The Lego Batman Movie (Lego theme)

The Lego Batman Movie
Company type	Licensed product line
Industry	Toy industry
Predecessor	The Lego Movie (franchise)
Founded	February 10, 2017; 9 years ago
Defunct	December 31, 2018
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Construction sets, collectible minifigures, promotional animated shorts, mobile app
Parent	The Lego Group

The Lego Batman Movie was a Lego product series inspired by The Lego Batman Movie, the second installment in the The Lego Movie franchise. This line was created under license from The Lego Group, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Animation Group, and DC Entertainment. It debuted on 10 February 2017 as part of a marketing and licensing initiative connected to the film's release. The collection comprised Lego building sets, collectible minifigures, promotional animated shorts, and the mobile app The Lego Batman Movie Game. Production of this line ceased by 31 December 2018.

Overview

The Lego Batman Movie, released by Warner Bros. Pictures on 10 February 2017, centers on the DC Comics hero Batman, voiced by Will Arnett, who confronts his personal fears to stop the Joker’s schemes. To complement the movie, The Lego Group introduced a series of construction kits and collectible minifigures depicting characters and settings from the film. The licensing campaign also encompassed more than 21 publications from DK Publishing, Scholastic, Ameet, and Blue Ocean, including storybooks, activity books, magazines, junior novels, guidebooks, as well as The Making of The Lego Batman Movie, marking the franchise’s inaugural behind-the-scenes book.

In 2016, The Lego Group crafted a life-sized Batman figure using 53,998 bricks weighing approximately 286 pounds, which was exhibited at San Diego Comic-Con. The following year, they built a full-scale Batmobile consisting of 300,000 bricks and weighing 1,700 pounds that was showcased at the Detroit Auto Show. These large-scale creations served to boost brand recognition and supported promotional efforts during the launch period.

Development

The inspiration for The Lego Batman Movie toy range came directly from the 2017 film of the same name. Developed in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, the construction sets were designed to capture the movie's narrative and characters through Lego models.

Producer Dan Lin described the theme’s concept by explaining that after the initial success of the first LEGO movie, they explored new storylines and genres before settling on Batman. The core question driving this theme was "Can Batman be happy?"—a motif distinct to the LEGO movie style. Lin also mentioned that acquiring franchise rights was simpler compared to the first movie because many rights holders had positive experiences previously. Additionally, new franchises such as the Daleks from Doctor Who were introduced, highlighting LEGO adaptations of characters to preserve humor and streamline licensing.

Characters

Batman: Gotham City's billionaire vigilante superhero.
The Joker: Known as the "Clown Prince of Crime," Batman’s primary adversary.
Robin: Bruce Wayne’s adopted ward and crime-fighting partner.
Barbara Gordon: Police officer who ascends to Gotham’s police commissioner.
Alfred Pennyworth: Loyal butler to the Wayne family and trusted confidant of Bruce Wayne.
Harley Quinn: The Joker’s partner in crime and romantic interest.
Commissioner James Gordon: Head of Gotham City Police Department and ally to Batman.
Chief O'Hara: Chief of Gotham’s police force.
Mayor McCaskill: Governing official of Gotham City.
Two-Face: Former attorney turned villain following a criminal downfall.
Pamela Isley / Poison Ivy: Antagonist with botanical manipulation powers.
Wicked Witch of the West: Malevolent sorceress from the Land of Oz, confined within the Phantom Zone.
Edward Nygma / Riddler: Gotham criminal obsessed with puzzles and riddles.
Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow: Ex-physician who employs fear-inducing gas against Gotham's populace.
Selina Kyle / Catwoman: Skilled burglar and vigilante antiheroine.
Clayface: Villain with shapeshifting metahuman abilities.
Bane: Criminal mastermind enhanced by "Venom" for superhuman strength; parodying Tom Hardy’s role in The Dark Knight Rises.
Victor Fries/ Mr. Freeze: Scientist transformed into a villain equipped with cryogenic technology.
Killer Croc: Animalistic metahuman antagonist originating from Gotham City.
Penguin: Wealthy crime boss utilizing trick umbrellas and robotic penguins.
Superman: Kryptonian superhero, member of the Justice League, protector of Earth from Metropolis.

Construction Sets

Per BrickLink records, The Lego Group introduced a total of 42 sets and promotional polybags under the The Lego Batman Movie branding, with production ceasing by the end of 2019.

In July 2016, The Lego Group collaborated with Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics to produce sets inspired by The Lego Batman Movie. The initial release, consisting of 13 sets, launched on 10 February 2017. Key items included The Joker Balloon Escape (70900), Mr. Freeze Ice Attack (70901), The Batmobile (70905), The Joker Notorious Lowrider (70906), Batcave Break-In (70909), The Penguin Arctic Roller (70911), and Arkham Asylum (70912). Alongside these, seven promotional polybags were introduced, featuring models like The Mini Batmobile (30521), Batman in the Phantom Zone (30522), and Batgirl (30612). Additionally, six key chains showcasing main characters such as Batman and The Joker were part of the collection. Central figures represented across these sets were Batman, Alfred, Robin, and Batgirl.

The second assortment arrived on 2 June 2017 with five new sets: Scarecrow Fearful Face-off (70913), Bane Toxic Truck Attack (70914), Two-Face Double Demolition (70915), The Batwing (70916), and The Ultimate Batmobile (70917). In October 2017, an exclusive minifigure set (5004939) was made available solely through Toys "R" Us.

The third series was launched on 1 January 2018, introducing six sets: The Bat-Dune Buggy (70918), The Justice League Anniversary Party (70919), Egghead Mech Food Fight (70920), Harley Quinn Cannonball Attack (70921), The Joker Manor (70922), and The Bat-Space Shuttle (70923). Promotional polybags accompanying this wave included The Mini Ultimate Batmobile (30526) and Bat Shooter (40301).

Collectible Minifigures

The Lego Batman Movie Series 1 collection (set number: 71017) debuted on 1 January 2017 within the Lego Minifigures lineup. This series expanded the typical count by featuring 20 unique characters instead of the standard 16.

Subsequently, Series 2 of The Lego Batman Movie minifigures (set number: 71020) was released worldwide on 1 January 2018, also under the Lego Minifigures umbrella. Mirroring its predecessor, it offered a roster of 20 figures rather than the usual sixteen.

Lego BrickHeadz Sets

Several characters from The Lego Batman Movie were adapted into the Lego BrickHeadz theme. Announced on 1 March 2017, this line featured buildable BrickHeadz versions of Batman, Batgirl, Robin, and The Joker.

Reception

In July 2018, Fatherly recognized sets including The Scuttler (70908), Batcave Break-In (70909), The Ultimate Batmobile (70917), and The Bat-Space Shuttle (70923) among "The 10 Best ‘Batman’ Lego Sets for Kids and Collectors." Later that year in November, The Lego Batman Movie Minifigure Series (71017) earned a finalist position in the Toy Retailers Association’s 2018 Toy of the Year Awards.

External links

Official site