With a February 2017 debut sneaking up, we’re starting to get a better feel for just what the Lego Batman spinoff movie will look like. As reported by Variety, it appears the Dynamic Duo, voiced by Will Arnett and Michael Cera as Batman and Robin respectively, have found their antagonist in Zach Galifianakis, who has been cast to play the Joker.
The often sluggish (and always hilarious) Galifianakis may seem like an off-the-wall choice to play the amped up, chaos-loving criminal nearly as integral to the Batman cinematic universe as the hero himself. However, as Sarah Connor once said, “In an insane world, it was the sanest choice.”
After all, it was Arnett’s quirky take on the Caped Crusader — defined by his sarcastically gruff voice offset by overconfidence and not-so-bright decision making — that got this spinoff the greenlight from Warner in the first place. With a canvas so ripe for cartoon buffoonery, it only makes sense that the film’s Joker should be subtly miscast, offering plenty of chances for Galifianakis’ self-deprecation, sardonic one-liners, and erratic temperament to shine through. Nothing is set in stone yet, but we’re hoping the rest is just details.
Not long ago, the idea of the Lego Movie itself seemed a stretch for a feature film, prompting many to give a head-cock and ask “How are they going to make a movie about a building block?” But any misgivings were quickly put to rest after the film debuted to roaring box office numbers and critical acclaim — even if it was snubbed at the Oscars.
That success put in play so many stories that might not have seen the light of day: Incoming are similar animated ventures based around laughingly simplistic ideas, including The Minecraft Movie, which Warner Bros. acquired shortly after The Lego Movie soared, as well as Sony’s new plans for an emoji movie, and, of course, Lego Batman.
The film will be directed by The Lego Movie’s animation supervisor, Chris McKay, with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller producing, and a script penned by Seth Grahame-Smith, Dan Lin, and Roy Lee.
With a cast that appears to be quickly loading up with comedy favorites, a brilliantly-styled animated universe to build upon (pun intended), and one of the world’s most iconic superheroes in its pocket, Lego Batman is starting to look better and better.
