Bionicle is going to be in the new Lego movie

[Klack]

Personally, I would be deeply disappointed if TLM2 had a hero factor person over a Bionicle character.

But it would make more sense, wouldn't it? The mini-fig sized heroes that we got in the Invasion From Below wave go pretty well with the ascetics of TLM.

But I would much rather have Bionicle in TLM2 than *cough* Hero Factory.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Klack

[Iblis]

 

Personally, I would be deeply disappointed if TLM2 had a hero factor person over a Bionicle character.

But it would make more sense, wouldn't it? The mini-fig sized heroes that we got in the Invasion From Below wave go pretty well with the ascetics of TLM.

But I would much rather have Bionicle in TLM2 than *cough* Hero Factory.

 

 

In a sense I guess it might, but I think that G2 sets could work really well with it ^{(although they would be much bigger, but that isn't necessarily an issue)}, I think a bit of an issue with Bionicle is that they're possibly trying to avoid having characters doing things which aren't ... how do I put this...

They might try & have Bionicle figures generating elements (to a great degree) etc. but... that could work.

I don't really know how to explain what i mean beyond Gali would be moving Lego water bricks, not water etc.

Might be a non-issue ^{(they don't use elemental powers as such, because of X etc.)}

 

It'll be interesting how they do both, either, or neither of these things

 

_{Fixed spelling.}

Edited December 9, 2014 by Iblis

[Vraiment]

I don't think the HAVE to use their elemental powers, after all Green Lantern didn't use a lot his powers (for example).

[LegoSWfan]

Pohatu could just kick the copbots around.

[Iblis]

I don't think the HAVE to use their elemental powers, after all Green Lantern didn't use a lot his powers (for example).

 

Agreed, although I think the reasons why one doesn't does matter.

A reason could be as simple as they can't use them outside of the Bionicle universe, but if they just forget to or are otherwise holding the unintelligence ball, then it could be irksome.

 

Or if they only show up in a conflict situation near the end of the movie, then it could turn out they simply don't have to use them to win.

 

[For the record I don't know much about Green Lantern.]

Edited December 9, 2014 by Iblis

[LegoSWfan]

Not trying to start a flame war, just throwing it out there for future reference.

 

I don't like Hero Factory.

[fishers64]

Pohatu could just kick the copbots around.

Or their chairs!  

[Ayliffe]

 That's not your daddy's Lego!

 

I see what you did there...

 

Back on topic, I don't know if I'd really want any of the Toa as main characters (I'd prefer to have more new original characters IMO), but I'd really like some more cameos from them.

 

Simply put, I want to see Tahu arm-wrestling Metalbeard. 

 

Because WHY NOT

[LegoSWfan]

My moneys on Tahu.

[Zeb]

I fully expect Bionicle to show up in a more substantial role in TLM2. The first movie had a good reason to avoid using themes like Bionicle, Hero Factory, and even Lego Friends—it had to convince mass audiences that a movie about blocky Lego men could have merit as more than a commercial, and to do that it had to avoid provoking the common "Is that even Lego" response typical of parents and other adults whose concept of Lego doesn't extend beyond yellow-skinned minifigures and basic bricks. On top of that, those same audiences could potentially have been confused by robotic characters who WEREN'T on the same side as Lord Business' robot goons. Hence the first movie's cast was composed mostly of original characters, characters from iconic classic themes, and pop-culture licensed characters who even non-FOLs would recognize.

 

But the breakout success of the original movie means that Lego is working from a stronger position the next time around. Folks who have seen the first movie will understand how plastic characters like Emmet and friends can be just as compelling as flesh-and-blood actors, and more importantly in Bionicle's case, the basic groundwork of the movie's universe (diverse interconnected worlds populated by Lego characters of all sorts) has been laid. Now's their chance to delve into the weirder stuff they avoided in the first movie—Bionicle, Technic, Friends, and other themes which don't necessarily use traditional minifigures. And I have little doubt that the superb creative team behind both movies will rise to the challenge.

Agreed. I want to see Tahu in the new movie the most. Why? Because it's Tahu.

[Regitnui]

Tahu is probably the most iconic character in Gen 1, mostly because of his status as leader and how often the Hau was used in advertising. If any one Gen1 set shows in TLM2, it'll be Tahu.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Regitnui

[LegoSWfan]

For those of you who complained that tahu would be too big, how's about Jala?

