Trailers for the first sequel to The Lego Movie, The Lego Batman Movie, have, until now, been heavy on jokes and slim on plot. Today’s new look at the upcoming animated film changes that.
Director Chris McKay and his writing team aren’t just crafting our first big Batman comedy film in two decades, but it seems they’ve also drilled down in to one of the core dichotomies of the character. Bruce Wayne is humanity’s biggest badass and a literal billionaire — and he’s still a freakin’ grump all the time. How do we make him a brooding character who is still reliably sympathetic?
The answer is: Bruce’s trauma-induced fear of loss prevents him from making the interpersonal connections he so desperately craves. The Lego Batman Movie is a goofy romp, but it just might be the Batman movie with the most emotionally resonant and modern take on the character’s psychology, and I think I need a moment to sit back and fully appreciate that.
