Licensed Sets LEGO Missed the Ball On/Never Made

[Lego Dino 500]

I'd say two HUGE possible future misses would be another chance for a Hogwarts Express and a UCS Hogwarts with the new Fantastical Beasts And Where To Find Them movie. It's likely to be one of Legos last chances with the Harry Potter license, and it better not disappoint.

[Ultron]

Not making Legend of Zelda sets was a huge missed opportunity. Seriously though, 3 LoZ sets have passed on Lego ideas which is probably more than any ideas for current licensed themes. Lego seriously needs to fight harder for a Nintendo line. I guess Kre-o or whatever owns Mario Kart but that's just one property from Nintendo.

[Vindicare]

Don't even get me started on the first Avengers wave. That stuff was just awful, bore no resemblance to its movie counterparts. At lest the second wave looks a little better.

The 6869 Quinjet Aerial Battle & S.H.I.E.L.D. truck from 6867 were excellent, I thought. The whole wave was pretty good.

As far as misses go, all the unnecessary vehicles, namely with Batman & Spider-Man. Of course, that's from an adult perspective. Kids probably don't care about an odd drag car, a golf cart of doom, or a trike. They just see something cool to use in a chase scene. If you go to the Spider-Man section of the action figure aisle, I'm sure we'd see the same ridiculous vehicles.

And, to echo others & because I'm a huge fan, Harry Potter. We just need more. Most of all(as was said), the other two houses! While obviously not as prominent as Gryffindor & Slytherin, they should have warranted at least one torso each.

[lightningtiger]

Lego have the license on screwing up ideas, etc., take the deleting of the original Batman theme.....no, it won't be popular anymore they must have thought back in 2008 lets ax it....never mind about this Dark Knight film...yeah that was a boo-boo Lego.

Plus Lego's fetish on police themes.......swamp, forest, city, elite.....man, Lego City must be crime heaven for crim's eh ?

Needing so many cops ?

There has been a few Lego Ideas/Cuusoo's that should have been done but maybe decided not nerdy enough.......Mini Shops would have been awesome for everyone city collector.....but oh well......what do we know......we are only AFOL's ?

Many of the Disney lines have had mixed results.......but anything pirate ship or steam train or to do with Iron Man sells like crazy.....though anything else.....not such a good seller.

Should they have produced more/different sets for POTC or LR or TS3.......who knows.....maybe ?

[jonwil]

At least with Batman he actually has all sorts of vehicles in his arsenal and most of them are at least attempts at copying something from the Batman universe)

Spider-Man has never had any actual vehicles in any of the movies although I think he may have been given a motorbike in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon.

He certainly never had a helicopter (as in 76016 or 4858 or 10687), a tricycle (as in 76014), a car (as in 10665) or a glider thing (as in 30302) in any of the source material I have ever seen

Edited March 20, 2015 by jonwil

[egg roller]

I think, as stated above, a Harry Potter classroom set would have been unbelievable. Think about one set in a potions class! Snape and some other house torso's. How about the gardening class or Hagrid's class. Good God, that would have been reaaaaally cool. They could have made it small with minimal bricks for like $20, or a couple more figs and bricks for like $40. What more can be said that hasn't been said about how they grossly swung and missed on LOTR wave two and no wave three. Read the 150+ pages about it ;P.

[Apollo VI]

As far as plausible new licensed themes that they could have introduced in recent years, I'm pretty disappointed we didn't get a Tron Legacy theme. Lego had signed a deal to work with Disney starting in 2010, the year Tron Legacy came out. A Tron Legacy theme could've happened, but they likely opted to make a Prince of Persia theme instead, which flopped both as a film and a Lego theme IMO. Tron Legacy is visually stunning and it would have been awesome to get sets using lots of black, trans-blue/white, and trans-orange/red. It would have almost been like getting a new Lego Space theme. It's got tons of vehicles too so I'm absolutely positive it would have been very successful with kids. I think some of those aesthetics have even been used by Lego in the new Agents theme with a good degree of success.

