Pharrell Williams’ Life Story to Get Lego Treatment in ‘Piece by Piece’ Movie

Another Brick

“Who would’ve thought that playing with these toys as a kid would evolve into a movie about my life?” artist says of film, out Oct. 11

More than two decades after Pharrell Williams sang “I’m a rock star,” he’s becoming a “block star.” The singer and producer’s life story will be told by animated Legos in the upcoming film, Piece by Piece. The flick, directed by Won’t You Be My Neighbor? filmmaker Morgan Neville for Focus Features, will come out Oct. 11.

“When I had this crazy vision to tell this story through Lego bricks, I couldn’t have imagined a better partner than Morgan,” Williams said in a statement, via Variety. “He is a legend. 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.”

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“Five years ago, Pharrell Williams approached me with the idea of helping him tell his story through Lego animation,” Neville said. “It was one of those rare moments where I knew in a second that this was a journey I wanted to go on.”

Details about what elements of Williams’ biography will feature in the film remain scant other than it will “tell his story in a way that would set audience’s imaginations free,” according to the marketing copy. Whatever that means, they have plenty to work with, from the Neptunes to writing part of “Rump Shaker” to Mystikal’s “Shake Ya Ass” to N.E.R.D. to “I’m a Slave 4 U” — and that barely scratches this millennium. The most interesting song will be “Happy” since it came off the soundtrack to Despicable Me 2. Will there be Lego Minions? Only if Williams’ imagination allows them.