What's next?

[Sir_Basil_Ashton]

Hopefully Castle/Kingdoms will live on and we'll get an exclusive set once a year. If Kingdoms Joust is successful enough, maybe this can lead to future sets.

[The_Cook]

Hopefully Castle/Kingdoms will live on and we'll get an exclusive set once a year. If Kingdoms Joust is successful enough, maybe this can lead to future sets.

I hate to say it but I think Lego will be taking a break from medieval stye castles whilst the LoTR theme is running. One would take sales from the other and it's the LoTR which will be the big seller because it will have all the ancillary marketing from the Hobbit Films helping promote it.

The best we could hope for is some form of historic theme that doesn't overlap with LoTR. Similarly, no overlap with Ninjago, so no chance of a historic theme from the east in the immediate future either.

A return of the Western theme could be one option. I was in a dark age at that point so I don't know how well it sold to know whether it might make a comeback.

Ancient Rome/Greece might be another, but how many kids (remembering that the volume market is not AFOLs but parents buying for their kids) sit down at breakfast and say "Mummy, I'd like to recreate scenes from Homer's Odyssey today!" or "Daddy, can I have a Pegasus so that I can pretend to be Bellerophon fighting the Chimera."

With PoTC on it's way out now that 4th movie has long since passed, there's an opening for something Napoleonic, although from the pester perspective of kids Pirates are way more exciting than the Grand Armée. I wouldn't expect a resurrection of the prototype Eurpoa theme just yet.

If we've got to wait until after LoTR for a return to classic unlicensed castles, then I think that the Robin Hood theme is due for a comeback. There's plenty of playability in robbing from the rich and giving to the poor and plenty of opportunities for both Castles, Forest Hideouts, Domestic scenes and Carts and Carriages, ie. a full enough range to fill a theme.

If Disney or Warner suddenly come up with a Western, Roman, Napoleonic or Robin Hood movie blockbuster then Lego might just license it up as a theme if they think they'll make the sales.

[CptMugwash]

Well, firstly Falcons and Forestmen have been long overdue, as have cowboys but that's for another post, it would be nice to see them revived. I do have a soft spot for fantasy with trolls and dwarves etc, unfortunately I missed the chance to buy them, the vikings tbh I didn't really like. However with Lotr you could definately make an army of dwarves from lots of Gimlis so this could rule out Fantasy. I'd really love to see a Roman vs Barbarians theme, like the movies King Arthur and The Eagle although maybe tlg could make their sets more historically acurate then the movies.

Cheers

[The_Cook]

As much as we'd like to see the Falcons come back, it's just not going to happen, it just doesn't make sense.

Minifigs have come a long way since the always smiley 80's. People expect printing front, back and in-between, a dozen the colours with flecks of gold. Whilst new Falcons might look nice, they're never going to fit with that army that you've quietly been amassing since the 80's.

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing and Lego tipped the AFOL's a nod by including a Falcon print shield in 10223 Kingdoms Joust, but it's not the presage to a new wave of Falcons.

I'm a Falcon fan, the Black Falcons could wup those furry footed upstarts right the way back to their bonny little burrows; however I'm also a pragmatist and a return to the Black Falcons isn't likely, and if it did happen it wouldn't be the Falcons you wistfully remember.

[BrickBucket]

As much as we'd like to see the Falcons come back, it's just not going to happen, it just doesn't make sense.

Minifigs have come a long way since the always smiley 80's. People expect printing front, back and in-between, a dozen the colours with flecks of gold. Whilst new Falcons might look nice, they're never going to fit with that army that you've quietly been amassing since the 80's.

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing and Lego tipped the AFOL's a nod by including a Falcon print shield in 10223 Kingdoms Joust, but it's not the presage to a new wave of Falcons.

I'm a Falcon fan, the Black Falcons could wup those furry footed upstarts right the way back to their bonny little burrows; however I'm also a pragmatist and a return to the Black Falcons isn't likely, and if it did happen it wouldn't be the Falcons you wistfully remember.

You might be right, but I still think there's a chance of it coming back and I think the new falcon in the joust set is a great updated version.

Old

VS.

NEW

The new falcon emblem is more aggressive looking and I think a much more authentic emblem than what we had in kindgoms (emblems were almost too detailed). It certainly has the cool factor. Of course if they re-hash the theme it might look entirely different. The dragon vs. lion has been done, time for some falcon vs. dear (or wolf). It's not like Lego hasn't brought back old themes back again with new twists (dino/dino attack, space police, pirates, atlantis/aqua zone/aqua raiders, pharoh's quest/adventurers)

The fact that they even put a black falcon in joust means there are people at Lego actively thinking about them, and perhaps maybe beyond just making them as a nod to AFOLs. A rehash of an old theme may also play into a Parent's nostalgia when they are looking for something to buy and can't identify with the 'new' Lego.

[Piranha]

As much as we'd like to see the Falcons come back, it's just not going to happen, it just doesn't make sense.

