LEGO is a brand of plastic interlocking construction toys manufactured by The LEGO Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. Founded as a wooden toy company in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, the name comes from the Danish phrase leg godt meaning play well. The plastic interlocking brick was introduced in 1949 and patented in 1958. LEGO was named Toy of the Century by multiple organizations in 2000. It has been inducted into the US National Toy Hall of Fame. From its origins as a simple toy brick, LEGO has expanded into one of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world, spanning video games, animated television series, theatrical films, and theme parks. Licensed partnerships with Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, and other major franchises now represent approximately 40 percent of LEGO’s product portfolio.

LEGO’s History

The Early Years (1932 to 1958)

Ole Kirk Kristiansen began making wooden toys in a small workshop in Billund in 1932 during the Great Depression. The LEGO name was adopted in 1934. The company transitioned from wooden to plastic toys in 1947 and introduced the first plastic brick in 1949. Godtfred Kirk Kristiansen, Ole’s son, developed the stud-and-tube coupling system that made the bricks interlock securely and patented it in 1958. That system remains unchanged to this day, meaning bricks produced in 1958 are compatible with bricks produced in 2026.

Growth and the LEGOLAND Parks

LEGO expanded through the 1960s and 1970s with themed product lines including LEGO City in 1973 and LEGO Technic in 1977. The first LEGOLAND theme park opened in Billund in 1968. Additional parks followed in Windsor, Carlsbad, Gunzburg, and other locations internationally. By the late 1990s LEGO had diversified aggressively into video games, clothing, and other areas, which nearly drove the company to bankruptcy in the early 2000s. A return to core values and the brick under CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp reversed the decline and returned LEGO to profitability.

Licensed Partnerships

LEGO Star Wars sets debuted in 1999 and established the template for what a LEGO licensed partnership could be. The sets became some of LEGO’s best sellers and spawned animated specials and series. Harry Potter, DC Comics, Marvel, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jurassic World, Minecraft, and dozens of other licensed themes followed. The partnerships brought adult collectors into the LEGO market alongside children, significantly expanding the brand’s demographic reach.

LEGO in Video Games

LEGO’s game history began with LEGO Island in 1997 and LEGO Chess before the format-defining breakthrough came with LEGO Star Wars: The Video Game in 2005, developed by Traveller’s Tales. The game adapted the Star Wars prequel trilogy in LEGO form with wordless physical humor, accessible two-player co-op gameplay, and a collectible-focused structure that became the template for every LEGO game since. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga in 2007 combined both Star Wars trilogies. Traveller’s Tales and TT Games, acquired by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in 2007, developed LEGO Batman, LEGO Indiana Jones, LEGO Harry Potter, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, LEGO Jurassic World, LEGO The Incredibles, LEGO DC Super-Villains, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga in 2022, among many others. The LEGO games are among the most family-friendly and consistently enjoyable licensed games ever made. LEGO 2K Drive, a racing game published by 2K Games in 2023, represented a departure from the TT Games formula.

LEGO in Film and Television

The LEGO Movie (2014)

The LEGO Movie, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Chris Pratt as Emmet, was a critical and commercial phenomenon that grossed $469 million worldwide against a $60 million budget. The film used its toy premise to tell a genuinely moving story about creativity, conformity, and the relationship between parents and children. It was widely considered one of the best animated films of 2014 and transformed LEGO from a toy brand into a full entertainment property. Everything is Awesome from the film’s soundtrack became a cultural phenomenon in its own right.

The LEGO Batman Movie (2017) and The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017)

The LEGO Batman Movie, voiced by Will Arnett, was a loving deconstruction of Batman’s history and psychology wrapped in LEGO humor. The LEGO Ninjago Movie adapted the Ninjago animated series. The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part followed in 2019. Universal Pictures signed a deal with LEGO for future films in 2020, with three new LEGO theatrical films in production from different directors including Patty Jenkins and Joe Cornish.

LEGO Television

LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu launched in 2011 and ran for fifteen seasons, becoming one of LEGO’s most successful original properties. Legends of Chima, Nexo Knights, LEGO City Adventures, and numerous other series have followed. LEGO Star Wars animated specials have been produced continuously since the franchise partnership began. LEGO television content is designed to support toy lines while building genuine fan investment in original LEGO characters.