As far as dropping the ball on themes they've had, I'm disappointed Indiana Jones didn't get one more year of sets to really round out the remaining action scenes in the movies. Once again I think some of the blame goes to Prince of Persia, whose deserty adventurer premise overlaps a little to much with Indy and forced it to come to an end prematurely. Two of the four Indy movies (Raiders and Crusade, which happen to be the two best movies) never even got their respective climaxes made into Lego sets. And if Lego would've allowed it, the Mark VIII tank from Last Crusade could have easily been one of the coolest licensed Lego sets ever. Given that they actually made a Nazi fighter plane in set 7198, as well as many fictionalized tanks in other themes, making a World War I tank belonging to Hatay would not be any worse, in my opinion of course.

And for themes they should be doing but don't have the means to do so at the moment, they definitely need to tap into Nintendo at some point. Lego has crossed over with film and TV many times, but thus far they've barely touched video games. We have the Minecraft theme which is pretty straightforward and open-ended, and we've gotten a few sets based on The Force Unleashed and The Old Republic, but basically nothing else. Nintendo would give them access to a huge number of subthemes popular with kids, which could easily be mashed together officially or unofficially as Super Smash Bros. The point is that they wouldn't have to worry about the respective subthemes clashing because Nintendo already makes them work together seamlessly. Individually though, the subtheme possibilities are richer than Marvel or DC could ever hope to be. Mario, Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, Zelda, Metroid, Pokemon, Starfox, Kirby, as well as franchises probably good enough for a one-off set like F-Zero and Kid Icarus. If anyone has been following the Amiibo craze since November, you'll know that Nintendo fans are absolutely rabid about collecting toys of their favorite characters. So not only would this be popular with kids, but it would be huge with TFOLs and AFOLs as well. So I really think Lego partnering with Nintendo would be one of the last great frontiers that Lego needs to conquer from a licensing standpoint.

[Biggus_Brickus]

Lego should've done a set with the space prison from GOTG, maybe a set with yondu, The collectors room

[jonwil]

They really missed out by not doing ANY sets for Minas Tirith in the LOTR line.

So many other locations that could easily have been turned into sets.

Heck, the whole LOTR line is full of missed opportunities. Then again, given that LOTR/Hobbit didn't exactly sell all that well, maybe they made the right decision not to go too far.

I do concur with those who say Indiana Jones needed more things too although some of the scenes fans wanted just weren't possible for LEGO to do given their policies (how they were able to put the tank in LEGO Indiana Jones the video game without violating LEGO's policy against "modern" military sets I still don't get)

[Still Raindrop]

I feel like they dropped the ball with Avatar: The Last Airbender. Granted, this was ten years ago (and I would be kicking myself even harder for missing those sets...and paying exorbitant amounts for an Uncle Iroh minifigure), but two sets just wasn't enough. Nor did the existing sets truly capture the show well.

Part of the problem, I think, is Lego of ten years ago. If the show had started, say, three years ago instead of ten, then I think Lego would have been better prepared--the set designs would have been better, we might have gotten an Appa build or bigfig, and the minifigures would have been better.

Look at the hairpieces we have now, for example--Zuko from book one could have Aurra Sing's ponytail, while they could have molded something more fitting for Katara. Minifigure design is so much more advanced now, they could really do the characters justice.

What's more, there are a ton of vehicles they could have made, in addition to locations. Fire Nation tanks, war balloons, Hakoda's ship, the submarines, sandbenders' desert sailers, Ba Sing Se trams, etc.

I guess they probably don't have the license any more--and even if they did, Avatar is kind on old news now. Still, an Iroh minifigure would be so great.

