Last week, just after the full Comic-Con schedule was announced, Warner Bros. confirmed which movies it will be presenting in its massive two-hour Hall H panel. The studio's superhero movies Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman are among the most anticipating previews of this panel, but the DC Comics universe will be represented in another way with The LEGO Batman Movie, the first of several spinoffs of the 2014 blockbuster The Lego Movie. A new trailer for The LEGO Batman Movie will be unveiled during this panel, but while we wait for this footage to arrive, 12 new photos have surfaced, giving us a new look at The Joker (Zach Galifianakis) and the Boy Wonder himself, Robin (Michael Cera).
USA Today debuted these first-look photos, while speaking with director Chris McKay, who shed some light on The Joker's rivalry with Batman. Will Arnett reprises his voice role as the Dark Knight from The Lego Movie, who continually "disses" The Joker which leads to chaos unfolding in this LEGO universe. Here's what the director had to say below.
"The Joker sees himself on the same level as Batman, a peer, at the top of the game. But Batman says that's not the case, which sends Joker into a spiral trying to prove to Batman that he is indeed the greatest enemy."
One of these new photos features The Joker riding in his convertible with Harley Quinn behind the wheel. Warner Bros. hasn't announced who will be voicing Harley Quinn quite yet, but perhaps the full voice cast will be unveiled during the Comic-Con presentation. Here's what Chris McKay had to say about this unique vehicle.
"That's kind of The Joker's General Patton car, where he can survey the battle. It's loud and flashy, the inner view of himself writ large in car form with crazy, zebra-striped seats."
This animated adventure will also put a new twist on the relationship between Batman/Bruce Wayne and Robin/Dick Grayson. Their partnership began when Bruce Wayne inadvertently adopts this child at a charity auction. Needless to say, Robin turns this multi-millionaire's life upside down. Here's what the director had to say about how exuberant Robin is in this movie, while making a unique comparison to a non-superhero movie.
"Robin is a super-positive kid who always sees the glass as half full. Really, at the end of the day, he just wants a hug. Michael brings the sweetness and honesty. Lego Batman is About a Boy as directed by Michael Mann. This is a single guy who suddenly has a kid literally drop into his world."
While Batman is well-known in the comics and even the movies as a lone wolf, the inclusion of young Robin causes some problems for The Dark Knight. This report reveals that Robin breaks into Batman's extensive wardrobe collections and picks out a "random Reggae Man costume," complete with a sequined cape and green glasses. Robin modifies the outfit to fall in line with his comic outfit, although much more "sparkly". We previously reported that this movie will span "every era of Batman filmmaking," which director Chris McKay elaborated on.
"We're going deep in Batman lore and DC Comics lore. Batman's Rogues Gallery is going to be completely filled out in Lego."
The voice cast also includes Rosario Dawson as Batgirl, Ralph Fiennes as Alfred and Mariah Carey as the Gotham City mayor. Warner Bros. has set a February 10, 2017 release date for The LEGO Batman Movie, which will go up against three highly-anticipated movies. Universal will release their sequel Fifty Shades Darker, along with Lionsgate's John Wick Chapter 2 and an untitled thriller from Blumhouse Tilt on February 10, 2017. Be sure to check back on Saturday for the full trailer for The LEGO Batman Movie, but until then, check out these photos below.
