For the second consecutive week The Lego Movie has been the best-selling film in US and Canadian cinemas. In its opening weekend the movie brought in $69.1m at the box office – the highest figure to date this year.
The Lego Movie cost just $60m to produce, and Danish company LEGO, which is an associate producer, is likely to make a large profit once the final sales are worked out. Producer Warner Bros has praised LEGO for the active role it played in developing the film, noting that it gave many suggestions and ideas and didn’t insist on many restrictions.
Hollywood has been looking to make a Lego movie for some time, but the Danish manufacturer refused to grant permission until recently.
Head of marketing at LEGO, Mads Nipper, said Warner Bros understand the company’s values. She explained that the story the producers came up with was “fantastic” and also close to the things they want to be known for.
Critics have praised the movie, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a rating of 96 per cent. Furthermore, there is already speculation that a sequel is being lined up.
BoxOffice.com’s chief analyst Phil Contrino said it is appealing to families as well as people in their 20s and 30s who played with Lego in their childhoods. He added that it’s be a surprise if a sequel did not follow.