Harry Potter 2018 - Rumors & Discussion

[GoldenNinja3000]

I hate that castle’s color scheme. It’s way too drab and dark for Hogwarts. I’d prefer it if they stuck to sand green and tan, because I love those colors for the castle and then we could add the old castles next to it. 

[GriffindorForLife]

14 hours ago, Huigberts Builds said:

Tbh, this is almost exactly where I'm hoping for. Just put the sections in a different order, add a tiny boathouse on ground level (so the figures don't have to climb the rocks xD), a tiny greenhouse (last one we got was actually pretty good) and maybe, just maybe make the Marble Staircase tower a little bit wider, than it would be perfect. Can I find more pictures of this moc somewhere online? Because I'm very interested on the inside and how many bricks it used.

 

I didn't make this moc myself and if I try to find it with google images it redirects to pinterest...

[Vindicare]

I think the colors should remain the same. That dark tan/dark grey combo doesn’t even look like Hogwarts. Looking at that studio model as well, the only thing missing from the LEGO versions is weathering. The studio model looks to be tan & green, much like the sets have been. But instead of being a castle that has been around for a few hundred years, it’s a freshly built castle. 

Edited October 28, 2017 by Vindicare

[Brick Wizard001]

34 minutes ago, Vindicare said:

I think the colors should remain the same. That dark tan/dark grey combo doesn’t even look like Hogwarts. Looking at that studio model as well, the only thing missing from the LEGO versions is weathering. The studio model looks to be tan & green, much like the sets have been. But instead of being a castle that has been around for a few hundred years, it’s a freshly built castle. 

Honestly I love that model. I almost think it couldn't be better. Also having been at the studio tour a couple of times and seen the model I think the model really nailed it. I really want LEGO to completely reinvent this theme. You can see how much has happened with Star Wars sets since 2010/2011 and I honestly think it would be a shame for LEGO to not go in a different and new direction. I think the 2010/2011 sets were great back then but now I want more.

[Oreamnos]

I joined this board a couple weeks ago and this is my first post here, though I've posted frequently on model railway boards.  I've really found this forum useful and informative - especially the reviews.  The imaginative builds I've seen are inspiring, too.

My eight year old daughter recently got interested in the HP books and movies and since she likes Lego and with Christmas coming up I've bought her some of the old sets.  I've had to hunt a bit on eBay and on Bricklink for used, complete sets (with boxes of course - they are for Christmas after all) at a price I'm willing to pay, but I've been successful.  To be honest, even though the used HP sets are selling for double or triple the price of their original prices, compared to the high prices of new Lego sets, the used sets are in the same ballpark.

I find this discussion about new Lego sets for HP fascinating because I see no business case for it.  The last "real" HP movie came out 6 years ago and the movie Fantastic Beasts last year was based on a book that was a one-off that had no sequels.  There's no marketing tie-in, synergy, hype, and word-of-mouth like there was when the original HP Lego sets were released and there isn't another HP film "around the corner" to stoke interest in the general birthday and Christmas toy market at this point in time.  It's not like "Star Wars."

I think Lego had a good run with their 2001-2012 HP line but the golden era of Lego HP sets is definitely over.  I can't see Lego investing either time and money in coming out with a whole new line of HP sets and mini-figures at this point, or even reissues of old sets.  I could see it maybe releasing something along the lines of an Lego Architecture kit of of Hogwarts Castle and charging a mint for bag of a small bag of 1x1 bricks, but that's it.  The world has moved on.

[Agent Kallus]

Just now, Oreamnos said:

 

 

the movie Fantastic Beasts last year was based on a book that was a one-off that had no sequels. 

The book was a non fiction info about the magical world (an in universe textbook from hogwarts), the film is about the (in-universe) author collecting info for the book and will get multiple sequels.

[InnerRayg]

10 minutes ago, Oreamnos said:

I joined this board a couple weeks ago and this is my first post here, though I've posted frequently on model railway boards.  I've really found this forum useful and informative - especially the reviews.  The imaginative builds I've seen are inspiring, too.

