LEGO Sci-Fi 2017 Pictures and Rumors

[Bob De Quatre]

This thread is for discussing the 2017 LEGO Sci-Fi sets.

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Thanks.

[Faefrost]

I'm thinking mid year we will start to hear rumors of all these cool SciFi sounding set names. Really awesome stuff. When suddenly the images leak "StarFriends"!!! Complete with delightful Trans Neon Pink Canopies and cute fluffy Space Monsters to hug! "Emma's Intergalctic Ice Cream Truck". 

[Aanchir]

1 hour ago, Faefrost said:

I'm thinking mid year we will start to hear rumors of all these cool SciFi sounding set names. Really awesome stuff. When suddenly the images leak "StarFriends"!!! Complete with delightful Trans Neon Pink Canopies and cute fluffy Space Monsters to hug! "Emma's Intergalctic Ice Cream Truck". 

I sure hope there IS a girl-oriented sci-fi theme in the works! Realistically, though, LEGO probably wouldn't launch that this year since they just launched DC Super Hero Girls and would probably want to give that some room to breathe. Kind of like how they didn't launch Disney Princess and Elves back to back.

[Artanis I]

Or it will be mashup stuff like Nexo Knights, with some useful parts but not a theme that is compatible with anything existing.

Honestly I've given up on Space & Castle themes coming out, unless for a rare throwback. The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost...

[Aanchir]

51 minutes ago, Artanis I said:

Or it will be mashup stuff like Nexo Knights, with some useful parts but not a theme that is compatible with anything existing.

Honestly I've given up on Space & Castle themes coming out, unless for a rare throwback. The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost...

The 2015 Pirates wave came after the theme was on hiatus for five years. Castle and Space have barely even been gone for three. LEGO has decided to do something new and different with Nexo Knights, but I don't at all see how that equates to giving up on their classic themes forever.

[Artanis I]

That sounds like "rare" to me

[Faefrost]

I honestly think the next "Spce"ish theme is likely at least a year out. I think internally Lego sort of views Nexo Knights as a SciFi Action theme that is filling that role for the moment. So unless we get a "ninjago in Space" wave unexpectedly we probably have some time. Now this is pure wild assed speculation on my part. Largely based on what patterns we can legitimately discern from watching Lego in recent times. (Please note I speak of legitimate observable business and operational Trends. I am not talking about baseless fan theories such as "every other leap year we get..." or similar. No astrology. Just watching where Lego puts money and where they find success to guess what they might do next.)

So just based on what we have seen in the past few years, and some reasonable assumptions based on market conditions, what might a new 'Space" theme look like.

1. It likely will not look like "Classic Space" at least as we know it. Yes Benny's ssS did great. And we will hopefully see some new classic style sets with the next TLM, but really without a movie backing them any new fully in house themes will probably be some sort of "Conflict Play". It will be Heroes in some way fighting some sort of bad guys. I think the days of a single side Space Theme who's purpose is launching satellites is long gone. Anything we get going further will be more akin to SP3, AC, GS, etc.

2. It will likely be a Hybrid Theme. Lego seems to be finding a certain sweet spot for the market space that Space would occupy, by doing some rather unexpected yet almost intuitive "Mix and Match" Hybrids of Classic Themes. Ninjago is a mix of Castle, Adventurers, with some SciFi concepts and designs layered on. Nexo Knights is obviously Space Meets Castle. Even Chima was a touch Castle meets Space meets Fabuland. The point is I can see a Lego new theme brainstorming session going something like, looking at all their Classic Properties and playing Mix and Match one from column A and One from Column B. Hmm what goes together? How about 'Space Pirates" or "Star Cowboys"? (and tell me after seeing just those two phrases you cannot already see how themes of them would go?)

3. Whatever we get will have named, easily identifiable main heroes and villains. The Sentai formula has brought them success. GS's biggest failing was they didn't steer quite far enough down that path. Whatever we get next it will follow down Ninjago and Nexo Knights well trodden path. 

4. Given the current upswing in Star Wars, I don't think we will be seeing that much of a pure more classic Style Spaceship theme for a bit. They will be seeking a bit more separation. Either something more old school with more near future stuff like a City based Moonbase theme, or something completely different. I keep thinking Exotic SciFi Space Sailing Ships manned by Galactic Freebooters. 

5. whatever we get will have a clearly mapped out Story, Characters, Locations and a deep multimedia tie in. It will be less freeform than old school Space stuff. 

