Ben Affleck won't be the only Batman receiving big screen attention next year. Following his scene-stealing moments in 2014's The LEGO Movie, Will Arnett's version of the Caped Crusader is jumping back into action for The LEGO Batman Movie. We've already gotten a good sense of what LEGO Batman's solo adventure will look like from two trailers earlier this year, but Warner Bros has dropped a new preview packed with even more DC-brick insanity. Check it out!
That trailer promises nothing less than an amazing brick-based Batman adventure that really gets to the heart of The Dark Knight's mythos. Taking a significantly more humorous approach to the Dark Knight (and we wouldn't have it any other way), The LEGO Batman Movie will follow Bruce Wayne as he goes on a personal journey to discover himself at exactly the same time he accidentally adopts Dick Grayson, a.k.a. Robin. He'll need to learn how to be both a father figure and a better person as he attempts to stop The Joker's latest attack on Gotham City. Aside from Will Arnett as the loud-mouthed Caped Crusader, the movie's cast includes Michael Cera as Robin, Zach Galifianakis as Joker, Rosario Dawson as Batgirl, Ralph Fiennes as Alfred, Mariah Carey as Gotham City's mayor and Jenny Slate as Harley Quinn.
From a thematic perspective, the trailer definitely takes a long, hard look at the inherent loneliness that goes into being a superhero. The people of Gotham make the assumption that Batman must go home after a long day of fighting crime and spend time with his loved ones. In reality, he lives an incredibly solitary existence, and he learns the meaning of true companionship by taking on a sidekick in the form of Robin. Much like The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Batman Movie appears to use a very lighthearted sensibility to broach some really heavy and worthwhile topics. Prepare to laugh and cry.
Of course, while the film will definitely examine themes of loneliness, it's worth noting that The LEGO Batman movie will delve heavily into the greater Batman mythos as well. Not only will we get Batman, Alfred, and Robin, but the film will also feature a wide assortment of Batman rogues (he likes to fight around), and even the presence of Barbara Gordon. Beyond that, The LEGO Batman Movie also pokes quite a bit of fun at the DCEU by directly acknowledging the grim atmosphere of the Batman/Superman battle in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
We still have a few months left until the interlocking brick version of The Dark Knight takes center stage, but it's already clear that Will Arnett's Batman may actually be one of the coolest adaptations of the character to date. The LEGO Batman Movie hits theaters on February 10, 2017.