My eight year old daughter recently got interested in the HP books and movies and since she likes Lego and with Christmas coming up I've bought her some of the old sets.  I've had to hunt a bit on eBay and on Bricklink for used, complete sets (with boxes of course - they are for Christmas after all) at a price I'm willing to pay, but I've been successful.  To be honest, even though the used HP sets are selling for double or triple the price of their original prices, compared to the high prices of new Lego sets, the used sets are in the same ballpark.

I find this discussion about new Lego sets for HP fascinating because I see no business case for it.  The last "real" HP movie came out 6 years ago and the movie Fantastic Beasts last year was based on a book that was a one-off that had no sequels.  There's no marketing tie-in, synergy, hype, and word-of-mouth like there was when the original HP Lego sets were released and there isn't another HP film "around the corner" to stoke interest in the general birthday and Christmas toy market at this point in time.  It's not like "Star Wars."

I think Lego had a good run with their 2001-2012 HP line but the golden era of Lego HP sets is definitely over.  I can't see Lego investing either time and money in coming out with a whole new line of HP sets and mini-figures at this point, or even reissues of old sets.  I could see it maybe releasing something along the lines of an Lego Architecture kit of of Hogwarts Castle and charging a mint for bag of a small bag of 1x1 bricks, but that's it.  The world has moved on.

You um, kind of forgot about the new Fantastic Beasts movie didn't you there.

[Falconfan1414]

16 minutes ago, Oreamnos said:

I joined this board a couple weeks ago and this is my first post here, though I've posted frequently on model railway boards.  I've really found this forum useful and informative - especially the reviews.  The imaginative builds I've seen are inspiring, too.

My eight year old daughter recently got interested in the HP books and movies and since she likes Lego and with Christmas coming up I've bought her some of the old sets.  I've had to hunt a bit on eBay and on Bricklink for used, complete sets (with boxes of course - they are for Christmas after all) at a price I'm willing to pay, but I've been successful.  To be honest, even though the used HP sets are selling for double or triple the price of their original prices, compared to the high prices of new Lego sets, the used sets are in the same ballpark.

I find this discussion about new Lego sets for HP fascinating because I see no business case for it.  The last "real" HP movie came out 6 years ago and the movie Fantastic Beasts last year was based on a book that was a one-off that had no sequels.  There's no marketing tie-in, synergy, hype, and word-of-mouth like there was when the original HP Lego sets were released and there isn't another HP film "around the corner" to stoke interest in the general birthday and Christmas toy market at this point in time.  It's not like "Star Wars."

I think Lego had a good run with their 2001-2012 HP line but the golden era of Lego HP sets is definitely over.  I can't see Lego investing either time and money in coming out with a whole new line of HP sets and mini-figures at this point, or even reissues of old sets.  I could see it maybe releasing something along the lines of an Lego Architecture kit of of Hogwarts Castle and charging a mint for bag of a small bag of 1x1 bricks, but that's it.  The world has moved on.

I’m not sure the world has moved on. If they did move on the sets wouldn’t go for double or triple the original price, they would go for less. It seemed the dimensions packs sold well enough to warrent whatever combo of sets d2c and minifigure series we might get. Harry Potter might not be a Star Wars or even a superhero’s but it would have a large enough following with kids reading the books and watching the movies and the afol who love Harry Potter. While there is no reason for them to realease this, I’m certainly not complaining 

Edited October 28, 2017 by Falconfan1414

[Oreamnos]

29 minutes ago, Agent Kallus said:

The book was a non fiction info about the magical world (an in universe textbook from hogwarts), the film is about the (in-universe) author collecting info for the book and will get multiple sequels.

Point taken, and I see Fantastic Beasts (FB) has a sequel (FB2) currently slated for a November, 2018 release.  That said, 1.) there was no Lego set issued in conjunction with the first FB film, unlike with the the first HP film in 2001, and 2.) FB and FB2, being spin-offs from the original HP with new plot points, supplies no business or marketing case for Lego to issue new sets based on the original HP, so I still don't see that happening.

Given that Lego didn't issue any sets in conjunction with the first FB film, at best it is taking a "wait and see" approach to see if it's worthwhile to issue sets tied in to the FB franchise.  The first HP movie was the highest grossing film in the year it was released in and broke box office records.  From Lego's point of view, making sets in conjunction with it was a no-brainer.  By comparison, FB was just the 9th highest grossing film in 2016.  Still a good showing for the studio, sure, but good enough for Lego to invest in?  I'm still very skeptical.

