The LEGO Ninjago Movie

If The LEGO Movie could be seen as both a critical and box office success, the same could be said of The LEGO Batman Movie. However, there’s no denying that it was a significant step down box office-wise. But if we are to get cynical about that aspect, we can always point to the glowing reviews surrounding it as a defense.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie doesn’t have that. In addition to being the lowest performing film, it also marks the first entry in the franchise to be declared “Rotten” on Rotten Tomatoes. So whereas Batman was a step down financial, LEGO Ninjago was a step down both creatively and financially.

Where Warner Bros. Should Go Next — LEGO Movie 2?

While things aren’t looking super hot at this point, let’s be realistic. With The LEGO Movie costing around $70 million and The LEGO Batman Movie costing $80 million, there’s a good chance that The LEGO Ninjago Movie cost around the same, or perhaps even less. Let’s say maybe $70 million. So long as it makes in the neighborhood of $130 million worldwide, it’ll more than be in the clear from a money standpoint.

So while I don’t think Warner Bros. will be celebrating this one as much, I don’t think it’ll break their bank. Losses, if any, will be minimal. However, this is still a chance for them to rethink the rest of the franchise. They can’t ignore this downward spiral. But does this mean they should outright cancel the rest of the films?

The next LEGO Movie slated is The LEGO Movie 2 in 2019. No, I don’t think they should cancel it at this point, because in this age of shared universes, many audiences will likely realize that, unlike those other two movies, this one will actually continue the story with Emmet. Plus, they’re likely already waist-deep in production, and shutting it down would likely result in more loss than gain. But they do need to re-assess how they release these movies in the future. With the success of the first film, they seemed to think they could continue on in the vein of the MCU or DCEU.

Yes, the possibilities are endless with LEGOs, but unlike Marvel Studios or DC, the mythology isn’t as extensive. Nor is its fan base as big. Now that they’ve tested the waters with two side movies, it seems like the market has spoken. There’s only so much room for LEGO movies at a Hollywood level. They may as well stick to the old Hollywood model of making them one at a time, every couple years so that audiences don’t start getting sick of them. Because if they continue churning out a couple a year — or even one every year — this downward trend will only continue.

As LEGO Batman proved, audiences only have so much tolerance for certain brands, even if the movies are actually very good.

But what do you think? Do you agree? Or do you think the market has room for more Batman in their lives? Let us know your thoughts down below!

Don’t forget to share this post on your Facebook wall and with your Twitter followers! Just hit the buttons on the top of this page.

<– PREVIOUS PAGE: The LEGO Movie, And The LEGO Batman Movie