The Billion Brick Race: an opportunity for a spiritual successor to LEGO Racers?

[General Magma]

I feel like 'The Billion Brick Race', about which we now know very little yet, could be an opportunity for a new LEGO racing game.

I would certainly like to see something akin to Racers, with various themes being represented in various locations, and I've been imagining what a modern version of that could look like ever since I was a kid.
We don't know much about this upcoming movie yet, but what would you like to see in it, and do you think it would be plausible for the above to happen? I'd like to know what you guys think - an updated & modern version of the Racers game would be pretty awesome! But then the question is, what might this movie be about? It's definitely nice to see them steering away from the good guys VS a villain formula at this point, introducing something fresh into the LCU as well as, potentially, the universe of the beloved brick games.

Edited January 24, 2018 by General Magma

[Lyichir]

A new game like Lego Racers would be awesome, but definitely also a challenge, at least if they wanted to include the functionality of building your own car. It'd be a significant programming and physics challenge to make that work smoothly and cleanly without resorting to classic sorts of pre-built chassis, since then issues like weight distribution become an issue. Still, it'd be great to get that sort of functionality at some point, if not in a dedicated racing game than as a mode in something more open-ended like Lego Worlds.

That said, as you mention, we really don't know a single thing about what the movie could be about. It could be about an actual, single long-distance race (think Cannonball Run), but it could just as easily be something like Around the World in 80 Days (which focused more on the journey and adventure than on actual "racing"). If it were the latter I'd probably expect something more akin to the classic Lego Games formula, maybe with slightly more driving.

[LEGODalekbuster523]

I just want a new LEGO Racers for Switch. One that's like a cross between the first LEGO Racers game and Mario Kart 8.

[Digger of Bricks]

There is already a broader discussion topic on this movie that was started back in 2015.

Eurobricks - The Billion Brick Race

4 hours ago, Lyichir said:

That said, as you mention, we really don't know a single thing about what the movie could be about. It could be about an actual, single long-distance race (think Cannonball Run), but it could just as easily be something like Around the World in 80 Days (which focused more on the journey and adventure than on actual "racing"). If it were the latter I'd probably expect something more akin to the classic Lego Games formula, maybe with slightly more driving.

The film's initial writer did actually compare it to Cannonball Run, with some Wacky Races mixed into it according to this 2015 interview with him.

Nerd Report - Details On The Fourth Lego Sequel 'The Billion Brick Race'

Quote

"Modestly, hopefully it will be the biggest race movie of all time,” Pearce said. “Imagine doing a race movie but having the ability to do it with Lego. So part Cannonball Run, part Wacky Races but with a real working class Rocky style blue collar vibe to it as well.”

“I came up with an original Lego idea, a completely standalone Lego movie, kind of out of nowhere. Then spoke to Phil and Chris and they’re exec’ing it. I’m directing that and Jason Segal and I are writing it. It won’t come out until so many years in the future that I might even be dead. It’s like 2019 that it’s coming out, and that will run along in the background of what I do which is hopefully write and shoot an original script.”

 

4 hours ago, Lyichir said:

A new game like Lego Racers would be awesome, but definitely also a challenge, at least if they wanted to include the functionality of building your own car. It'd be a significant programming and physics challenge to make that work smoothly and cleanly without resorting to classic sorts of pre-built chassis, since then issues like weight distribution become an issue. Still, it'd be great to get that sort of functionality at some point, if not in a dedicated racing game than as a mode in something more open-ended like Lego Worlds.

I'm surprised we haven't even seen a TT Racers game this whole time, as Mario Kart is definitely a popular videogame series, right?

[PenPlays]

Opportunity do so? Yes.

Will they do that? No.

 

The thing is though, the original LEGO Movie really tried to dig into the really obscure stuff that FOLs would understand. I can see them making Rocket Racer, whether in just using his name, or developing him as a full character, as the person that the main character is trying to best. It would make may heart sing. But we can't count on them to go that obscure (as much as I'd love it).

[jamesster]

I'm fully expecting a tie-in video game. "Spiritual successor to LEGO Racers", though, is a tall order I'm not putting any expectations on.

[Digger of Bricks]

Probably not, but I somewhat wonder if this movie will be to The Lego Movie's sequel what the fourth Avengers movie will be to Avengers: Infinity War, if you know what I mean.

[Fenghuang0296]

Personally? I'd love to see TBBR turn out to be sort of like a Lego-fied version of Hot Wheels: The World Race, except without the overarching villain plot of Gelorum and her drones. A race between three to five competing factions, with several characters who each have a more-or-less equal share of the screentime and focus. A context like this doesn't need to have a hero or a villain; just opposing characters or teams and let the viewer decide who they want to root for. Obviously, there can be only one canon winner, but that's the great thing about Lego and having the toys; it's easy for people who have the toys to, after watching the movie, decide that they would have preferred it if Character Y had won the race instead of Character X. Then they could play that out with the toys. I'd really love to see TBBR shake up the 'formula' that the previous three movies have established and that Sequel seems to be looking to follow. 

[Digger of Bricks]

9 hours ago, Feng-huang0296 said:

A context like this doesn't need to have a hero or a villain; just opposing characters or teams and let the viewer decide who they want to root for.

Hmm, maybe? I automatically visualized this film as being a good versus evil story involving a race for the fate of the Lego Multiverse, with multiple alliances and factions, both with altruistic or selfish motivations, for being involved in this quest for... something. 

Edited February 11, 2018 by Digger of Bricks