Edited October 29, 2017 by Oreamnos

[GryffindorResistance]

Don't want to start an argument here but just gotta say this: The world is not even close to moving on from Harry Potter...

With new Harry Potter merchandise, books, and Fantastic Beasts coming out every year, J.K. Rowling's wizarding world is just as strong as it was when the films were in the process of coming out. Lego is making one of their best choices by bringing back Potter for so many great marketing reasons:

1. With new films like Fantastic Beasts, it gives Lego the opportunity to make sets that new fans can relate to and old, possibly producing sets along with the FB movies (which they should've done last year)

2. Harry Potter is still in high demand, with new people getting into the books and movies each year, so recreating some of the classic scenes from the films in Lego form will sell very well.

3. The amount of Harry Potter fans out there is immense, and by making lego sets, will get them into building more legos. I'll bet if they made a huge badass Hogwarts, any Potter fan would be amazed and want to add that to their collection of Potter memorabilia.

4. Harry Potter appeals to EVERYONE. Whether it be the young kids or adults that have followed it since the beginning, everyone would be willing to build parts of Hogwarts, creatures, and locations from the beloved franchise. Everyone wishes they were Harry, Ron, and Hermione running through Hogwarts. Although Star Wars is a goldmine for Lego, it has a different effect on consumers (I heard this statement from many inside sources). What I mean is that Star Wars is mainly based around ships, blasters, and battles, a more "violent" tone than Potter. Believe me, I love Star Wars, but parents may prefer their kids focusing on building parts of Hogwarts or other scenes from the books and movies they are following at the time.

5. Harry Potter  Legos longest running, strongest licensed wave next to Star Wars, so I don't understand why they stopped. Lego has made some pretty odd choices in their random releases of sets (for example, a $350 Ghostbusters firehouse, and $200 Simpsons Kwik-E Mart out of nowhere) and Potter is just as popular as Star Wars, in an obviously different way, but I don't think that changes the demand for some harry Potter Lego sets.

 

Edited October 29, 2017 by GryffindorResistance

[Huigberts Builds]

2 hours ago, Oreamnos said:

I joined this board a couple weeks ago and this is my first post here, though I've posted frequently on model railway boards.  I've really found this forum useful and informative - especially the reviews.  The imaginative builds I've seen are inspiring, too.

My eight year old daughter recently got interested in the HP books and movies and since she likes Lego and with Christmas coming up I've bought her some of the old sets.  I've had to hunt a bit on eBay and on Bricklink for used, complete sets (with boxes of course - they are for Christmas after all) at a price I'm willing to pay, but I've been successful.  To be honest, even though the used HP sets are selling for double or triple the price of their original prices, compared to the high prices of new Lego sets, the used sets are in the same ballpark.

I find this discussion about new Lego sets for HP fascinating because I see no business case for it.  The last "real" HP movie came out 6 years ago and the movie Fantastic Beasts last year was based on a book that was a one-off that had no sequels.  There's no marketing tie-in, synergy, hype, and word-of-mouth like there was when the original HP Lego sets were released and there isn't another HP film "around the corner" to stoke interest in the general birthday and Christmas toy market at this point in time.  It's not like "Star Wars."

I think Lego had a good run with their 2001-2012 HP line but the golden era of Lego HP sets is definitely over.  I can't see Lego investing either time and money in coming out with a whole new line of HP sets and mini-figures at this point, or even reissues of old sets.  I could see it maybe releasing something along the lines of an Lego Architecture kit of of Hogwarts Castle and charging a mint for bag of a small bag of 1x1 bricks, but that's it.  The world has moved on.

Actually with new movies in the just starting fantastic beasts series coming out (that's just losely, very, very, losely based on the book with the same name) and a stage play with a new book I don't see a better time than now to revive the theme (well maybe last year, but the HP hype train is still going so they aren't too late, or should I call it the Hogwarts Express? ). What's also very important is that many of the Harry Potter fans that grew up with the franchise are now adults themselves and might have children of their own. They'll probably show the movies to their children, let them read the books etc. So there you have an entirely new generation of fans of the magical world of Harry Potter that (just like the old generation) also wants Harry Potter toys and merchandise. I think The LEGO Group is making a smart move here  (if the rumours are true that is).

