Piece by Piece (2024) | Animation Movie

“Piece by Piece” is an animated documentary film directed by Morgan Neville. It explores the life and career of musician Pharrell Williams through the innovative use of Lego animation. The film is a joint production by The Lego Group, Tremolo Productions, I Am Other, Pure Imagination Studios, and Tongal. This marks the fifth theatrical Lego-based film and the first release under Universal Pictures’ distribution rights.

The film showcases the voices of prominent artists including Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg. Pharrell has contemplated making a film about his life since 2013, but serious development for this animated musical documentary began in 2019 after discussions with Neville. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Neville conducted interviews with Williams’ associates remotely and later filmed some live-action segments with Pharrell. The Lego Group created unique minifigure pieces that reflect African-American culture and designed new accessories for music equipment, ensuring the representation of Williams’ collaborators. Pharrell also contributed by writing five original songs for the film. “Piece by Piece” premiered at the 51st Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2024, and then debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2024. It will close the 68th BFI London Film Festival on October 20, 2024, and is set for theatrical release in the United States on October 11 through Focus Features, with Universal handling international distribution.

• Director: Morgan Neville
• Produced by: Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, Shani Saxon, Mimi Valdés, Caitrin Rogers
• Genre: Animation, Biography, Comedy
• Music: Pharrell Williams (songs and themes), Michael Andrews (score)
• Production companies: The Lego Group, Tremolo Productions, I Am Other, Pure Imagination Studios, and Tongal
• Voice Cast: Pharrell Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, ItzKiff, Pusha T, Aaron Wickenden, Busta Rhymes, N.O.R.E., Taaes2008, Morgan Neville, Daft Punk
• Distributed by: Focus Features, Universal Pictures
• Release date: October 11, 2024 (United States)
• Running time: 1h 33m
• Country: United States
• Language: English