Minifigs have come a long way since the always smiley 80's. People expect printing front, back and in-between, a dozen the colours with flecks of gold. Whilst new Falcons might look nice, they're never going to fit with that army that you've quietly been amassing since the 80's.

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing and Lego tipped the AFOL's a nod by including a Falcon print shield in 10223 Kingdoms Joust, but it's not the presage to a new wave of Falcons.

I'm a Falcon fan, the Black Falcons could wup those furry footed upstarts right the way back to their bonny little burrows; however I'm also a pragmatist and a return to the Black Falcons isn't likely, and if it did happen it wouldn't be the Falcons you wistfully remember.

I used to think that too but then I saw the Falcon Knight in the Joust, sure that doesn't mean they will make a whole new faction from that but it shows that the Falcons are still on TLG and the set designers minds.

[Klaus-Dieter]

That's a great and very interesting topic, BrickBucket!

I fear that a new Castle theme would only bring back all the things we already have had several variations of (good castle, bad castle, outposts, some war machinery) and not things we are all waiting for which haven't been there for decades (a decent siege tower and some forestmen sets).

So I personally hope that we'll get a decent Western theme in 2013. I have been waiting for this since a decade now. And even if it for sure included things many big Western fans of us already own, there could be a second wave with amazing civilian sets (like this year in the Castle theme) and of course some Exclusives.

If there wasn't a new Western theme in 2013 - which would be really a shame - I at least hope for a non-fantasy Roman theme.

Klaus-Dieter

[SoupOrFishOil]

With LOTR coming out, I don't think we will see any Castle sets, they would be too similar.

I'd love an asian theme, ecpecially after the Fire Temple But I don't see that happening, at least not while Ninjago is around.

I could see Black Falcons II and Forestmen II coming out after LOTR disappears in a couple years (I see it lasting about as long as Indiana Jones, or at least as long as the HP reboot). This would be great I think, a forest would be a nice setting. I'd like to see some new colors and building techniques go into that. But again, I don't see it happening with LOTR.

A Western retern ( ) would be nice, but not my first choice. I'd prefer the above. I still wouldn't mind it though, bandits vs. vigilantes wouldn't be too bad. Again, with colors introduced in recent years, these sets could be beautiful (but not as nice as above I don't think).

Even though we just had Prince of Persia, I'm open to a more historical middle east theme. I think that it could live alongside LOTR, as it would probably be a different style of architecture.

Ancient Egypt wouldn't be bad either, but I can't see it being too different than Pharaoh's Quest, just without the adventurers. They could loosley base it on the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt and kind of depict it like Kingdoms.

What I would really like to see and I think has a chance would be a Mythological/Ancient Greek theme. I don't know if it would qualifiy as a Historic theme though, might be an action one. I suppose that it could follow Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, and maybe others (I think they would be the best known) pitted against monsters. It would probably end up like vikings, but if we are lucky, we could see greek buildings and such (probably not temples to the gods though, don't want to offend anyone) as well as triemes and giant wooden horses .

[Fred Daniel Yam]

I'm hoping for a Chinese theme, everyone just overlooks this and leaps straight to ninjas and samurai when talking about Asiatic themes. Chinese architecture and history is very interesting and twice as long as Japan's. The Three Kingdoms period in particular is a very turbulent era which could make a good theme. A generic Chinese theme would be fabulous as well, Chinese Junks and payload would make great sets and proper blades, none of that Orient Expedition stuff. Palaces and British Colonial towns could be nice. Though this would never happen, I would still love a theme like this.

[BrickBucket]

I think the thing that makes think most of forestmen coming back is the fact that city just came out with forest police and forest firemen which is something I have never seen before. So if it's some mythological greek/spartan theme or roman/egypt or forestmen vs black falcon or something new, I wont' be surprised. I have a feeling it won't be like kingdoms or fantasy castle or a generic castle theme.

[Nagyzee]

That's a great and very interesting topic, BrickBucket!

I fear that a new Castle theme would only bring back all the things we already have had several variations of (good castle, bad castle, outposts, some war machinery) and not things we are all waiting for which haven't been there for decades (a decent siege tower and some forestmen sets).

What's not decent about 7037 Tower Raid? Apart from the big ugly wheels that siege tower is fantastic.

[TheLegoDr]

A Western reboot would be awesome. But I can also understand that people aren't really into westerns these days, so kids would probably not want to buy any of those sets.

A mythological theme would be really neat. I'd like to see those in lego form for sure.

And I agree about the Chinese theme. That would be really neat.

[Darth Nihilus]

What I would really like to see and I think has a chance would be a Mythological/Ancient Greek theme. I don't know if it would qualifiy as a Historic theme though, might be an action one. I suppose that it could follow Hercules, Perseus, Theseus, and maybe others (I think they would be the best known) pitted against monsters. It would probably end up like vikings, but if we are lucky, we could see greek buildings and such (probably not temples to the gods though, don't want to offend anyone) as well as triemes and giant wooden horses .