[Gobias1234]

3 hours ago, Oreamnos said:

I joined this board a couple weeks ago and this is my first post here, though I've posted frequently on model railway boards.  I've really found this forum useful and informative - especially the reviews.  The imaginative builds I've seen are inspiring, too.

My eight year old daughter recently got interested in the HP books and movies and since she likes Lego and with Christmas coming up I've bought her some of the old sets.  I've had to hunt a bit on eBay and on Bricklink for used, complete sets (with boxes of course - they are for Christmas after all) at a price I'm willing to pay, but I've been successful.  To be honest, even though the used HP sets are selling for double or triple the price of their original prices, compared to the high prices of new Lego sets, the used sets are in the same ballpark.

I find this discussion about new Lego sets for HP fascinating because I see no business case for it.  The last "real" HP movie came out 6 years ago and the movie Fantastic Beasts last year was based on a book that was a one-off that had no sequels.  There's no marketing tie-in, synergy, hype, and word-of-mouth like there was when the original HP Lego sets were released and there isn't another HP film "around the corner" to stoke interest in the general birthday and Christmas toy market at this point in time.  It's not like "Star Wars."

I think Lego had a good run with their 2001-2012 HP line but the golden era of Lego HP sets is definitely over.  I can't see Lego investing either time and money in coming out with a whole new line of HP sets and mini-figures at this point, or even reissues of old sets.  I could see it maybe releasing something along the lines of an Lego Architecture kit of of Hogwarts Castle and charging a mint for bag of a small bag of 1x1 bricks, but that's it.  The world has moved on.

I also think you're forgetting the power of nostalgia.  The kids who were first captivated by HP are now reproducing and we are better paid then when we were 9. (I'm guessing by the fact you have an 8 year old that you were maybe a little older than me when the books came out.) You better believe our children have all ready been primed to be obsessed with the universe.

Signed, a first generation Harry Potter fan.

[jdubbs]

4 hours ago, Oreamnos said:

Point taken, and I see Fantastic Beasts (FB) has a sequel (FB2) currently slated for a November, 2018 release.  That said, 1.) there was no Lego set issued in conjunction with the first FB film, unlike with the the first HP film in 2001, and 2.) FB and FB2, being spin-offs from the original HP with new plot points, supplies no business or marketing case for Lego to issue new sets based on the original HP, so I still don't see that happening.

Given that Lego didn't issue any sets in conjunction with the first FB film, at best it is taking a "wait and see" approach to see if it's worthwhile to issue sets tied in to the FB franchise.  The first HP movie was the highest grossing film in the year it was released in and broke box office records.  From Lego's point of view, making sets in conjunction with it was a no-brainer.  By comparison, FB was just the 9th highest grossing film in 2016.  Still a good showing for the studio, sure, but good enough for Lego to invest in?  I'm still very skeptical.

I think you’re failing to take a few things into account: 

1) There are FIVE Fantastic Beasts movies planned, which as of the second movie will incorporate more of the original HP characters, locations, and backstory. That will keep the world of HP going on-screen for another 8 years or so. The Cursed Child is about to open on Broadway, which based on the response in London will no doubt be a massive critical and commercial hit. The HP amusement parks draw huge numbers of visitors, the original movies are constantly on TV, and the books still sell to new generations of kids. And on top of all that, there are rumors that JK is about to publish another HP book. 

 

2) LEGO has a vested interest in keeping the HP line going. They need to release sets based on the property every few years to justify and retain the license, and obviously if they can find a way to make it successful, they have everything to gain by doing so… especially given that recent licenses based on their own IP are seeing diminishing returns (with both LEGO Batman Movie and LEGO Ninjago Movie doing progressively worse than their predecessors).  If they can somehow breathe life back into an existing license, Harry Potter is the best bet (it’s certainly not going to be LotR). 

 

3) Harry Potter is ubiquitous. My 3 year old son has had zero exposure to Harry Potter and yet somehow still knows who he is and can identify him by sight (both the character on the book jackets and Dan Radcliffe)… I have no idea how. Kids everywhere know him, like him, relate to him, want to be him. And that doesn’t even address the very large community of adult HP fans who will buy anything — anything — related to the brand. 

