‘Lego Movie Sequel’ connects with ‘Community’ director Rob Schrab

There’s a new kid on the blocks.

Director Rob Schrab will make his feature film debut with “The Lego Movie Sequel,” Warner Bros. announced Tuesday.

A veteran of TV comedy, Schrab has directed episodes of “Community,” “The Mindy Project” and “The Sarah Silverman Program,” among other shows. He has some experience in the animation world as well, and earned a 2007 Annie Award nomination for co-writing “Monster House.”

In his first big-screen helming gig, Schrab will be working from a script by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who wrote and directed the original “Lego Movie” and are also producing the sequel (with Dan Lin and Roy Lee). There was originally talk that Lord and Miller would move on and only be tangentially involved in the new film, but they eventually came on to write the movie, and also appear to have had a strong say in the choice of director.

In a statement, Lord and Miller said of Schrab, “He is a comedy genius, a visual savant, and we have been stalking him for years. No one works harder than Rob, and his aesthetic, combined with his sense of humor, bring a strong, unique, thoughtful, and passionately nerdy voice to this project.”

Details of the sequel’s plot have not been revealed.

Released just over a year ago, the first “Lego Movie” became a blockbuster hit, grossing $468 million at the worldwide box office and earning rave reviews for its antic energy and pop-culture references, though the movie was snubbed by the Oscars’ animation branch.

Warner Bros. has big plans for the “Lego Movie” franchise, with a spinoff “Ninjago” movie on the calendar for September 2016 and an untitled Lego Batman movie set for May 2017. “The Lego Movie Sequel” does not yet have a release date.

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