The Lego Ninjago Movie (2017)

[Oky]

Well, this sounds about as cliche as heck, but then again, so did the plot of The Lego Movie, so I will reserve any judgement until we know more about it and have faith in Lord and Miller. As others have said, hopefully this will be a clever subversion of the "highschoolers by day, heroes by night" story as much as TLM was for the "Chosen One" story. They could embrace the fact that Ninjago is a homage to shows like Power Rangers and really have fun with it.

Amazing Spiderman 1 take place in highschool,and nobody hate it.

Power ranger take place in high school and nobody hate it.

Speak for yourself. I for one never liked either of those franchises, although for different reasons, not because of the high school setting.

[PenPlays]

Amazing Spiderman 1 take place in highschool,and nobody hate it.

There's a bit more to that though. The actual character was originally written as a high schooler. Having Spiderman take place in that setting makes since as it has been a part of the story (for several iterations of the character) all along.

Rebooting something into a movie format into a High-School setting for the sake of an 8-to-12-year-old audience, when the original source material never even considered that, is one of the most common TV show to movie reboot cliches of the past decade. It's dangerously stale.

[Mandate]

As someone who just saw that episode of The IT Crowd yesterday, you have my undying thanks for getting my day off to a great start.

Rebooting something into a movie format into a High-School setting for the sake of an 8-to-12-year-old audience, when the original source material never even considered that, is one of the most common TV show to movie reboot cliches of the past decade. It's dangerously stale.

You've summed it up far better than I could. Undying thanks to you too

[gamejutzu]

An oriental Ninja High-School (please Lego gods, PLEASE!!!)

A story written by the Hageman bros.

Firstly, while sure, Ninjago = Japan, I myself wouldn't get my hopes up. Secondly, I heard that the Hagemans aren't actually writing this (maybe they didn't like their plot, hence this new one?)

Ironically, even though LEGO Ninjago has never exactly been this type of story, the lyrics of its theme song The Weekend Whip allude to this kind of "double-life" — dealing with tedious and mundane challenges on the weekdays so that when the weekend arrives you're ready to do all the more exciting things you've spent all week anticipating.

Huh. Well, there's their defense.

Besides, I feel like aside from a few pieces of films and shows, the high school heroes genre isn't really done right. Here's what i'm hoping for in this movie:

That the ninja actually know who Wu is at the start of the movie, because if this isn't the case i'll be kinda sad since they really are regular schoolers.

Ninja by night? In this case, I really hope to see them doing some really shady ninja stuff at night in the big city. Like fighting bad guys on rooftops of downtown, or on the docks.

Bad guys in school. Hallway fights! Locker stealth! (also, would be really funny if the X cave is under the school and you used a locker to get there)

Above all, I really don't want this movie to be cringe-inducing. The LEGO Movie made me laugh, haven't cringed once.

Speaking of the LEGO Movie, can we Assume this movie will be Lego-ized too due to the black base in the background, and the possibly brick-built Ninjago sign, as well as the "LEGO" in the title instead of in the corner?

Edited March 23, 2016 by gamejutzu

[PenPlays]

...I heard that the Hagemans aren't actually writing this (maybe they didn't like their plot, hence this new one?)

I take it back.

Maybe we do have a problem.

I have to be completely honest. I'm not going to judge the movie as a whole at all until we see some castings and some footage. Maybe some nit-picks on the synopsis we just got, but I'm going to restrain myself to only critique that.

[Oky]

I'm a fan of the animated series as well, but I don't mind that they are doing a new story, as cliche as it may seem. The only way they could have connected it to the show would be either continue the story (which would alienate people who haven't seen the show) or just remake the original story arc where the ninjas meet and fight Lord Garmadon for the first time (which would be boring for the fans). So creating a story/canon that is new to everyone just makes the most sense. And putting it in a different setting will help to separate this canon from the show's canon.

Speaking of the LEGO Movie, can we Assume this movie will be Lego-ized too due to the black base in the background, and the possibly brick-built Ninjago sign, as well as the "LEGO" in the title instead of in the corner?

Yes. The Lego Batman Movie is 100% Lego as well, so I don't see why this movie wouldn't be. WB is clearly trying to capitalize on the success of TLM by using the same visual style.

[Aanchir]

Firstly, while sure, Ninjago = Japan, I myself wouldn't get my hopes up. Secondly, I heard that the Hagemans aren't actually writing this (maybe they didn't like their plot, hence this new one?)

Everything I have seen indicates that the Hagemans are still writing this and Charlie Bean is directing (not Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who directed The LEGO Movie). We've had this discussion before, though. If there is a story I've missed that says other writers have taken their place then please fill me in, but I have yet to see anything that credits writers besides the Hageman brothers.