 

Demand for HP merchandise is still very, very strong. If LEGO made a splashy entrance with a giant Hogwarts set and followed it up with a CMF line or a few waves of sets, I have no doubt they’d sell well.

Edited October 29, 2017 by jdubbs

[GoldenNinja3000]

3 hours ago, Oreamnos said:

Point taken, and I see Fantastic Beasts (FB) has a sequel (FB2) currently slated for a November, 2018 release.  That said, 1.) there was no Lego set issued in conjunction with the first FB film, unlike with the the first HP film in 2001, and 2.) FB and FB2, being spin-offs from the original HP with new plot points, supplies no business or marketing case for Lego to issue new sets based on the original HP, so I still don't see that happening.

Given that Lego didn't issue any sets in conjunction with the first FB film, at best it is taking a "wait and see" approach to see if it's worthwhile to issue sets tied in to the FB franchise.  The first HP movie was the highest grossing film in the year it was released in and broke box office records.  From Lego's point of view, making sets in conjunction with it was a no-brainer.  By comparison, FB was just the 9th highest grossing film in 2016.  Still a good showing for the studio, sure, but good enough for Lego to invest in?  I'm still very skeptical.

Harry Potter is still a huge phenomenon around the world. Cursed Child, however bad it was, reinvigorated interest and spawned a highly successful play. The Fantastic Beasts film series will be 5 movies long running until 2024 that explores a worldwide view of the events before Voldemort rose to power. They made two Dimensions sets for the first movie that seemed to sell well along with the Harry Potter team pack, since I never found any at any stores I went to. The franchise still interests so many people and I highly doubt a Lego line will fail, since new kids are discovering the books every day. Also, Lego kickstarted the LOTR theme when the Hobbit movies came out, and they were great sets even if they didn’t sell as well as they could have. Fantastic Beasts has important Harry Potter characters about to make a reentrance. Dumbledore will be the main focus of the series, and he’s one of the most well known characters. The last movie will end in 1945, when Voldemort would’ve been about 20, so a possible side plot about Dumbledore taking him from the orphanage or him tracking down Horcruxes isn’t out of the question at all. 

Edited October 29, 2017 by GoldenNinja3000

[jake0324demo]

1 hour ago, GoldenNinja3000 said:

Harry Potter is still a huge phenomenon around the world. Cursed Child, however bad it was, reinvigorated interest and spawned a highly successful play. The Fantastic Beasts film series will be 5 movies long running until 2024 that explores a worldwide view of the events before Voldemort rose to power. They made two Dimensions sets for the first movie that seemed to sell well along with the Harry Potter team pack, since I never found any at any stores I went to. The franchise still interests so many people and I highly doubt a Lego line will fail, since new kids are discovering the books every day. Also, Lego kickstarted the LOTR theme when the Hobbit movies came out, and they were great sets even if they didn’t sell as well as they could have. Fantastic Beasts has important Harry Potter characters about to make a reentrance. Dumbledore will be the main focus of the series, and he’s one of the most well known characters. The last movie will end in 1945, when Voldemort would’ve been about 20, so a possible side plot about Dumbledore taking him from the orphanage or him tracking down Horcruxes isn’t out of the question at all. 

don't forget about Universal theme parks constantly milking out harry potter for their parks.

[BrickSantorum]

5 hours ago, Oreamnos said:

Given that Lego didn't issue any sets in conjunction with the first FB film

They released FB Dimensions sets, including a $50 story pack. I realize that Dimensions fizzled out, but at the time they were planning these sets and developing the game, they were expecting Dimensions to be a huge hit, and for FB to be a major component of it. 

[Hypernova888]

6 hours ago, Falconfan1414 said:

I’m not sure the world has moved on. 