As I type this out, I can't see anyway that we don't get some sort of Star Pirates theme at some point. It just feels a little too obvious.

 

Edited January 12, 2017 by Faefrost

[BrickJagger]

Space is being held back by two factors: Nexo Knights and Star Wars. Star Wars is huge right now and will be churning out a movie a year until at least 2020, and Nexo Knights is going to continue at least through 2018. I think Space will come back in 2019 with an experimental theme to test the waters, and follow it up with a bigger theme that is nowhere near Star Wars in subject matter.

[Aanchir]

15 hours ago, Artanis I said:

That sounds like "rare" to me

I guess? When I hear "rare throwbacks" I generally think something more along the lines of Benny's Spaceship or the Classic Spaceman Minifigure, not a complete wave of sets. And besides, rare for now doesn't mean rare forever. After all, a person in 2005 might have felt just as hopeless about the future of non-licensed space themes, without any idea that there'd be four new ones to look forward to (plus several stand-alone space sets like Star Justice, Benny's Spaceship, and the Exo-Suit) all within the next decade.

Edited January 12, 2017 by Aanchir

[danth]

A Friend's style Space theme would be awesome. Probably the only way we'll get windscreens in different colors and sets not entirely conflict based.

Also I keep saying this but we really need some Classic Space creator sets. Creator sets have alternate builds, no stickers, and (at the Expert level anyway) classic smileys. Just one a year would would be enough and they could cycle through themes if necessary (Classic Space, Futuron, Blacktron). It would be glorious. 

Edited January 12, 2017 by danth

[Faefrost]

On 1/11/2017 at 8:10 PM, Aanchir said:

The 2015 Pirates wave came after the theme was on hiatus for five years. Castle and Space have barely even been gone for three. LEGO has decided to do something new and different with Nexo Knights, but I don't at all see how that equates to giving up on their classic themes forever.

Keep in mind that Pirate's had some external influences on it. We are fairly certain that Lego had/has a non compete clause in effect surrounding PotC. So they could not release an in house Pirates line while the PotC license was active. I think we got the newer Pirates line largely because the expected PotC 5 movie got pushed back so far that it left a gap they could use. Which might be why that Pirate's wave felt like such a redo/retread/ They may have thrown it together fast to make use of the gap in the contracts.

But somewhat surprisingly, Star wars would appear to never have a hard firm non compete of the same type with Lego? Which is strange seeing as Lucasfilms was long notorious for them (Why you never used to see Star Wars and Star Trek products from the same makers.) 

[drclark]

I think part of the issue is that other than starwars, there appears to be no interest in the "classic" sci-fi / space genre.  Think back to the mid70s / early 80s.  The Apollo program was winding down, the Russians and Americans were experimenting with space stations, the shuttle was being developed, the Voyager probes were launched and Mars was "just around the corner".  Star wars was a huge hit but there were plenty of other sci-fi TV shows and movies.  Space travel at that time held a much bigger interest and fascination with the general public.  The classic space line was launched during this timeframe.

Somewhere along the line, space travel became somewhat routine except for whenever a disaster occurred.  Other than starwars based properties, how many other sci-fi shows are out there that have more than a cult following?  Couple that with the fact that most TV shows have to be dark, gritty, and edgy how many sci-fi shows appeal to a 5-7 yr old? (I could not let my kids watch the BSG reboot).  So for little kids, there just doesn't seem to be the general interest in swooshing little winged spaceships around the house unless it's an x-wing or tie fighter...

Any new LEGO sci-fi theme would need to have a tie-in with a cartoon like nexo knights or ninjago and/or video game to have any success and longevity.

I think ours best bet for any space sets are one-off creator style sets, or near future exploration sets that get approved through the ideas process.

[danth]

8 hours ago, drclark said:

I think part of the issue is that other than starwars, there appears to be no interest in the "classic" sci-fi / space genre.  Think back to the mid70s / early 80s.  The Apollo program was winding down, the Russians and Americans were experimenting with space stations, the shuttle was being developed, the Voyager probes were launched and Mars was "just around the corner".  Star wars was a huge hit but there were plenty of other sci-fi TV shows and movies.  Space travel at that time held a much bigger interest and fascination with the general public.  The classic space line was launched during this timeframe.

