back to article Hold the miniature presses: Playmobil movie is go

In long-overdue news, it's been announced that 2018 will see the release of a full-blown animated Playmobil movie, the first of a planned trilogy. The $75m cinematic celebration of our fave figurines will be helmed by Lino Di Salvo, the former Disney Animation chap who headed animation on Frozen. His other credits include …

  1. Mattjimf

    Cartoon

    I'm guessing it's going to be based along the same lines as the cartoon that's on CITV http://www.awn.com/news/playmobil-series-super-4-headed-cartoon-network

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Lego movie and lego batman, star wars etc

    "It'll be interesting to see how Playmobil: Robbers, Thieves & Rebels measures up to 2014's The Lego Movie, which enjoyed huge public and critical acclaim, but inexplicably and controversially failed to get nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar"

    As was shown in many award ceremonies, it's voted for by the overpaid members with backhanders from studio's

    None of them would vote a movie with no mega million pound stars voices in it.

    Personally they appeal to all ages which makes them so popular, imagine if Gravity had been so popular how much it would have made (even without overpaid stars fees)

    1. TRT Silver badge

      Re: Lego movie and lego batman, star wars etc

      The stars were "minifigs of colour".

    2. Simon Harris
      Boffin

      Re: Lego movie and lego batman, star wars etc

      ""It'll be interesting to see how Playmobil: Robbers, Thieves & Rebels measures up to 2014's The Lego Movie"

      Lego figures: 4cm tall

      Playmobil figures: 7.5cm tall.

      I'd say it'll measure up about 3.5cm taller.

      1. Graham Marsden

        @Simon Harris - Re: Lego movie and lego batman, star wars etc

        But will it be 187.5% better?

        1. John H Woods Silver badge
          Joke

          Re: @Simon Harris - Lego movie and lego batman, star wars etc

          "But will it be 187.5% better?" -- Graham Marsden

          No. It will be 87.5% better, or 187.5% as good as the original. But I'm wondering if this is a rather one-dimensional approach to comparing the two?

      2. Christian Berger

        Actually

        Playmobil figures are available in a variety of different sizes. You can get them up to a bit more than a meter.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Happy

      Re: Lego movie and lego batman, star wars etc

      I was amused though to see in the press the next day more photos of celebs showing off the LEGO oscars handed around during the musical break than actual Oscars. Pwned it.

    4. Gordon 10
      FAIL

      Re: Lego movie and lego batman, star wars etc

      No big names? Utter fail

      Chris Pratt,

      Will Arnett,

      Elizabeth Banks,

      Will Ferrell,

      Morgan Freeman

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I trust you've flashed your ample credentials at Lino Di Salvo already, Mr. Haines. I'll be sad to see you leave El Reg for the mountains of moolah he'll inevitably offer you, but them's the breaks.

  4. Hans Neeson-Bumpsadese Silver badge

    Will the Playmonaut be moonlighting as a stuntman while waiting for the FAA to give clearance to LOHAN?

    1. Anonymous Custard

      And on a more sombre note, will the movie be in memorium to our intrepid lost original Playmonaut?

  5. Mondo the Magnificent
    Coat

    But I ask....

    ..will the storyline be original or based upon commercial cartoon characters like we've seen in the Lego movie?

    I guess we'll have to wait and see how this "squares up" to the Lego Movie

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Meh

      Re: But I ask....

      And I ask, have you actually seen The LEGO Movie? There are dozens of 'famous' figures with throwaway joke cameo roles, but apart from using Batman for part of the movie, all the main characters were original creations. Even then, the joke is that LEGO Batman is nothing like the character from the comics or movies.

      Somehow, I doubt a Playmobil movie is going to pull in writing talent like Phil Lord / Chirs Miller as the LEGO one did...

      1. Chris Miller
        Joke

        Re: But I ask....

        I deny any and all responsibility for The Lego Movie.

  6. Dave 126 Silver badge

    Check this out:

    Next time the Reg needs to recreate a scene featuring a yuppie:

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Playmobil-3911-Porsche-Carrera-Showroom/dp/B00O4E399M

    It's a Playmobil exact scale replica of a Porsche 911 Carrera S, with functioning rear and front lights, customisable body and wheels, removable roof and illuminated dashboard.

  7. dotdavid

    "The Lego Movie, which enjoyed huge public and critical acclaim, but inexplicably and controversially failed to get nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar"

    Strong competition. The Lego Movie was good, but IMHO How To Train Your Dragon 2 was better.

  8. Anonymous Custard
    Headmaster

    And the zen question may be

    If el-Reg wants to recreate a scene from the movie (or it didn't happen...), what should be used?

    1. Graham Marsden
      Coat

      Re: And the zen question may be

      Lego, of course!

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: And the zen question may be

        Weebles! (those egg-shaped figues that wobbled on their base... sort of the antidote to Barbie's equally unrealistic body shape)

  9. Chris King
    Coat

    Playmobil, or it didn't...

    ...Oh.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "[...] to create a film about your son's favorite toy, what else do you want?"

    Boys have a habit of growing up - at least in some of their tastes. My twenty-something godson recommended a DVD for me to watch. Reading the sleeve blurb I thought he was a bit too old for a puppet on strings film. Then I watched it - "Team America: World Police".

  11. xperroni
    Gimp

    Trying too hard?

    [T]he movie will be titled Playmobil: Robbers, Thieves & Rebels (...)

    Am I the only one put off by the title's apparent attempt to convey an "edgy" and "racy" vibe?

    Don't get me wrong, I love an animated mayhem as much as the next guy. But I can't help thinking that LEGO has over the years established for itself – through the games and TV commercials – an image of wacky but good-natured foolishness, which the film could then exploit for good effect; while Playmobil looks rather bland in comparison. Unless of course you include Reg-like renditions, but I doubt that's the style film makers are going for...

    Could the Playmobil film fall prey to "tell don't show" syndrome – trying to convince spectators that they're "rebellious" just by saying so, instead of actually doing something risqué?

  12. MacroRodent

    Wasn't there one?

    Some years ago I watched with my kid a borrowed DVD featuring Playmobile pirates. Interestingly, it was a kind of interactive story where at certain points you could go down different paths (alternatively, you could watch a straight pre-chosen story). Pretty nice, actually.

    But maybe this is counted as a video game, not a movie.

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