[Naijel]

The first Jabba's palace was awful. Now, people need to remember that not every set in a theme can be huge and detailed, they need to hit certain price points so that kids without as much money can get something. E.g. the mention of the Friends Pizzeria. However, I don't care that the first Jabba's palace was not huge and amazing - that's fine. But one thing about that set was just awful... Jabba himself. They couldn't even be bothered printing eyes on him. Terrible!

I also think the big figs like the Hulk should have more articulation.

[Tariq j]

As far as dropping the ball on themes they've had, I'm disappointed Indiana Jones didn't get one more year of sets to really round out the remaining action scenes in the movies. Once again I think some of the blame goes to Prince of Persia, whose deserty adventurer premise overlaps a little to much with Indy and forced it to come to an end prematurely. Two of the four Indy movies (Raiders and Crusade, which happen to be the two best movies) never even got their respective climaxes made into Lego sets. And if Lego would've allowed it, the Mark VIII tank from Last Crusade could have easily been one of the coolest licensed Lego sets ever. Given that they actually made a Nazi fighter plane in set 7198, as well as many fictionalized tanks in other themes, making a World War I tank belonging to Hatay would not be any worse, in my opinion of course.

I could not agree more, Indiana Jones had excellent sets, just not enough of them. I really hope that in the future, Lego can reconsider rebooting the line and produce more sets, maybe even some UCS sets.

[kevkipo]

Balrog and Sokovia. Nuff said

[VictorFrenchFries]

Aaagh BALROG!

To me, I feel LEGO could have done more with Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings, or FRIGGING HARRY POTTER! So many characters we didn't get. There's not even a good Sirius Black.

[fred67]

Even though it's listed on the History part of the forum I'd say that the Fellbeast with Witch King, Aowyn and Merry. Without adding in any other things this set at least should have been made.

Agreed - many are upset with a lack of Eowyn.

I wish they had some smaller Simpsons sets. The big house is out of my price range so there is nothing to do with the minifigs.

Agree with this, also - I have the house, but I'm really cash poor right now. I'm not exactly in any dire financial trouble, but I can't go spending another $200, and there's a lot of other stuff I'd like to get. But a $50 set? Maybe Homer's car? Bart's Treehouse? I think the problem with Simpsons is they consider it, for all intents and purposes, an AFOL theme and expect AFOLs to pay accordingly.

I've always wished that Lego hadn't taken a pause for Harry Potter during the release of the HBP, and even OOTP, only releasing one set. I would have loved to see a set centered on the Ministry battle, with Luna and Lucius and Bellatrix, or even a Grimmauld Place set. And while we did get a HBP set, I wish we could have gotten more, as well as more iconic scenes.

Yes - they missed a lot with HP, as seems to be a consensus on this thread, and you have to shake your head at:

3 Hogwart's Expresses, and they were all TERRIBLE. Do the "Ruby" MOD on the Emerald Night, then you're talking. Given the EN price and that it came with a car, a Hogwart's Express in the same fashion with two cars wouldn't have been all that expensive - $125 or so.

4? Hogwart's Castles, none of them nearly expansive enough...

Meanwhile, you get a UCS Diagon Alley (maybe not officially named as such, but with a 5 digit set number which, at the time, usually indicated UCS), which is quite nice and was very well received, but NOT a UCS Hogwart's? 3 failed trains with so many other sets they could have done?

Don't get me wrong - I have a lot of HP sets that I really like! But I have to agree they really missed the boat. As far as updates with new HP "universe" movies coming out, I don't see the problem releasing sets based on the old movies - that's what they did with LOTR, after all, and that's what they've done with other movies (like Toy Story and Indiana Jones).

Lego dropped the ball so hard on Harry Potter...it was one of the longest running licensed themes and we still never got Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff torsos. Here's hoping they pick it back up with the new movies.

Just adding more fuel to the fire, but yes and yes.

I'd say two HUGE possible future misses would be another chance for a Hogwarts Express and a UCS Hogwarts with the new Fantastical Beasts And Where To Find Them movie. It's likely to be one of Legos last chances with the Harry Potter license, and it better not disappoint.