Somewhere along the line, space travel became somewhat routine except for whenever a disaster occurred.  Other than starwars based properties, how many other sci-fi shows are out there that have more than a cult following?  Couple that with the fact that most TV shows have to be dark, gritty, and edgy how many sci-fi shows appeal to a 5-7 yr old? (I could not let my kids watch the BSG reboot).  So for little kids, there just doesn't seem to be the general interest in swooshing little winged spaceships around the house unless it's an x-wing or tie fighter...

Any new LEGO sci-fi theme would need to have a tie-in with a cartoon like nexo knights or ninjago and/or video game to have any success and longevity.

I think ours best bet for any space sets are one-off creator style sets, or near future exploration sets that get approved through the ideas process.

 

And yet Lego still cranks out realistic space shuttle sets almost yearly.

[Aanchir]

18 hours ago, danth said:

And yet Lego still cranks out realistic space shuttle sets almost yearly.

Most of those are in the City theme, which builds its foundation on familiarity. Sci-fi themes tend to be aimed at somewhat older kids and consequently need a much greater emphasis on novelty. A nine-year-old isn't necessarily all that excited with the same things that interested them when they were four years younger.

I wouldn't say sci-fi properties besides Star Wars only have a cult following. Guardians of the Galaxy was wildly successful. Voltron: Legendary Defender on Netflix also seems pretty popular in its own right, and is finally getting toys of its own. But it's worth noting that all these popular sci-fi properties couple the traditional sorts of space exploration, combat, and diplomacy with elements of magical fantasy and superhero stories, which are a lot more in vogue right now. Even Star Wars, which can still get away with using tactical intel as what the heroes and villains are fighting for, has always had the Jedi to add a mystical fantasy component. With that in mind it's not entirely surprising that many recent themes also blend sci-fi with other genres: Ninjago has magical artifacts and elemental powers, Nexo Knights has medieval imagery and supernatural monsters, Ultra Agents had costumed supervillains and spy elements, etc.

[LEGOshibainu]

On 27/01/2017 at 0:36 AM, danth said:

And yet Lego still cranks out realistic space shuttle sets almost yearly.

Nuremburg toy fair has revealed a Creator theme space shuttle!

[danth]

13 hours ago, LEGOshibainu said:

Nuremburg toy fair has revealed a Creator theme space shuttle!

Ship model, rover model, and base model! This is exactly what I've been saying they should do. Now just do it in Classic Space! :D

[Aanchir]

Some of the LEGO Ninjago Movie vehicles revealed in that movie's first trailer have a definite sci-fi flavor to them. Several of them feel like throwbacks to Exo-Force, more so than I'm used to with Ninjago mechs and vehicles. There are some good screenshots in this post:

Many of the actual sets based on these will probably be simplified and scaled down, as LEGO Movie and LEGO Batman Movie sets often have been in the past. But it still gives a good taste of what the feel of these vehicles might be like in set form.

[danth]

Wow Aanchir, you weren't kidding. The red mech is straight out of Exo-Force. The black mono-wheel mech looks like a Blacktron robot! There's also a very nice rover that hearkens back to All Terrain Vehicle or Mobile Rocket Transport with the inverted sloped canopy. 

[JigglyBear]

TBH as a huge fan of sci-fi Ninjago has been my primary Lego theme to get parts and some cool ideas from. 

[LEGOshibainu]

Is there any better pictures available of the creator shuttle, I can only find pictures of it from far away :/

[Robert8]

CMF S17 Retro Spaceman

[Artanis I]

I don't like this one

[Bob De Quatre]

7 hours ago, Artanis I said:

I don't like this one

Agreed!

I was a bit dissapointed when I saw the CMF... Nothing very interesting sci-fi wise...

[danth]

I don't know if it's totally taboo to mention this in the 2017 thread, but I hear the next Lego Movie is going to be a Space musical. Or maybe that is a bad translation of "space opera." If true I imagine we'll get some pretty sweet Sci Fi sets out of it, but in late 2018 at the soonest. 

[Megagan]

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 7:38 PM, danth said:

I don't know if it's totally taboo to mention this in the 2017 thread, but I hear the next Lego Movie is going to be a Space musical. Or maybe that is a bad translation of "space opera." If true I imagine we'll get some pretty sweet Sci Fi sets out of it, but in late 2018 at the soonest. 

I am not sure what to think of this yet. Even having seen the info elsewhere I had to check my calendar and make sure it was not April 1st and I was reading some sort of joke.

Will be interesting to see if anything really comes of it though.