Future Castle Sets?

[Digger of Bricks]

Just now, Robert8 said:

Uh oh

If you are waiting for a new castle theme, take a sit because you'll be waiting for a long time

Wait, why? Harry Potter perhaps?

[gedren_y]

2 minutes ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Wait, why? Harry Potter perhaps?

Here's what Nabii posted in the Harry Potter thread:

18 minutes ago, Nabii said:

<snip>
"I'm starting to hope that you will be working on the next true Castle theme."

True castle theme eh? You could be waiting as long as the space theme fans!

<snip>

Not sure if he means his work in the theme, or the theme itself.

[Digger of Bricks]

9 minutes ago, gedren_y said:

Not sure if he means his work in the theme, or the theme itself.

I'll see what he says, but perhaps he may only mean that we might not see a more simplistic castle theme, not necessarily the long term absence of medieval themes altogether.

[x105Black]

26 minutes ago, Robert8 said:

Uh oh

If you are waiting for a new castle theme, take a sit because you'll be waiting for a long time 

Yeah, no good.

My take is that the Wizarding World will take over for Castle in much the same way that Star Wars has taken over for Space.  It's a real shame if true, and it makes me very sad.

[Digger of Bricks]

4 minutes ago, x105Black said:

My take is that the Wizarding World will take over for Castle in much the same way that Star Wars has taken over for Space.  It's a real shame if true, and it makes me very sad.

If indeed the same fate befalls Castle as did Space, will Pirates eventually suffer the same? Perhaps 2019 will be the Pirates theme's last hoorah for its thirtieth anniversary, until it takes a long leave of absence?

[Artanis I]

Not meaning to be rude, but I hope he never does another Castle theme. Space, I am fine with, I kinda liked his Space themes but not his so-called "Castle" (NK) theme nor do I want to see anything from those or his other work (eg Chima etc) inspire a Castle theme.

If someone is going to do a Castle theme I would want someone else to do it

Edited February 21, 2018 by Artanis I

[Digger of Bricks]

Just now, Artanis I said:

If someone is going to do a Castle theme I would want someone else to do it

Um, I don't think he was solely responsible for the theme's very concept. If anything, he was probably assigned to its development (after higher-ups chose the line's direction) since it was more up his alley.

[x105Black]

6 minutes ago, Artanis I said:

Not meaning to be rude, but I hope he never does another Castle theme. Space, I am fine with, I kinda liked his Space themes but not his so-called "Castle" (NK) theme nor do I want to see anything from those or his other work (eg Chima etc) inspire a Castle theme.

If someone is going to do a Castle theme I would want someone else to do it

Well he designed that Hogwarts Great Hall set, and it looks great.  I wouldn't mind a set like that in a Castle theme.  But other than that, I pretty much agree with you.

[Digger of Bricks]

Just now, x105Black said:

Well he designed that Hogwarts Great Hall set, and it looks great.  I wouldn't mind a set like that in a Castle theme.  But other than that, I pretty much agree with you.

Well, if he can design a set like Hogwarts, he can definitely put his heart and soul into a Classic Castle theme. Again, he's not solely to blame for the direction Nexo Knights took, as it was most likely the best concept that tested with kids.

[Artanis I]

1 minute ago, x105Black said:

Well he designed that Hogwarts Great Hall set, and it looks great.  I wouldn't mind a set like that in a Castle theme.

If that's the case then he has my permission to use that sort of thing as inspiration... just not the action-y type stuff he's done

Of course all of that is moot if he's suggesting that either A) true Castle is not happening soon or B) true Castle AND Space are both happening soon, haha

[x105Black]

9 minutes ago, Artanis I said:

If that's the case then he has my permission to use that sort of thing as inspiration... just not the action-y type stuff he's done

Of course all of that is moot if he's suggesting that either A) true Castle is not happening soon or B) true Castle AND Space are both happening soon, haha

Agreed.  And yeah, I think he's saying A.  If not, the optimistic side of me is hoping that he's saying B, and that both will come back at the same time...

I don't put much faith into the optimistic side, though.

Edited February 21, 2018 by x105Black

[Robert8]

I think he designs the sets, no the theme as a whole. I don't think he chose the direction the theme was going. He is only assigned sets to design. 

If I recall correctly Nexo Knights was in the works for like 4 years before it was released.

[Digger of Bricks]

6 minutes ago, Artanis I said:

Of course all of that is moot if he's suggesting that either A) true Castle is not happening soon or B) true Castle AND Space are both happening soon, haha

Huh, I just automatically presumed he meant the former, as I've almost brainwashed myself into thinking Space was off limits due to Star Wars, hence same with Castle based upon that presumption. But seriously, the "Star Wars nulls Space" argument does hold water, so its most likely he knows Space is screwed, and he is indeed suggesting Castle is in that same boat. Is that now because Harry Potter is to Castle what Star Wars is to Space? Well... 

Just now, Robert8 said:

I think he designs the sets, no the theme as a whole. I don't think he chose the direction the theme was going. He is only assigned sets to design. 

^ THIS ^

[Shroffy123]

1 hour ago, gedren_y said:

Here's what Nabii posted in the Harry Potter thread:

Not sure if he means his work in the theme, or the theme itself.