Honestly, no, I don't think it has. It may not be in the same place Star Wars is in right now, with new film releases, cartoons, toys and other things all orchestrated by Disney, but the Wizarding World never was really quite about the toys or the movies. They started with those books, and they gained success based on the world that was created within them. And the Wizarding World right now is about as strong as it has been in years, at least since the release of Deathly Hallows pt 2 in 2011. The world's not in fever for it all like it used to be, but those stories and products capitalizing on them will be popular for decades to come, with the people who became fans of the original stories largely still very loyal to the brand. Maybe Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them didn't really do as well as the Potter films, and Cursed Child didn't get the same sort of limelight. But it all consolidates into a cloud of strong success--the books keep reselling, the productions continue, and Universal Studios has employees literally standing in their other themed areas with signs just to direct guests to the reason many of them are there: Harry Potter. It's not the way it was, it's not a mania that came alongside the films and the excitement beside every 'premiere' of 'the next installment'. But it's still cemented itself in a very stable position that I doubt will fail any time soon.   

3 hours ago, jdubbs said:

The Cursed Child is about to open on Broadway, which based on the response in London will no doubt be a massive critical and commercial hit.

Yeah, don't forget Melbourne in 2019--Harry Potter's EVERYWHERE, like Falcon said. Kids still know him (somehow), even without the movie releases, and absolutely the kids that grew up on this stuff will largely still go for it as adults. I mean, I didn't have the money to get any but one of the Hogwarts sets in the original line. But now? LEGO could clean me out in less than a second if they released a new series with no warning, I'd do my best to get every last set. 

2 hours ago, GoldenNinja3000 said:

Cursed Child, however bad it was, reinvigorated interest and spawned a highly successful play. The Fantastic Beasts film series will be 5 movies long running until 2024 that explores a worldwide view of the events before Voldemort rose to power. 

Yeah, Fantastic Beasts could even conceivably continue releasing past 2024 since they said it could sometimes be a little more than two years between releases--though those films may not end up being as wildly popular as the core Potter movies, they'll certainly draw some attention and because of them it makes sense to at least do a little bit for the Potter license, even just to hang onto it a little longer until they can make it worth every penny.

(Also Cursed Child is much better onstage, I'd highly recommend it to anyone. When I first read the script I felt a lot of its jenky-ness too, but I got used to it and by the time I saw it in the Palace Theatre, I was absolutely smitten. Though for the record I guess I still enjoyed the weird script, I knew it'd seem odd even before scripts are way different than books, and I laughed a lot at the funny writing and got attached to the characters. So to each his own, I'm sorry you don't like it very much. But I assure you, even if you don't like it--it's not bad. The show has fantastic reviews. Even if it's not the same sort of thing as the main series, it's not supposed to be the eighth book. Just the next story. Anyway, my apologies, soapbox over.) 

On 10/27/2017 at 7:16 PM, Huigberts Builds said:

I think they should keep it the way it is right now. It's not perfect, but at least it will fit next to the older sets. Also the colours might not be screen accurate, but it is Lego's version of it, which is almost as nostalgic to me as the movie versions are.

Yeahhh I agree entirely. It's a colour pallet iconic for and specific to LEGO Harry Potter, I think changing it would just be...sort of wrong. It still works with the portrayal in the films, and changing it would kinda devalue past sets a tiny bit from a display standpoint. If I had all of the full Hogwarts sets, and got a rockin' UCS Hogwarts to put next to them, it'd look pretty odd for the new, beautifully updated one to be dark tan next to its sandy predecessors. And I too am nostalgic for the 'puke green' roofs, as my sister used to call the colour. Those tan and green parts made up a huge part of my LEGO collection as a kid, it was like my LEGO identity. Maybe I'm just overly biased, but I think they still fit: sometimes LEGO picks colours a little more extreme than the source material that still (usually) adapt the subject well, just to make the model stand out more. It is still a toy, after all...at least most of the time. 

On the subject of display, It's certain that display is a crucial factor for a UCS set (though it wouldn't actually be UCS it'd be UCS on a practical level so yanno whatever), especially compared to playsets, both from a design and a sales standpoint. A detailed interior would be nice, and I like being able to play with my toys, but I feel certain that if LEGO is going to pull the stops out anywhere, it'd be on the outside of the castle, I think it'd just make the set more valuable. Honestly, though I'm not a crazy collector or anything, I'd mostly just end up displaying the castle. And as much as I'd love to see the great potential of an interior realized--the room of hidden things, or a detailed potions classroom--an ornately-crafted exterior that I can look at and think 'Man, that's Hogwarts' is really what I want. I wouldn't even need figures (though I want the minifig selection to be great in the release), I just love that castle and really, I just want one. I want it in my house, overlooking my work tables, always connecting me to the world I adore. 

