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After The Lego Movie, watch out for the Lego reality TV show. The Danish toymaker is following the global success of its foray into Hollywood films with a move into TV next year.
Lego is developing reality competition formats and will be launching a TV series in 2015. A senior executive hinted on Tuesday that one idea Lego is exploring revolves around Master Builders – the name given to the designers of its toy bricks sets and theme parks, and to characters in its movie.
The company is aiming to drive further into the entertainment and content sectors following the runaway success of The Lego Movie – which has racked up nearly $500m in global box office receipts – and associated merchandising, which helped it overtake Barbie-maker Mattel as the world’s biggest toy maker.
Jill Wilfert, Lego’s vice-president of global licensing and distribution, said that the Danish company is “exploring some reality competition show formats, which is new for us: the idea of becoming a Master Builder is something we think could be quite resonating”.
Wilfert, speaking at the Mipcom TV conference in Cannes on Tuesday, said that over the next few years the company will increase its focus on TV and digital entertainment.
“You will continue to see us in this entertainment and content space,” she said. “We are working on a new property that will launch with a TV series in 2015, and we are focusing on having real interactivity.”
She added that the it would be something designed for digital natives, with apps integrated into the experience.
Wilfert said that there is also a Lego documentary set to air next year.
Fans can expect a sequel to the first Lego movie, with reports earlier this month that it was likely to focus on the Batman character voiced by Will Arnett.
“The audience has responded, they love our content,” she said. “There is a lot of speculation about future Lego movies. I’m pretty confident that we’ll be seeing additional Lego movies in the future.”
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