Very disappointing news. 

[Aanchir]

Frankly, I think it's kinda inaccurate to suggest that a designer who worked on wacky mashup castles wouldn't have what it takes to design more "normal" castles. I mean, just look at the MOCs in his Castle folder on Brickshelf. Some of them are wacky like Nexo Knights, but others are pretty tame: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=156787

And I say that without diminishing the fact that yes, as a Nexo Knights designer, he probably DID have some guiding influence in the theme's look and features. There are many parts of the theme that do echo his past experience with sets and MOCs alike. And it's not like a designer can't have great ideas to contribute for both wacky sci-fi and more conventional fantasy. After all, Adrian Florea designed both the Garmatron and the Temple of Airjitzu, and that was for the same theme!

…All that said, there are other designers whose takes on Castle sets I'd much sooner love to see, like Wes Talbott, who you might also remember as the guy who created the Legend of Zelda Iron Knuckle Encounter project on LEGO Ideas, and also creates lots of really epic fantasy art.

Edited February 21, 2018 by Aanchir

[BrickJagger]

2 hours ago, gedren_y said:

Here's what Nabii posted in the Harry Potter thread:

Not sure if he means his work in the theme, or the theme itself.

That's quite the ambiguous statement. I admittedly panicked a bit when I first saw that, but it could mean a lot of things and I'm not too worried just yet. Positive vibes! 

[Robert8]

56 minutes ago, BrickJagger said:

That's quite the ambiguous statement. I admittedly panicked a bit when I first saw that, but it could mean a lot of things and I'm not too worried just yet. Positive vibes! 

Dude you have more faith than the Pope

I mean the Harry Potter line is getting a D2C castle this year. 

I dont think LEGO would want an in-house castle line competing against HP

[BrickJagger]

3 minutes ago, Robert8 said:

Dude you have more faith than the Pope

I mean the Harry Potter line is getting a D2C castle this year. 

I dont think LEGO would want an in-house castle line competing against HP

Tell that to KK2, Fantasy Era, and Kingdoms. 

Y'all really need to chill out with the "Licensed Castle theme so Castle is dead!!!!111!!!!" stuff. Even Lord of the Rings, which is as close to Castle as it gets, still ran alongside a Castle theme. 

Edited February 21, 2018 by BrickJagger

[Bricked1980]

If a Castle theme doesn't come back any time soon, personally I don't think it will be as a result of the new Harry potter sets. I can only see the resurrected HP theme going for 1 or maybe 2 years. I doubt it will stick around long term like Star Wars has.

Also I can understand how Star Wars prevents other Space themes from being made but the similarities between HP and traditional style Castle themes are much looser in my view.

[Sinthoras]

Perhaps we see a set or two for Matt Groening's Disenchantment this or next year. We already got The Simpsons in Lego form, why not his new series.

[SirBlake]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting tired of being kicked in the shorts.

[x105Black]

57 minutes ago, SirBlake said:

I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting tired of being kicked in the shorts.

Indeed.

[MAB]

11 hours ago, Bricked1980 said:

If a Castle theme doesn't come back any time soon, personally I don't think it will be as a result of the new Harry potter sets. I can only see the resurrected HP theme going for 1 or maybe 2 years. I doubt it will stick around long term like Star Wars has.

4

Maybe not long - longer term like SW, but I imagine HP will last longer than 1-2 years. The fan base is huge, and worldwide too. It wouldn't surprise me if it lasted longer than LOTR + Hobbit combined.

[Falctron]

I personally took the comment to mean that both Space and Castle were going to come back.

Why? Because it's a clever comment. It seems to be saying that Castle is not coming back on the surface, but it needlessly kicks Space fans while they're down for no apparent reason.

Unless that reason is to make an announcement at some point that Space and Castle are back at the same time to heighten the fanfare.

From a marketing standpoint, it's the best way to revive either series in its "classic" form, because then you can market them both together, spending half the assets on each of them compared to marketing them individually. I wouldn't be surprised to see Pirates included.

It seems that after the recent losses, LEGO might be ready to take a "Back to Basics" approach, and reviving their classic lines would do that. I will be surprised if we don't see a new Castle theme in 2019.

Stepping further out there, my optimistic self wants to believe that LEGO's recent secrecy about their Summer lineup is because they're trying to control a big announcement that we are still unaware of. I deeply want that secret to be the revival of all three dead classic lines, even if it is only one set a piece.

Of course, a summer Castle line is probably just wishful thinking on my part, but I think we'll see the revival f both Space and Castle by 2020 at the absolute latest.

[Lyichir]

1 hour ago, MAB said:

Maybe not long - longer term like SW, but I imagine HP will last longer than 1-2 years. The fan base is huge, and worldwide too. It wouldn't surprise me if it lasted longer than LOTR + Hobbit combined.

Eh, I wouldn't be so sure of that. There are what, two more Fantastic Beasts movies planned (one this year)? I doubt the returned Harry Potter theme is likely to last much longer than that, unless they start announcing new movies. Very few Lego licensed themes last very long without new media, and even the last run of Harry Potter sets dried up after Deathly Hallows wrapped up.