 

though yeah it'd be pretty sick to see a perfectly done grand staircase with moving stairs and portraits of obscure wizards lining every wall up the seven floors but y'know

 

*edit* Sorry for the uber-long post, love you all. <3 

Edited October 29, 2017 by Hypernova888

[Markalus]

9 hours ago, Oreamnos said:

I joined this board a couple weeks ago and this is my first post here, though I've posted frequently on model railway boards.  I've really found this forum useful and informative - especially the reviews.  The imaginative builds I've seen are inspiring, too.

My eight year old daughter recently got interested in the HP books and movies and since she likes Lego and with Christmas coming up I've bought her some of the old sets.  I've had to hunt a bit on eBay and on Bricklink for used, complete sets (with boxes of course - they are for Christmas after all) at a price I'm willing to pay, but I've been successful.  To be honest, even though the used HP sets are selling for double or triple the price of their original prices, compared to the high prices of new Lego sets, the used sets are in the same ballpark.

I find this discussion about new Lego sets for HP fascinating because I see no business case for it.  The last "real" HP movie came out 6 years ago and the movie Fantastic Beasts last year was based on a book that was a one-off that had no sequels.  There's no marketing tie-in, synergy, hype, and word-of-mouth like there was when the original HP Lego sets were released and there isn't another HP film "around the corner" to stoke interest in the general birthday and Christmas toy market at this point in time.  It's not like "Star Wars."

I think Lego had a good run with their 2001-2012 HP line but the golden era of Lego HP sets is definitely over.  I can't see Lego investing either time and money in coming out with a whole new line of HP sets and mini-figures at this point, or even reissues of old sets.  I could see it maybe releasing something along the lines of an Lego Architecture kit of of Hogwarts Castle and charging a mint for bag of a small bag of 1x1 bricks, but that's it.  The world has moved on.

Firstly, welcome! But, I don't agree with your sentiment that there is "no business case for HP Lego, the world has moved on, etc. I recently returned from London, which was a HP pilgrimage of sorts. The crowds at the studio tour were huge, HP and the Cursed Child is sold out till well into next year and the queue to get a photo taken at Kings Cross platform 9 and 3/4's was at least an hour long...at 9.30 pm. Not to mention that the adjoining shop was also heaving. You make a point that "it is not Star Wars". In the sense that JK Rowling has created a rich world that fans get lost in; it is exactly like what George Lucas created in the SW universe. Does it have the same mass appeal? There is now a whole new generation of fans discovering and growing up with HP plus nostalgic older fans who now have disposable income, just like SW. The fact that this thread is so active based on rumour and wishlisting alone should give you an idea of how popular any new HP Lego sets would be.

[GoldenNinja3000]

18 hours ago, Hypernova888 said:

Yeah, Fantastic Beasts could even conceivably continue releasing past 2024 since they said it could sometimes be a little more than two years between releases--though those films may not end up being as wildly popular as the core Potter movies, they'll certainly draw some attention and because of them it makes sense to at least do a little bit for the Potter license, even just to hang onto it a little longer until they can make it worth every penny.

(Also Cursed Child is much better onstage, I'd highly recommend it to anyone. When I first read the script I felt a lot of its jenky-ness too, but I got used to it and by the time I saw it in the Palace Theatre, I was absolutely smitten. Though for the record I guess I still enjoyed the weird script, I knew it'd seem odd even before scripts are way different than books, and I laughed a lot at the funny writing and got attached to the characters. So to each his own, I'm sorry you don't like it very much. But I assure you, even if you don't like it--it's not bad. The show has fantastic reviews. Even if it's not the same sort of thing as the main series, it's not supposed to be the eighth book. Just the next story. Anyway, my apologies, soapbox over.) 

I enjoyed it quite a bit, but a lot of the choices made were stupid and created plot holes in the original books. It makes me even madder that it wasn’t her idea. I think the key to continuing this franchise and fleshing out her world lies in the Fantastic Beasts films: we need to see more of the past. We don’t need the future and seeing where Harry, Ron, and Hermione are now. Their story ended, and ended well. We want more of the past and previous dark wizards. I did hear the play was amazing, though, and I hope to see it one day. 

