The LEGO Group has recruited High School Musical director Kenny Ortega to serve as an executive producer on its first live-action musical for television. 

This as-yet-untitled special is set in the world of the LEGO Friends toy line, which the Danish brickmaker relaunched in 2023 with a focus on helping Gen Alpha kids work through problems they encounter at school and in everyday life. Joining Ortega on the project is Paul Becker (the Twilight series, Julie and the Phantoms), who will direct and lead the choreography. 

The musical follows along as a young girl is transported to the Friends universe’s Heartlake City after building a world of LEGO bricks. There, she meets up and has adventures with the franchise’s diverse cast of characters, discovering some new passions that allow her to express her creativity along the way. 

LA-based virtual production studio Final Pixel will bring Heartlake City to life in production with oversized LEGO brick sets, digital backdrops and renders using Unreal Engine. Meanwhile, the core cast of characters will be portrayed by human actors, who will dance and sing songs from the series. Filming is set to take place in London next month, and the special will premiere later next year. 

The timing of this special coincides with LEGO’s increased focus on live-action production. Last year, the company renewed its agreement with Universal Pictures to co-produce three untitled live-action feature films, which will be directed by Jake Kasdan (Jumanji: The Next Level), Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman) and Joe Cornish (The Kid Who Would Be King).