Producer and songwriter Pharrell Williams has announced an unexpected collaboration with none other than Lego – and they're making a movie. Brick by Brick is set to be a groundbreaking (albeit slightly bizarre) biopic about Pharrell's life, chronicling his creative legacy through the medium of Lego.
Some of the best Lego sets show that Lego appeals to all ages, but whether it will appeal to Pharrell's fans is a different story (although I for one am oddly intrigued). With Lego's multitude of movies garnering a mixed response, it's unclear how Pharrell's Lego biopic will be received – one thing's for certain, he's definitely breaking the boundaries of cinema.
The project was launched after Pharrell approached Academy Award-winning director Morgan Neville five years ago to pitch his idea. Inspired by the imagination of Lego and its fans, Pharrell wanted to approach the biopic with a unique medium that encouraged a sense of creativity and innovation.
In a press release, Pharrell discusses the inspiration behind the project, marvelling at the journey that has led to the movie. "Building with Lego bricks encourages us to follow our imagination…who would’ve thought that playing with these toys as a kid would evolve into a movie about my life," Pharrell says. "It’s proof that anyone else can do it too.”
While at first, it may seem like an odd collaboration, the Lego Group's senior vice president, Jill Wilfert, shared that the pairing is united by a strong creative mindset. "We believe the Lego brick is the ultimate creative medium, allowing people to build, unbuild and rebuild in as many ways as they can imagine, mirroring how Pharrell has continually innovated in his own life," she shares.
The movie is set to release on 11 October 2024, and while it's not the new Lego movie I might've expected, I'm oddly excited to delve into this new era of biopic filmmaking. For more movie magic, take a look at the stunning film posters that have already debuted this year, or check out Lego's redesigned Dune logo.