Written by Kianna Best on Jan 29, 2024. Posted in Production News

Focus Features partners with Pharrell Williams on upcoming LEGO based biopic

Musician and fashion creative director Pharrell Williams has joined forces with Focus Features to create an animated biopic with the Lego Group. Directed by Academy Award winner Morgan Neville, the movie titled Piece by Piece will lay out Pharrell’s personal and professional history through the colourful brick aesthetic of the Lego world. The film will debut in theatres on 11 October 2024.

Image courtesy of Lego Group

“Pharrell Williams is a true trailblazer whose influence across music, art and fashion continually reshapes global culture with an undeniable sense of joy,” commented Focus Features chairman Peter KujawskiIn partnering with the inimitable Morgan Neville and the limitless creativity of the LEGO brand his visionary spirit comes to life in a wholly unique and uplifting way that will inspire everyone to dance, to sing, and to use their voice to build the world they want to see, brick by brick, and piece by piece.”

Neville, known for his work on the 2018 Fred Rogers documentary Won’t You be My Neighbour will take to the helm of the animated autobiographical work. Williams multi hyphenate career has seen him dip into film both through  his music contributions to his producing experience on Hidden Figures. Alongside Tremolo Productions’ Caitlin Rogers, William’s creative collective I Am OTHER, led Mimi Valdés, Shani Saxon and Williams himself, will lead on production. Jill Wilfert and Keith Malone will be executive producing for the Lego Group.

“Five years ago, Pharrell Williams approached me with the idea of helping him tell his story through LEGO animation,” Neville commented. “ It was one of those rare moments where I knew in a second that this was a journey I wanted to go on. I’m grateful to our partners at Focus Features and at the LEGO Group for their belief in our crazy mission. We assembled an incredible team of creative collaborators to help make a new type of film. I can’t wait for people to see it.”

Williams added: “When I had this crazy vision to tell this story through LEGO bricks, I couldn’t have imagined a better partner than Morgan. He is a legend,” said Pharrell Williams. “Grateful that Focus wanted to collaborate with us and I’m honored to share this with the world and bring people into my universe. Building with LEGO bricks encourages us to follow our imagination…who would’ve thought that playing with these toys as a kid would evolve into a movie about my life. It’s proof that anyone else can do it too.”