[Exetrius]

To be honest, I think that the high-school scenario can't possibly effect the (overall) setting in a good way, neutral at best. On the other hand, I'm confident that the more exciting corners of Ninjago will have more screen time than the school environment. It's a logical choice to have such a generic, contemporary and relatable setting, of course... but it's so conventional

A traditional 'Japanese' setting altogether would have been more awesome, but that's just my opinion. Instead, it would be nice if there would be a touch of originality to it, for example a skycraper city with very traditional oriental design, architecturally speaking slightly utopian, if you know what I'm getting at. And if this is going to be non-canon, it would be cool to see the current ninja as sensei of four new, next generation ninja, something like that.

If anything, the pseudo-brick-built CGI style will be lovely, no matter what setting it is. Looking forward to that!

[gamejutzu]

If anything, the pseudo-brick-built CGI style will be lovely, no matter what setting it is. Looking forward to that!

Oriental buildings... In Lego? This could possibly be the best looking movie in the LCU.

Edited March 23, 2016 by gamejutzu

[Cagast]

Agree with Tragic Banjo here. Ninyago itself is pretty much unoriginal - main characters are colored warriors with elemental powers, fighting a giant black dark creature (with possibly the most unoriginal name ever, Overlord), skeletons and ghosts as baddies, magical artifacts that give them strength... and many other countless cliches.

[Oky]

Agree with Tragic Banjo here. Ninyago itself is pretty much unoriginal - main characters are colored warriors with elemental powers, fighting a giant black dark creature (with possibly the most unoriginal name ever, Overlord), skeletons and ghosts as baddies, magical artifacts that give them strength... and many other countless cliches.

I agree as well. Ninjago is made out of many cliches and so far they managed to pull them off well, so why not add the High School cliche? Granted, it's not the most popular trope, but I don't think it will play as big of a role as many seem to think. I'm pretty sure they are joking when they say that this is the "worst enemy" the ninjas will face.

[Exetrius]

I'm pretty sure they are joking when they say that this is the "worst enemy" the ninjas will face.

Meanwhile, in a parallel Ninjago realm...

"The Overlord is the headmaster of the Elemental highschool that our heroes attend!"

[gamejutzu]

Speaking of an elemental high school, i'd love to see the elemental masters included in the movie somehow.

Maybe Ash, Karlof, and Shade can be dropouts, or in a gang or something. Regular students, or just being in the movie in general, sounds good with me.

Edited March 26, 2016 by gamejutzu

[JurrasicPiggy]

Maybe it will be like Japanese anime high school!

[gamejutzu]

Now that I think of it, does anyone else think The LEGO Movie's animations and such, can work as anime? Firstly, you get the "frames per second" feel when you watch it, and secondly, the expressions made by the minifigures can work like anime as well.

... Now that I think of it, there was never really a Lego anime before... Exo-Force got it wrong, as they made manga, but they weren't in minifig form. Also, an anime spin on TLM's animation can give the movie a charm.

[PenPlays]

Mmm... Lego Anime...

No the animation of the Lego Movie wouldn't transfer or convey and 'anime feeling'...

At all.

The issue with Exo Force was that it had a very western feel with its designs.

They really, REALLY should think about trying out something in a similar vein, this time with official anime artists (and the money for pity's sake).

[LEGODalekbuster523]

Now that I think of it, does anyone else think The LEGO Movie's animations and such, can work as anime? Firstly, you get the "frames per second" feel when you watch it, and secondly, the expressions made by the minifigures can work like anime as well.

I think anime would ruin the charm of The LEGO Movie's animation. It's supposed to look like real minifigures being animated in a LEGO environment and anime would separate it too much from the real LEGO look.

[gamejutzu]

I think anime would ruin the charm of The LEGO Movie's animation. It's supposed to look like real minifigures being animated in a LEGO environment and anime would separate it too much from the real LEGO look.

Mmm... Lego Anime...

No the animation of the Lego Movie wouldn't transfer or convey and 'anime feeling'... At all.

They really, REALLY should think about trying out something in a similar vein, this time with official anime artists (and the money for pity's sake).

That's not what I meant.

What I mean, is that there was just something TLM's animation; How characters jumped around and changed expressions, all in very few "frames". Kind of like anime.

Yes, I know that this is a stretch and I sound silly. But, if this movie had some... More, of the above then it may convey some kind of anime feeling anyway.

I know that the above observations were only seen on some occasions, and a lot of parts actually appear to be in a lot of frames per second, making it feel like a very well made stop motion rather than an anime. But the parts that were there, kind of felt like it to me.

Each franchise's movie needs to stand out, so that it isn't the same style all the time (that would wear thin to some people). I'm not saying the Ninjago movie be completely "5 frames per second", but just that this link could be expanded on, somehow.