[IcarusBen]

I want to see a huge three-way, Pacific Rim/Godzilla style battle between a gen1 Toa (possibly Tahu or Vakama, though maybe Mata Nui) a HF character (I'm thinking Furno or Stormer) and a gen2 character like Tahu or Ekimu (whenever they build him) as Emmet and crew try and dodge the crossfire.

 

You know, because LOLZ.

[Lyichir]

For those of you who complained that tahu would be too big, how's about Jala?

Seeing as Jala (as a Matoran) hardly had any posability, I don't know if he'd be that good a choice even for a cameo. I think we're much more likely to see a newer set both because they're more versatile as far as poses are concerned and because more kids will recognize a set from this year or later. The new Toa's size compared to everything else would make for a funny background gag... considering the end of the first movie implied that the walls between realms have been demolished, I can picture one of them trundling through the streets of Bricksburg or a similar location as minifig passersby look up at him in a mix of awe and confusion. Or alternatively, at some point where Emmet and friends need to get to higher ground, a Toa or similar figure could give them a lift.

 

I don't think we're likely to see a Bionicle character as one of the main characters, seeing as most of them would dwarf even Metalbeard (the "big guy" from the previous movie). Not to mention the fact that there's pretty much no way for any past or current masks to show any expression using the movie's very strict realistic style.

[IcarusBen]

They could make the eyes glow. I was thinking about adapting Aladdin to the Bionicle sets (not the Bionicle verse, just a stopmotion set to Aladdin) and I was thinking of having the sets use body language and glowing eyes.

[LegoSWfan]

R2-D2 had no facial expression, yet he could act.

[Bfahome]

R2-D2 had no facial expression, yet he could act.

Most of R2-D2's personality is reliant on other characters' reactions.  Nobody in the audience would have understood anything R2 said if C-3PO or Anakin or whoever weren't there to basically repeat it verbatim.

 

But in a movie like The LEGO Movie where all the other characters have face printing that could change into comically exaggerated expressions, a BIONICLE set would definitely stand out by not being able to do that.  Making the eyes glow at different levels might help some, but there'd still be the awkward frozen face.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Bfahome

[Toa Malachives]

I could see it as in the end of the last one duplo invaded, they were about the size of the mechs. Wouldn't it be funny to have the Gen 2 "Toa Mata" fighting them?

[LegoSWfan]

Toa Nexus.

 

 

R2-D2 had no facial expression, yet he could act.

Most of R2-D2's personality is reliant on other characters' reactions. Nobody in the audience would have understood anything R2 said if C-3PO or Anakin or whoever weren't there to basically repeat it verbatim.

 

But in a movie like The LEGO Movie where all the other characters have face printing that could change into comically exaggerated expressions, a BIONICLE set would definitely stand out by not being able to do that. Making the eyes glow at different levels might help some, but there'd still be the awkward frozen face.

Red vs. Blue had whole seasons with characters whose only "face" was a visor, you don't need facial expressions to tell emotion, strong verbal coomunication works just as well ( if not better). And stop motioners (like me) can express emotion through body language, made even more possible by the Toa Nexus' more posable forms.

[Toa Malachives]

What do you mean?

[LegoSWfan]

What?

Oh! Toa Nexus is what I'm calling these new Toa.

[Bfahome]

Toa Nexus.

 

R2-D2 had no facial expression, yet he could act.

Most of R2-D2's personality is reliant on other characters' reactions. Nobody in the audience would have understood anything R2 said if C-3PO or Anakin or whoever weren't there to basically repeat it verbatim.

 

But in a movie like The LEGO Movie where all the other characters have face printing that could change into comically exaggerated expressions, a BIONICLE set would definitely stand out by not being able to do that. Making the eyes glow at different levels might help some, but there'd still be the awkward frozen face.

Red vs. Blue had whole seasons with characters whose only "face" was a visor, you don't need facial expressions to tell emotion, strong verbal coomunication works just as well ( if not better). And stop motioners (like me) can express emotion through body language, made even more possible by the Toa Nexus' more posable forms.

 

It's true that facial expressions aren't needed to express emotion, but the issue is that when every character except one or two has an expressive face, those one or two characters lose the ability to communicate on the same level as the others.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Bfahome

[LegoSWfan]

No, they go beyond the others, being able to express without the need of facial expressions.

 

Its one thing to have a character with a face, its another to give character to one who has no face.

[Bfahome]

No, they go beyond the others, being able to express without the need of facial expressions.

 

Its one thing to have a character with a face, its another to give character to one who has no face.

