We got our first look at Pharrell Williams' LEGO biopic, Piece by Piece, in a new trailer this week, prompting varied reactions from LEGO fans and newbies alike.
Earning millions of views in its first few days online, Piece by Piece has certainly grabbed the attention of both people both in and out of the LEGO community. The movie tells the story of Pharrell's life and career, depicted by animated LEGO minifigures, similar to the style of the much-loved LEGO Movies. It's thought to be connected to at least one physical LEGO set too, although that's not confirmed just yet.
A few days on from the trailer's premiere, we've brought together some of the varied reactions sparked by the first look at the movie, ranging from confused to enthused.
The who in the what?
Safe to say, people who hadn't yet heard that Piece by Piece was on the way were baffled. The trailer brought the movie into mainstream culture news for the first prominent time – and it sparked some confusion, especially as to why Pharrell has chosen LEGO animation as opposed to live action or even some other form of animation.
"Not to sound rude, but… why LEGO?" questioned one person on reddit, echoing sentiments shared on X, Instagram, and more.
However, one person thinks they've got to the bottom of why a LEGO-fied biopic – and it tracks. With various biopics covering musicians ranging from Amy Winehouse to Bob Marley released this year alone and plenty more since the trend started with 2018's Bohemian Rhapsody, the brick-built style does help Pharrell's movie stand out.
There's also the possibility of using LEGO as a brand to appeal to a wider audience, with one redditor writing: "Maybe it’s to appeal to a younger audience and inspire them to get into the arts like he did. I mean, one of them says “hell yeah” but I didn’t hear any other foul language and haven’t seen a rating yet so maybe he wants whole families to see it."
Is that a real LEGO piece?
Naturally, those in the LEGO community were quick to examine the minifigures themselves for accuracy, pointing out that the distinctive shaved head that Pharrell is sporting in most of the trailer doesn't actually exist in the LEGO system – although it would be a welcome addition to add more bald-headed variety to minifigures.
"It seems like the piece would be difficult to detach, so my first impression is that it's probably not a real piece LEGO would make," one redditor concluded.
What could this mean for LEGO sets or minifigures?
As well as Pharrell himself, we've also now got LEGO designs of more characters that we would be unlikely to get otherwise (although not always using official LEGO elements as noted above). Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar are just a few other musical icons that make an appearance in the film alongside Pharrell, leading some people on reddit to hope for potential minifigures or even sets based on the characters.
"Oh damn I NEED a LEGO Snoop Dogg," wrote one redditor, earning themselves dozens of upvotes from other people in agreement.
"We need a whole LEGO theme based on this!" agreed another. "It literally writes itself! Who’s with me?!"
It's certainly catching people's attention
Despite some of the critiques and confusion, the trailer appears to have gone down more positively than negatively. Pulling in tens of thousands of likes and millions of views, the first look is promising, with a smooth animation style, passable voice acting, and a creative way to present a biopic that could otherwise blend into the background of the others like it in cinemas right now.
Featured image: Universal Pictures
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