Pharrell Williams has released the first trailer for his upcoming Lego biopic Piece by Piece.
The clip opens with Lego versions of Williams and director Morgan Neville, best known for his 2013 film about backing singers 20 Feet from Stardom which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and the Grammy for Best Music Film.
Williams tells Neville: “You know what would be cool? If we told my story with Lego!”
The 51-year-old musician announced earlier this year that he would be making the unconventional film about his journey to become one of the most successful record producers alive, having created huge international hits like “Happy”, Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and Kelis’s “Milkshake.”
In the trailer Williams is joined by a host of the artists he’s collaborated with over the years, including Snoog Dogg, Gwen Stefani and Busta Rhymes.
In a press release, the filmmakers said: “Uninterested in making a traditional film about his life, Pharrell set out to tell his story in a way that would set audience’s imaginations free.
“Developed from his singular vision, Piece by Piece defies genres and expectations to transport audiences into a Lego world where anything is possible.”
In a statement, Williams said: “When I had this crazy vision to tell this story through Lego bricks, I couldn’t have imagined a better partner than Morgan. He is a legend. Grateful that Focus wanted to collaborate with us and I’m honored to share this with the world and bring people into my universe.
“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. It’s proof that anyone else can do it too.”
Neville said: “Five years ago, Pharrell Williams approached me with the idea of helping him tell his story through Lego animation. It was one of those rare moments where I knew in a second that this was a journey I wanted to go on.
“I’m grateful to our partners at Focus Features and at the Lego Group for their belief in our crazy mission. We assembled an incredible team of creative collaborators to help make a new type of film. I can’t wait for people to see it.”
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Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski added: “Pharrell Williams is a true trailblazer whose influence across music, art and fashion continually reshapes global culture with an undeniable sense of joy.
“In partnering with the inimitable Morgan Neville and the limitless creativity of the Lego brand his visionary spirit comes to life in a wholly unique and uplifting way that will inspire everyone to dance, to sing, and to use their voice to build the world they want to see, brick by brick, and piece by piece.”
Piece by Piece is set to be released in the US on 11 October, and a UK release date is coming soon.
Williams is not the only artist to be inspired by Lego. In 2021, Ai Weiwei told The Independent: “I think Lego is no different from Rembrandt’s paint or Van Gogh’s paint. If they were alive today, they would love to play Legos.”