Having one less way to show emotion isn't a benefit.  Characters with expressive faces can just as easily use body language and tone to express emotions as those without, but characters without faces can't have the same subtle expressions as those who do.  The LEGO Movie would've been completely different had Emmet been permanently stuck in smile mode.

 

You're right, it's an entirely different thing to make a faceless character expressive; it's much more difficult.  That's why it's so impressive when it's done well.  I'd cite WALL•E as an example, but even then the main characters had moving facial features.  BIONICLE sets are stuck with one unmoving expression.

[LegoSWfan]

We all have our own opinion.

[Regitnui]

It would be very easy to show a BIONICLE's expression by simply altering the shape of the glowing eyes. That and body language should suffice.

 

For all of those who are saying BIONICLEs have a solid face, so do minifigures! Movie magic made their expression change, so why not Tahu Okoto?

[UnderscoreChronix]

I wish Nuparu (matoran) could have been one of the Master Builders in TLM1. 

[Aanchir]

For all of those who are saying BIONICLEs have a solid face, so do minifigures! Movie magic made their expression change, so why not Tahu Okoto?

The point of the LEGO Movie's animation was to look like stop motion, and you can change a minifigure's expression in stop motion by swapping their head for one with a slightly different printed expression. The LEGO Movie played fast and loose with decorations, using plenty of decorations that don't exist in actual sets — just as some Brickfilms use custom decorations to allow characters' mouths to move when they talk, etc. But having actual molds change shape stretches willing suspension of disbelief, and would feel like "cheating" to many people.

[IcarusBen]

Again, just let their eyes glow when they talk. You don't need anything else.

 

Problem solved.

[Aanchir]

Again, just let their eyes glow when they talk. You don't need anything else.

 

Problem solved.

The problem in this case is the characters having difficulty showing expression. Having their eyes glow when they talk doesn't solve that one bit. Showing expression isn't just about showing when characters are talking. It's about being able to tell which direction they're looking even when they don't turn their head, being able to tell how they're feeling, etc.

[Lyichir]

Again, just let their eyes glow when they talk. You don't need anything else.

 

Problem solved.

Except that doesn't solve the issue of the Bionicle characters being stone-faced robots with glowy eyes. Glowy eyes won't change the fact that their faces can't convey any emotional range. So while eye-glow work for a Toa as a background character or the like, making a character with zero facial expression a main character would make them seem like emotionless husks compared to the minifig characters—and I think we'll agree that that shouldn't be the impression Bionicle as a theme should try and project to non-fans.

 

Keep in mind that a big part of why the new style for this year's Bionicle animations was chosen was to help humanize the characters and help them relatably express emotion. The same applies to the choice of animation style for the Bionicle movies (masks with moving mouths and eyebrows). So I think Lego also cares about how the characters are presented, with the hopes that viewers don't naturally assume that Bionicle's robotic-looking characters are cold, unfeeling machines.

 

EDIT: Ninja'd by Aanchir again.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Lyichir

[LegoSWfan]

As I said before:

 

Body language.

[Lyichir]

As I said before:

 

Body language.

And as I and others have said, repeatedly: Body language can be used to convey emotion, but it can't convey as MUCH emotion as the characters who have both body language AND facial expressions at their disposal. And that's a a significant limitation. Bionicle characters could easily show up in a Lego Movie sequel and even have a decent background role, but I don't see them being leads when their faces are invariably emotionless.

[LegoSWfan]

You seem hindered by the need to rely on facial expressions.

 

Also, the hyper exagerrated faces of TLM were, personally, annoying.

[Aanchir]

You seem hindered by the need to rely on facial expressions.

 

Also, the hyper exagerrated faces of TLM were, personally, annoying.

I'd sure feel hindered if I couldn't rely on my own facial expressions!

 

The fact that the LEGO Movie has been one of the most successful and highly-rated movies of the year seems to indicate that annoyance at the facial expressions was not a problem for a lot of viewers.

[Prehistoric_Echoes]

I was hoping for confirmation, but yeah, I could see this happening. It'd be cool for the Toa to have a cameo.

[LegoSWfan]

 

You seem hindered by the need to rely on facial expressions.

 

Also, the hyper exagerrated faces of TLM were, personally, annoying.

I'd sure feel hindered if I couldn't rely on my own facial expressions!

 

The fact that the LEGO Movie has been one of the most successful and highly-rated movies of the year seems to indicate that annoyance at the facial expressions was not a problem for a lot of viewers.

I don't rely on facial expressions much, so I can't sympathize.