The issue with Exo Force was that it had a very western feel with its designs.

Not only that, but it was 3D, And they were human. The manga? Also human. It was a missed opportunity...

Edited March 27, 2016 by gamejutzu

[Exetrius]

That's not what I meant.

What I mean, is that there was just something TLM's animation; How characters jumped around and changed exp<b></b>ressions, all in very few "frames". Kind of like anime.

Yes, I know that this is a stretch and I sound silly. But, if this movie had some... More, of the above then it may convey some kind of anime feeling anyway.

I know that the above observations were only seen on some occasions, and a lot of parts actually appear to be in a lot of frames per second, making it feel like a very well made stop motion rather than an anime. But the parts that were there, kind of felt like it to me.

Each franchise's movie needs to stand out, so that it isn't the same style all the time (that would wear thin to some people). I'm not saying the Ninjago movie be completely "5 frames per second", but just that this link could be expanded on, somehow.

I understand what you mean with the "anime feel". For me, it only applies to the action scenes where a lot of things are jumping across the screen rapidly. Now that you mentioned this, I'm aware that it's similar to the same kind of scenes in Kill la Kill for example. More in general: when the sakuga (

go to 9.19) kicks in.

On the topic of how it would work out to have this distinct anime style for facial expressions, I think it could work... probably, if done right. It would give it an original twist for sure!

[LEGODalekbuster523]

That's not what I meant.

What I mean, is that there was just something TLM's animation; How characters jumped around and changed expressions, all in very few "frames". Kind of like anime.

Yes, I know that this is a stretch and I sound silly. But, if this movie had some... More, of the above then it may convey some kind of anime feeling anyway.

I know that the above observations were only seen on some occasions, and a lot of parts actually appear to be in a lot of frames per second, making it feel like a very well made stop motion rather than an anime. But the parts that were there, kind of felt like it to me.

Each franchise's movie needs to stand out, so that it isn't the same style all the time (that would wear thin to some people). I'm not saying the Ninjago movie be completely "5 frames per second", but just that this link could be expanded on, somehow.

I disagree. I think the various franchises of the LEGO Movie need to feel connected. It would spoil it if they gave The LEGO Ninjago Movie an anime feel separate from the other films.

[gamejutzu]

On the topic of how it would work out to have this distinct anime style for facial expressions, I think it could work... probably, if done right. It would give it an original twist for sure!

Yes, that's... Kind of what I meant, sort of.

Giving this entire movie an anime animation would probably kill it. What I'd personally like is for the movie to mainly be in TLM animation, with doses of "Lego sakuga" here and there.

And maybe even some light-hearted interaction here and there (but not completely anime, oh god no...)...

I disagree. I think the various franchises of the LEGO Movie need to feel connected. It would spoil it if they gave The LEGO Ninjago Movie an anime feel separate from the other films.

The Lego game series is basically the same gameplay styles over and over, and it's beginning to take a visible toll on the games (unless the TFA game is good). A lot of people wouldn't like the LCU to consist of the exact same style either.

And besides, the Lego Batman movie is more or less TLM, but there are slight artstyle differences if you look closely.

Lego is about creativity, so why not try different things?

Edited March 27, 2016 by gamejutzu

[Cagast]

What artstyle differences? They are identical. And so will be the Ninjago movie, the directors said that it's in the same universe as TLM. I understand that TLM can technically be compared to anime, but only when you think too deep about it. There is no 'anime feel' at all, and I don't really understand how do you think they could add that feel to Ninjago movie.

Whatever, I hope that anime feel is totally out, because I hate anime.

[Tariq j]

I can't imagine many kids would really distinguish the connection between the two things. TLM has a good Lego, stop motion animation feel to it, if you start to bring all sorts of other artistic styles into it I think it will lose the charm that TLM had.

Sometimes it's good to try out different styles, but other times it's just best to stick how they are - and I think the Ninjago Movie will benefit from the latter.

Edited March 28, 2016 by Tariq j

[Amazing Bricks]

This should be interesting, we've never had a story about high school with Lego before. Like I said, I'm not going to judge anything yet until official stuff comes out.

[LEGODalekbuster523]

The Lego game series is basically the same gameplay styles over and over, and it's beginning to take a visible toll on the games (unless the TFA game is good). A lot of people wouldn't like the LCU to consist of the exact same style either.

Says who?

I don't think the LEGO game series has been affected by sticking to the formula at all. It still has more variation than a dull hardcore game like Call of Duty and it wouldn't be a LEGO game if you weren't smashing stuff up to get studs.

To me, it's the same with The LEGO Movie. You need the same style for that consistency and for it to feel like a LEGO movie otherwise it would lose its identity. The only exception to the rule is sci-fi because the great thing about science fiction is it's limitless.