Wait, you list the Trojan horse without listing the heroes that fought in that battle? If they ever do an Ancient Greece theme, it would have to have Odysseus and Achilles. And maybe Percy Jackson on the side.

[TheBoyWonder]

Wait, you list the Trojan horse without listing the heroes that fought in that battle? If they ever do an Ancient Greece theme, it would have to have Odysseus and Achilles. And maybe Percy Jackson on the side.

Don't be silly. Percy Jackson would be in the empire state building version of Olympus.

I would love a roman theme though, as much as or even more than kingdoms.

Edited January 30, 2012 by JediAnakin

[surrideo]

I hope that the gladiator in series 5 and the roman in series 6 indicates a theme that Lego may take on. Would have to be handled with tact though along with any possible return of western.

[Darth Nihilus]

Don't be silly. Percy Jackson would be in the empire state building version of Olympus.

I would love a roman theme though, as much as or even more than kingdoms.

Of course he would.

I, too, would love a Roman theme, especially if it had Octavian!

[John31388]

I would love to see a Roman/gladiator theme or even the forest men and falcons to return. I would love Lego to do some nice Asian themed sets but like said before that won't happen with ninjago around.

[TheBoyWonder]

Or Titus. I would love a set that was the assassination of Caesar.

[lego tripper]

Add another vote for the Falcons and Forestmen.

I don't care that they wouldn't blend with the originals. Neither do the Lion and Dragon factions. Personally I'm not a big fan of mixing the classics with the new ones. Put a crusader next to a new Lion Knight and it's like they're from different dimensions. Also, classic minifigs seem wildly out of place in builds that use the plethora of more recently released colors.

I consider the classic and newer sets as separate generations in the ongoing struggle between the different Lego factions.

If enough of us say that here that we want the Falcons and Forestmen back, TLC might actually read and consider this.

[narbilu]

I'm hoping for 2 to 3 more years of LotR waves...

Enough scenes, movies and idea's for sets.

[Scubacarrot]

I hope Lord of the rings will be just these two waves, but that is just my opinion,

What I would like to see next is a theme like ancient civilizations, I think this could be more logical than a theme for say ancient Greece, Egypt or Rome. This theme could include both a Greek temple, an Egyptian Tomb/Pyramid as well as for example a Roman Forum, or even a Mayan building, to fit with the minifig coming in series 7.

But what I would LOVE to see, is a comeback of Fantasy Era, Fantasy Era is what got me into Castle, and I have almost all the sets, and I have doubles from some. A continuation would be the best thing for me. But I honestly doubt to see this happen anytime soon, especially with LOTR...

[Itaria No Shintaku]

The same would go for a classical antiquity theme which could be set in a fictional land (Atlantis...? – yeah, I know the names‘s been used) that would simply have a Greek feel to it (figs, armor, torsos, etc.). Ditto any Amerindian or other subthemes.

I doubt a Roman theme; The Romams didnt have a rich mythological world independent of the real world, so such a theme would have to be set in the real world, which would be too controversial, I think. After all, bothe the Romans and their enemy civilization have contemporary cultural heirs, who might take offense as being shown as the bad guy.

Both Greek and Romans could fight against mythological creatures. I would really welcome a wave of ancient greeks fighting against mythological monsters.

They could include a Minotaur's Labyrinth, a Medusa's cave, an Harpy Cliff, a Centaur Forest and a Satyr encounter... and it would be done.

[Piranha]

I'm hoping for 2 to 3 more years of LotR waves...

Enough scenes, movies and idea's for sets.

Hey quit trolling our topic.

j/k

[LEGOman273]

Both Greek and Romans could fight against mythological creatures. I would really welcome a wave of ancient greeks fighting against mythological monsters.

They could include a Minotaur's Labyrinth, a Medusa's cave, an Harpy Cliff, a Centaur Forest and a Satyr encounter... and it would be done.

This could work!

[The_Cook]

Both Greek and Romans could fight against mythological creatures. I would really welcome a wave of ancient greeks fighting against mythological monsters.

They could include a Minotaur's Labyrinth, a Medusa's cave, an Harpy Cliff, a Centaur Forest and a Satyr encounter... and it would be done.

Mostly it was the Greeks against the Mythical creatures, the Romans had foreign territories to conquer.

I see nothing with giving the kids these days a bit of a classical education, the big question is would the parents buy it?

At least if there is a movie like Gladiator that generates a popular interest in antiquity then Lego are now a in a position to capitalise on it reasonably quickly since they have the moulds to available to them. Designing the sets is probably the quicker part of the process, the killer is the buying cycle where toy-retailers are ordering now at the toy fairs for Christmas in 10months time, during which time popular interest in the subject might have waned.

Let's just hope they do a non-licensed historic theme alongside LoTR in next years lineup.