Truth be told, this piece of news caught me blindsided. I know that the LEGO Movie franchise (both the first and upcoming film) has its share of wacky characters that are very surprising, to say the least, but this one really caught me by surprise. First reported by USA Today, the LEGO Movie 2 now adds another sort of pop culture/political icon in its brick mix with the cameo of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or fondly referred to as RBG by her followers.
This minifigure version of the oldest sitting Justice comes, of course, with her court robe, distinct hairstyle, and a gavel. The reason for including RBG in the LEGO Movie 2 is a bit of a mystery, though I am inclined to believe that LEGO and Warner Bros have no intention of whatsoever in giving the film a political undertone. According to director Mike Mitchell, “These movies are so full of surprises. And we were thinking, ‘Who’s the last person you would think to see in a LEGO film as a minifig?’ Ruth Bader Ginsburg!” No further details regarding RBG’s role in the film were mentioned, but my guess is that the inclusion of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the LEGO Movie 2 has something to do with keeping up with one of the film’s underlying message of empowering women, and particularly dispelling the common myth that LEGO is primarily a toy for boys. The USA Today also reports that the role of Justice RBG fits well to the sequel’s story considering that her minifigure version is part of the younger sister’s brick-built world. If that is the case, then the younger sister (who is probably 6 or 7 by now considering the years that have passed since the events of Taco Tuesday), may prove to be a creative builder herself.
To fan the excitement over this version of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mitchell also reveals that RBG’s minifigure version on the big screen will also have its physical, minifigure counterpart. “So there will be a real Ruth Bader Ginsburg toy that boys and girls can play with. It will even come with a gavel,” says Mitchell. LEGO is clearly alluding to the possibility of a second wave of LEGO Movie 2 sets that are now in the works, and we can expect its reveal sometime in June or July as part of LEGO’s wave of new sets for the second half of 2019. For the meantime, be sure to check out the first wave of LEGO Movie 2 sets at LEGO Shop@Home, and its upcoming LEGO Movie 2 CMF Series.
So what do you think about the choice of having Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as an official minifigure? Do you think it’s a good call on the part of LEGO and Warner Bros? Let us know in the comments below.