Yes, as I just said above...

I also agree they missed out a lot on Indiana Jones, as seems to be a common complaint in this thread, also.

I get that some of these themes may not sell like Star Wars, and they can't continue forever - my opinion is that when they paused HP it was because sales weren't as high as what they wanted (I'm sure they were making a lot of money on HP, but if they can make more by redirecting resources to other themes, that's what they're going to do). I don't buy the "it was getting too dark" smokescreen, as evidenced by the fact that it never got any lighter and yet they released a whole new wave after that.

I missed out on Indiana Jones - it was at the start of my coming out of my dark ages and I wasn't really interested in anything but trains at the time. That's on me. I'm just glad I was able to get the Temple Escape on clearance at the end; I definitely would like to see more.

[Dr.Cogg]

The whole Second Wave of LotR was a miss, don't get me wrong the sets were great but not the ones we wanted.

#1 The Pirate ship, should have been Minis Tirith or the battle of Pelennor Fields both are more Iconic.

#2 The Black Gate, Should have been the Balrog vs Gandalf with some pieces of Moria, Moria Orcs and more of the Fellowship also the most Iconic scene in Lord of the Rings, I mean who can't remember "You shall not pass !!!".

#3 The Council of Elrond, should have been, The Witch King on Fellbeast Vs Eowyn, another Iconic scene, "No man can kill me" "I am no man" and lego made 2 sets similar in Ninjago.

#4 The Wizard Battle, could have been the last Alliance or the Forging of the Ring, both would give you Sauron the main villain of LotR.

Also the Hobbit wasn't much better:

#1 Mirkwood Elf Army, created a scene that's not in the movie and should of had Armored Elves.

#2 Attack on Lake Town, Tauriel should have been a Lake Town Soldier, and Smaug should have been in the set.

#3 The lonely Mountain, should have been the entrance to Erebor, and come with King Thorin, Dain, Armored Orcs, Armored Elves and an Armored Troll.

#4 The Battle of Five Armies, this set has so many problems, first get rid of the ballista, than make the ruins of dale bigger,keep the Eagle, get rid of Legolas, put in Armored Thranduil, make the Orcs Armored, add an Armored Dwarf, get rid of Azog and put in Armored Bard, get rid of Thorin, add Tauriel.

#5 Raven Hill, The final battle in the Hobbit, TLG should have made a set with ruins of Raven Hill, Armored White Azog, Thorin, Bilbo, Armored Goblin, Bolg, Legolas and a Bat.

[Umbra-Manis]

The whole Second Wave of LotR was a miss, don't get me wrong the sets were great but not the ones we wanted.

#1 The Pirate ship, should have been Minis Tirith or the battle of Pelennor Fields both are more Iconic.

#2 The Black Gate, Should have been the Balrog vs Gandalf with some pieces of Moria, Moria Orcs and more of the Fellowship also the most Iconic scene in Lord of the Rings, I mean who can't remember "You shall not pass !!!".

#3 The Council of Elrond, should have been, The Witch King on Fellbeast Vs Eowyn, another Iconic scene, "No man can kill me" "I am no man" and lego made 2 sets similar in Ninjago.

#4 The Wizard Battle, could have been the last Alliance or the Forging of the Ring, both would give you Sauron the main villain of LotR.

Also the Hobbit wasn't much better:

#1 Mirkwood Elf Army, created a scene that's not in the movie and should of had Armored Elves.

#2 Attack on Lake Town, Tauriel should have been a Lake Town Soldier, and Smaug should have been in the set.

#3 The lonely Mountain, should have been the entrance to Erebor, and come with King Thorin, Dain, Armored Orcs, Armored Elves and an Armored Troll.

#4 The Battle of Five Armies, this set has so many problems, first get rid of the ballista, than make the ruins of dale bigger,keep the Eagle, get rid of Legolas, put in Armored Thranduil, make the Orcs Armored, add an Armored Dwarf, get rid of Azog and put in Armored Bard, get rid of Thorin, add Tauriel.

