LOS ANGELES, Feb 3 — Lego Batman returns for a second swing at being a socially competent superhero in The Lego Batman Movie, the animated comedy that sees him forced to learn how to be a better person as well as a cape-swishing, money-splashing crime fighter.

Who’s in it and what’s it about?

The Batman character from 2014’s The Lego Movie proved so successful that a standalone spinoff has arrived.

Will Arnett returns as super-rich Gotham man about town Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting, lonely alter-ego Batman.

He’s joined by comic actors Zach Galifianakis (Batman’s enemy, The Joker, who is trying to take control of Gotham city) and Michael Cera (Bruce Wayne’s adopted kid, Dick Grayson, who gleefully stumbles into the Batcave and excitedly forces his way into Batman’s plans.)

Pop singer Mariah Carey, who showed she had serious acting chops with Tennessee, Precious and The Butler, plays the city’s Mayor McCaskill, one of several who will surely be attempting to get Batman to finally learn how to be part of a team.

Also involved are Ralph Fiennes of Harry Potter and Bond films Skyfall and Spectre as Bruce Wayne’s butler and confidant Alfred, and Rosario Dawson as policeman’s daughter and secret Batgirl, Barbara Gordon.

Aligned more closely with The Joker in opposing Batman are Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars’ original Lando Calrissian) as Two Face and Jenny Slate of 2014 romcom Obvious Child as the now in-vogue Harley Quinn.

Who’s behind it?

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller of 2014’s The Lego Movie were nabbed by Disney to direct the Star Wars young Han Solo movie. Where next for The Lego Batman Movie director Chris McKay?

He was high up the pecking order on The Lego Movie, co-directing and supervising its animation, and while this is his feature film debut, he’s directed episodes of Morel Orel, Titan Maximum, and Robot Chicken — including, in another Star Wars connection, its Episode III special.

When’s it out?

The week of February 10 is when the Lego Batsignal starts lighting up cinema screens, with France and the Netherlands showing from February 8.

It opens in South Korea, Germany, Russia, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Hong Kong, Turkey, Philippines, and Singapore on February 9, and then in the USA and Canada, the UK, Spain, and Indonesia on February 10.

There’s a good three-week gap until the Chinese version of The Lego Batman Movie gets going on March 3, and another four again until it’s released in Australia (March 30) and Japan (April 1.)

Trailers and social

Extended TV spot: youtu.be/djlsDykmZ_c, facebook.com/LEGOBatmanMovie/videos/1360832517320581/

Facebook page: facebook.com/LEGOBatmanMovie

Instagram account: instagram.com/legobatmanmovie and instagram.com/reallegobatman

Twitter feed: twitter.com/legobatmanmovie

Official website: legobatman.com — AFP-Relaxnews