Hold onto your bricks, ladies and gentlemen, because Universal might soon be the new home of LEGO movies to come.
According to a report posted by Deadline, Universal is in talks to purchase the rights from Warner Bros. to make future LEGO movies. The battle for the build-a-brick film franchise began when word got out that a time-sensitive deal on a green light has yet to go through at Warner Bros., and now a number of studios have their eye on the prize. Should the LEGO brand change hands, characters from THE LEGO MOVIE and THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE will remain at Warner Bros. This means that original characters the likes of Emmet Brickowski, Wyldstyle, Unikitty, Vitruvius, Rex Dangervest, and Queen Watevra Wa'Nabi will not be featured in any LEGO films going forward, unless special arrangements are made, of course.
THE LEGO MOVIE, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, was a smash-hit at the box office for Warners with $123.1 Million stacked in worldwide receipts throughout its theatrical run. After the original film arrived as a bonafide success, LEGO built a sequel and two spinoffs featuring popular characters from across the beloved brand, including THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART, THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, and THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE.
While the future of LEGO remains in flux at this time, a change of venue could work to the brand's benefit, as it would allow for new characters and properties to become a part of the build-a-brick franchise. LEGO Jurassic Park, anyone? LEGO Back to the Future, perhaps?
We'll be watching this deal very closely, and will update you all should there be any changes to where LEGO builds its next big screen adventure.