Atomic Cartoons Marvel Entertainment | [40] | ||
| 2022 | Lego Marvel Avengers: Time Twisted | [41] | ||
| Lego Friends: Holiday Special | WildBrain Studios | YouTube | ||
| Lego Monkie Kid: Embrace Your Destiny | Flying Bark Productions | CITV | Originally released as a four-part miniseries. | |
| Atomic Cartoons Lucasfilm Animation | Disney+ | [42] [43] | ||
| 2023 | Lego Monkie Kid: The Emperor's Wrath | Flying Bark Productions | HappyKids | |
| Pure Imagination Studios | Disney+ | [44] | ||
| Lego Jurassic Park: The Unofficial Retelling[45] [46] | Atomic Cartoons Universal Studios | Peacock | Retelling of the film Jurassic Park.[47] | |
| Lego Marvel Avengers: Code Red | Atomic Cartoons Marvel Entertainment | Disney+ | [48] |
| Title | Original running | Seasons / Episodes | Co-production with | Network | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ended | ||||||
| Edward and Friends | 1987 | FilmFair | BBC2 | Based on the Fabuland theme. | ||
| 2002 | CinéGroupe Tom Lynch Company | Fox Kids | First live-action series based on a Lego theme. | |||
| Lego Hero Factory | 2010–2014 | Threshold Animation Studios (episodes 1–10) Ghost (episode 11) | Nicktoons (episodes 1–10) YouTube (episode 11) | |||
| Ninjago | 2011–2022 | Wil Film ApS (seasons 1–10) WildBrain Studios (seasons 11–15) | Cartoon Network (2011–2020) Netflix (2021–2022) | Formerly known as Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu in the pilot episodes and from seasons 1 to 10. | ||
| Lego Friends of Heartlake City | 2012–2017 | M2 Entertainment | Disney Channel | |||
| 2013–2014 | Wil Film ApS Lucasfilm | Cartoon Network (2013) Disney XD (2014) | Miniseries. Renamed as Star Wars: The New Yoda Chronicles for the 2014 episodes. | |||
| Legends of Chima | M2 Entertainment | Cartoon Network | ||||
| Mixels | 2014–2016 | Cartoon Network Studios | Cartoon Network | First 2D animated series based on a Lego theme. | ||
| Lego Elves | 2015–2018 | Ja Film | Disney Channel | [49] | ||
| [50] | 2015 | Wil Film ApS Lucasfilm | Disney XD | Miniseries. | ||
| Nexo Knights | 2016–2017 | M2 Entertainment | Cartoon Network | |||
| 2016 | Volta | Netflix | [51] | |||
| Lego Friends: The Power of Friendship | M2 Entertainment | |||||
| 2016–2017 | Wil Film ApS Lucasfilm | Disney XD | ||||
| Lego Elves: Secret of Elvendale | 2017 | Studio Mir | Netflix | [52] | ||
| Lego Masters UK | 2017–2018 | Tuesday's Child Endemol Shine Group | Channel 4 | First reality competition series. Inspired a format used to launch localized series around the world. | ||
| Unikitty! | 2017–2020 | Warner Bros. Animation | Cartoon Network | Spin-off of The Lego Movie.[53] | ||
| 2018 | Wil Film ApS Lucasfilm | Disney XD | ||||
| Lego Friends: Girls on a Mission | 2018–2021 | M2 Entertainment | KidsClick (2018–2019) Kabillion (2019–2021) | |||
| 2019 | Atomic Cartoons Universal Brand Development | Nickelodeon | Miniseries.[54] [55] | |||
| Lego Hidden Side | 2019–2020 | Pure Imagination Studios | YouTube HappyKids | Web short series. | ||
| Lego City Adventures | 2019–2022 | Passion Paris Axis Studios (seasons 1–2) | Nickelodeon (seasons 1–2) Netflix (season 3-4) YouTube (season 4) | [56] [57] | ||
| Ongoing | ||||||
| Lego Monkie Kid | 2020–present | Flying Bark Productions (seasons 1–4) WildBrain Studios (season 5)[58] | Amazon Prime Video (seasons 1–2) HappyKids (season 3–) | [59] | ||
| Lego Friends: The Next Chapter | 2023–present | Passion Paris | YouTube Netflix HappyKids | |||
| Lego Dreamzzz | Pure Imagination Studios WildBrain Studios (season 2; 2 episodes) | Amazon Prime Video Netflix YouTube Sky UK ITVX Happykids | [60] [61] | |||
| WildBrain Studios | Netflix YouTube (season 2) | Sequel to Ninjago.[62] | ||||
| Lego City: No Limits | Blue Zoo Animation Studio | YouTube ITVX | Web short series. | |||
| Upcoming | ||||||
| 2024 | Lucasfilm | Disney+ | Miniseries.[63] | |||