It’s become commonplace for studios to start working on sequels to potential franchise films before they’ve been released in theaters, and it appears that Warner Bros. is taking that route on the fantastic-looking The LEGO Movie, which will finally be unleashed in theaters this weekend.  Per The Wrap, Jared Stern (Mr. Popper’s Penguins) is currently working on the script for a LEGO Movie sequel with another unspecified writer.  Phil Lord and Chris Miller—who directed The LEGO Movie among other awesomely delightful films like 21 Jump Street and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs—also penned the script for The LEGO Movie, but they are currently deep in post-production on this summer’s 22 Jump Street.  Hit the jump for more.

The report from The Wrap doesn’t specify whether Lord and Miller will return to direct the LEGO Movie follow-up, but the most likely scenario seems to be that they will just produce given the length and intensity involved in directing the first film.  Moreover, they're increasingly becoming some of the most exciting and consistent filmmakers around, so they're no doubt inundated with offers for future projects.  They followed a similar creative path with the sequel to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, as they worked to form the central story for the follow-up and then stepped into their roles as producers on Cloudy 2. 

Stern is part of the creative collective of filmmakers that Warner Bros. put together to develop new animated films, which also calls Lord and Miller members.  Each person works on a specific project, but they all give input on each other’s films, which is not wholly different from the way Pixar’s braintrust works.  All of this hinges on whether The LEGO Movie is a success at the box office, of course, but early critical response has been incredibly positive so hopes are high that the turnout is significant.  As the film comes from the wonderfully goofy minds of Lord and Miller, they’ve no doubt laid an incredibly solid foundation for a potentially fruitful franchise.