#5 Raven Hill, The final battle in the Hobbit, TLG should have made a set with ruins of Raven Hill, Armored White Azog, Thorin, Bilbo, Armored Goblin, Bolg, Legolas and a Bat.

Absolutely. Lego totally screwed up on all of these.

[Cheatster9000x]

The whole Ben 10 Alien Force theme.

The constraction sets were cool, but using them to jumpstart a line wasn't the best plan. They had so many possibilities, based on different episodes/arcs, but they released 6 constraction sets and that's it.

[ultron32]

I haven't read every comment in this thread so I might be repeating some things. The biggest Lego letdown for me, ever, was the Ben 10 theme. I lived and breathed that show when I was a kid so seeing that it was a bunch of bonkles and not at the least minifig scale was really disappointing - I hear the show is getting a reboot next year so maybe there's a chance for it to come back with the CMF series it deserves.

A few other disappointments: TDKR Tumbler, Minecraft (pretty much everything after the first set), the new Spiderman set with Rhino, Iron Man 3 (every set besides the large one)

Sets that should have been: Balrog, at least another full wave of large LotR sets. Also tie-ins for Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, etc.

[BritishBrickFan]

the 7787 debacle is where I think they lost the plot with the Batman franchise....

here's what could have been - http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/r00t3d/2007-Sets/bat001.jpg

and what did we get? a gate!! A GATE!!!! the Riddler's hideout is still in hiding!!!

[Tom Jurassic]

LEGO missed an opportunity to get a Second Jurassic World wave in production, and maybe even do a throwback wave of sets based on the first film(s). The Videogame saw new Dinosaurs designed with real-LEGO applicability in mind, and saw all the vehicles represented in an appropriate scale, with many of the models in the game being aesthetically pleasing too - not to mention all the character models. LEGO could've tweaked this in-game material for real world sets, but instead, it just stinks of wasted material and wasted opportunity.

[jonwil]

I suspect the toy industry generally (not just LEGO) was caught way off guard by just how much of a runaway success this film and its merchandise have been.

But what success there is is VERY time limited. There might be a bit of a bump in sales for toys when the thing hits DVD/Blu-Ray or around xmas but after xmas, any interest in Jurassic Park/Jurassic World stuff will fade away to be replaced with interest in the next hot tie-in toy line.

[Ultron]

LEGO missed an opportunity to get a Second Jurassic World wave in production, and maybe even do a throwback wave of sets based on the first film(s). The Videogame saw new Dinosaurs designed with real-LEGO applicability in mind, and saw all the vehicles represented in an appropriate scale, with many of the models in the game being aesthetically pleasing too - not to mention all the character models. LEGO could've tweaked this in-game material for real world sets, but instead, it just stinks of wasted material and wasted opportunity.

We don't know that there isn't. There might be some in the summer wave which is honestly what makes the most sense. New themes don't usually get sets every wave until they know that they sell well

[jonwil]

Unless LEGO does something very very different to how they normally do things, the earliest we could see any future Jurassic sets would be next year.

[Karalora]

Four words: Avatar: the Last Airbender. What a hot mess that line was. It was instrumental in getting me back into LEGO because I loved the show, but in retrospect I can see just how badly they skimped on production--only two sets and one new mold (Momo the lemur), dismal minifig numbers... Even just drawing from Season 1 of the series, we should have had a buildable Appa. We should have had a set taking place in a polar environment--the season both begins and ends at one of the poles. We should have had Uncle Iroh and Admiral Zhao minifigs. We should have had molded pieces to represent Katara's waterbending and Sokka's boomerang. We should not have had an Air Temple with a hidden armory full of swords--the Airbenders were pacifists!

If they had put just a little more effort into faithfully recreating the best moments of the series, the line might have done much better and could have moved on to Season 2, which is where, for my money, things really picked up.