Ninjago: Tournament of Elements is a 2030 American computer-animated action-adventure fantasy film directed by Joel Crawford. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures, it is the sequel to 2026’s Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, based on the animated television series of the same name and it’s associated LEGO toy line, with this film based on the fourth season of the series. The film is produced by Jeff Rowe, Tommy Andreasen, and Dan Lin, and written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and Matthew Fogel, from a story by Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Bragi Schut, Kevin Burke, and Chris “Doc” Wyatt, and stars Jay Baruchel, Tom Holland, Miles Teller, Barryn Keoghan, Jeff Goldblum, Rachel Zegler, Millie Bobby Brown, Gary Oldman, Margot Robbie, Jimmy Kimmel, Maya Rudolph, Kevin Michael Richardson, Sacha Baron Cohen, Taraji P. Henson, Ken Jeong, Jorma Taccone, Zach Galifianakis, and Timothee Chamelet.
After the first film’s success, it was announced that multiple sequels were going to be made, with the first one announced at CinemaCon 2026, for a 2030 release date. Crawford and the cast and crew from the first film were set to return later that year. The crew wanted to expand the world of Ninjago and it’s characters and lore regarding the elemental powers, while also showing the consequences of the events of the first film. Goldblum, Ziegler, Robbie, Jeong, Taccone, and Galifianakis we’re announced as new voice cast members on 2029.
Ninjago: Tournament of Elements premiered at the Dolby Theatre on June 27, 2030, and was theatrically released in the United States on July 5. The film grossed $506 million against a $130 million budget and received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for it’s new characters, expansion of the lore, action sequences, and voice acting (particularly those of Baruchel, Goldblum, and Galifianakis). A third film is in development.
Plot[]
Four years after the events of the first film, the Ninja, after the destruction of the Golden Weapons and finding their inner power, are mysteriously invited to the Tournament of Elements hosted by Master Chen, where they meet other Elemental Masters. But soon, when they discover that this tournament is a set-up by Chen to obtain all Elemental Powers in Ninjago, the Masters come in a conflict on handling this gigantic threat. Alliances will be made and the Ninja will need all the help they need to prevent Chen’s plans to rule Ninjago.
Voice Cast[]
- Jay Baruchel as Kai, the Master of Fire and Nya’s sister.
- Tom Holland as Jay, the Master of Lighting and Nya’s boyfriend.
- Miles Teller as Cole, the Master of Earth.
- Barry Keoghan as Zane, the Nindroid Master of Ice.
- Jeff Goldblum as Master Chen, Skylor’s father and the leader of the Anacondrai cultists who wants to steal every elemental power for himself to become an Anacondrai.
- Rachel Zegler as Skylor Chen, Chen’s daughter and Kai’s love interest.
- Millie Bobby Brown as Nya, the new Master of Water and Jay’s girlfriend.
- Gary Oldman as Wu, the sensei and mentor of the Ninja.
- Margot Robbie as P.I.X.A.L., a nindroid and Zane’s ally.
- Jimmy Kimmel as Dareth, an ally of the Ninja,
- Maya Rudolph as Misako, Lloyd’s mother and Garmadon’s wife.
- Kevin Michael Richardson as Skales, a Hypnobrai and former enemy of the Ninja.
- Sacha Baron Cohen as Garmadon, Wu’s brother, Misako’s husband, and Lloyd’s father.
- Taraji P. Henson as Aspheera, a vengeful Hypnobrai who is forced to help the Ninja to stop Chen’s plans.
- Ken Jeong as Neuro, the Master of Mind who allies with the Ninja.
- Jorma Taccone as Clouse, a sorcerer and Chen’s right-hand man.
- Zach Galfianakis as Acronix, the Master of Time who betrays the Ninja.
- Timothee Chamelet as Lloyd Garmadon, the prophecied Green Ninja who is now a teenager rather than a child after the events of the first film.
- Karl Urban as Karlof, Master of Metal
- John Mulaney as Griffin Turner, Master of Speed
- Jim Gaffigan as Bolobo, Master of Nature
- Jenny Slate as Tox, Master of Poison
- Peter Dinklage as Jacob Pevsner, Master of Music
- Andy Serkis as Mr. Pale, Master of Invisibility
- Lake Bell as Chamille, Master of Form
- Eric Bauza as Ash, Master of Smoke
- Shameik Moore as Cane, Master of Cake
Additionally, Jacob Tremblay briefly reprises his role as Nobu from the first film, while Woody Harrelson voices Krux, Acronix’s secret brother, in the film’s mid-credits scene, ahead of the two returning in the film’s sequel.
Production[]
Development[]
Prior to the release of the first film, director Joel Crawford states that, if the film is a success, he would be interested in doing multiple sequels, saying that there are "so many stories, characters, and seasons to adapt from the show to movie. There is a lot of potential".
After the first film’s critical and commercial success, DreamWorks and Universal confirmed that Ninjago would become DreamWorks’ new franchise, with multiple sequels. In an interview in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on February 2026, producer Dan Lin, when asked about what the sequel will be about, Lin said that, given the eighteen installments the original series’ run had, there were “a lot of possibilities” on where to take the cinematic iterations of the show’s characters next in movie form. He also mentioned that the script for the first sequel had already begun writing before the release of the first film in November 2025, after positive test screenings for it.
In March 2026, the sequel was officially announced at CinemaCon 2026, with a release date of July 5, 2030. The main voice cast was announced to return for the film, while Crawford would return as director, alongside most of the producing and writing team. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Crawford said that he would like to introduce villains from the show like Master Chen, Morro, Harumi, the Overlord, Iron Baron and Kalmaar for the sequels, and also said that production was beginning very soon. At San-Diego Comic Con 2027, the film’s title was announced as Ninjago: Tournament of Elements, based on the eponymous fourth season of the series.
Writing[]
In an interview in September 2028, Dan Lin said that the sequel would be “bigger-in-scale” compared to the first film, with the introduction of the Elemental Masters and the exploration of power lore and “what part of the Ninja this defines”. He also said that the film would be set a few years after the first film, as an opportunity to “mature Lloyd further as he keeps training to be the prophesied Green Ninja”.
Casting[]
Prior to any official casting announcement, on October 2029, it was announced that Jeff Goldblum, Rachel Zegler, Margot Robbie, Ken Jeong, Jorma Taccone, and Zach Galifianakis have joined the film’s voice cast as the characters Master Chen, Slylor Chen, P.I.X.A.L., Neuro, Clouse, and Acronix for the film. Chen was confirmed to be the film’s main antagonist as in season 4, while Clouse and Acronix will be the secondary antagonists. In March 2030, the cast for most of the other Elemental Masters in the film were also announced, including Karl Urban, John Mulaney, Jim Gaffigan, Jenny Slate, Peter Dinklage, Andy Serkis, Lake Bell, and Eric Bauza as Karlof, Griffin Turner, Bolobo, Tox, Jacob Prevsner, Mr. Pale, Chamille, and Ash, respectively.