The LEGO Movie 2 – will minifigures and mini-dolls share a box?

With the introduction of mini-dolls in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, what will this mean for the range of sets that tie in with the film?

By now you have probably seen the new teaser trailer for The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part (if not, what have you been doing for the last week?) and whilst it hasn’t given much away in the way of storyline, it has shown us something very interesting relating to the LEGO Group’s different systems of play.

At the end of the first film we saw the young boy Finn being told that he needed to play with his sister, which was then immediately translated in a LEGO context with the hilarious sequence showing DUPLO aliens from Planet Duplon turning up in Bricksburg. While it seemed like a throw away gag to end the movie on, it actually turned out to be what would spark the story line of the sequel.

The new teaser not only reminded us of that but also introduced to a new LEGO ‘species’ entirely. The mini-doll.

In a world where Hollywood is finally trying to correct the balance between genders with more female-dominated lead roles and stronger role models for women, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part will reportedly focus on the way in which boys and girls might play together in different ways. With the reveal in the teaser trailer of the new character, Sweet Mayhem, it is clear that the mini-doll will be a way for the filmmakers to explore the female side of play.

Back in 2012 the LEGO game changed. LEGO Friends was introduced to the world, not only contributing to significant LEGO profits but targeting sets directly at the female side of the toy market. A toy that tended to be successful in the boys’ aisle could now be found among the pinkest aisles in Toys R Us (RIP) and toy department stores around the world. Apparently after four years of market research it seemed that young girls identified more with a mini-doll than the traditional square-hipped minifigure and, love them or loathe them, it seems hard to argue that the company was incorrect six years later.

DUPLO is one of those themes that adult fans, unless they have preschool aged children, pay no attention to. Recently though, the theme offered licensed Jurassic World sets, showing that the LEGO Group are willing to do movie tie-ins with a range aimed at the youngest age group. With a DUPLO alien featured at the beginning of The LEGO Movie 2 trailer, could this mean we’ll see licensed sets aimed at the younger demographic in addition to the others?

 

The other far more interesting and exciting possibility is what could be within the regular The LEGO Movie: The Second Part theme. It could be that this will be the first time ever fans will see LEGO sets featuring minifigures, mini-dolls and the giant DUPLO bricks all in one box. This would not only be a unique way of tying together the assortment of characters from the film within individual sets, but also encourage family play in the way that vintage LEGO was known for with a one-set-for-all solution. With no separating of genders, it would all be for everyone.

Whilst merely speculation at this point, it will be fascinating to see how the next installment from the LEGO cinematic brickiverse plays out, whilst knowing that whatever sets eventually gets released, my wallet will already be empty before I’ve seen the film in cinemas.

The LEGO Movie 2: the Second Part will be released in cinemas February 2019. The LEGO sets based on the film are expected in January 2019.

You can help support Brick Fanatics’ work by using our affiliate links.