[Tariq j]

9 hours ago, GoldenNinja3000 said:

I enjoyed it quite a bit, but a lot of the choices made were stupid and created plot holes in the original books. It makes me even madder that it wasn’t her idea. I think the key to continuing this franchise and fleshing out her world lies in the Fantastic Beasts films: we need to see more of the past. We don’t need the future and seeing where Harry, Ron, and Hermione are now. Their story ended, and ended well. We want more of the past and previous dark wizards. I did hear the play was amazing, though, and I hope to see it one day. 

I think there has been a lot of talk of a Harry Potter Cinematic Universe which could do Solo movies around specific characters etc. (Which I would love to see). 

 

On 29/10/2017 at 1:00 AM, Oreamnos said:

Point taken, and I see Fantastic Beasts (FB) has a sequel (FB2) currently slated for a November, 2018 release.  That said, 1.) there was no Lego set issued in conjunction with the first FB film, unlike with the the first HP film in 2001, and 2.) FB and FB2, being spin-offs from the original HP with new plot points, supplies no business or marketing case for Lego to issue new sets based on the original HP, so I still don't see that happening.

Given that Lego didn't issue any sets in conjunction with the first FB film, at best it is taking a "wait and see" approach to see if it's worthwhile to issue sets tied in to the FB franchise.  The first HP movie was the highest grossing film in the year it was released in and broke box office records.  From Lego's point of view, making sets in conjunction with it was a no-brainer.  By comparison, FB was just the 9th highest grossing film in 2016.  Still a good showing for the studio, sure, but good enough for Lego to invest in?  I'm still very skeptical.

But I think the whole "X theme didn't sell well" "Y theme sold better X" "Z theme won't sell well" is a skeptical argument in itself. We, the customer, can't really say how well something will or won't sell. And something you have to consider about Star Wars; After Revenge of the Sith in 2005 you had comics, books, 2 major TV Shows. Harry Potter hasn't had that, after the Deathly Hallows was released in 2011 there weren't any comics, books, TV shows or anything like that. Yet in that 4-5 year gap between DH and FB (as others have said) you've still had millions of people visiting the Wizarding World and Making Of Harry Potter and buying lots of the merchandise, despite the fact no new material had been released during that time. 

[Oreamnos]

On 10/29/2017 at 2:41 AM, Markalus said:

[edit]

The fact that this thread is so active based on rumour and wishlisting alone should give you an idea of how popular any new HP Lego sets would be.

I certainly agree it is popular with people who have contributed to this thread, and I don't deny HP is popular with a WHOLE LOT of people.  The only question for Lego that matters, however, is if enough of the people who enjoy HP buy Lego.

I personally would like Lego to reissue old or release new HP sets simply so that the additional supply would bring about lower prices compared to what is currently available on the second hand market.   But as much as I enjoy the HP books and movies, if you take my 8 year old daughter out of the picture (and the fact that Christmas is in only 8 weeks), would I be buying a Lego HP set?  Probably not.

Maybe Lego can make a business case for continuing the HP line.  Maybe there will be more than one Fantastic Beasts sequel (though even if 5 are planned, they'll be shelved in a heartbeat by Warner Bros. if they aren't profitable enough) and they draw enough eyeballs to convince Lego it can make a profit by releasing sets.  Maybe some shiny new franchise won't appear next year that doesn't siphon off interest from HP.  A lot of maybes.

While I personally just don't see it happening, for the sake of all the passionate HP fans out there who also like Lego, I genuinely hope the rumors of new HP sets coming are true.

[InnerRayg]

The rumors are from a reliable source. The fact that this thread exists is testament to the reality of the coming sets; the moderators don't allow any old rumor its own discussion thread.

 

In any case yes, if you take out the primary market of children, there wouldn't be as much demand for Harry Potter. You are certainly correct. 

Edited October 30, 2017 by InnerRayg

[Hypernova888]

1 hour ago, Oreamnos said:

Maybe there will be more than one Fantastic Beasts sequel (though even if 5 are planned, they'll be shelved in a heartbeat by Warner Bros. if they aren't profitable enough

They will be. They may not be blockbusters but the last film did well enough and Warner Brothers knows just how profitable the Harry Potter license is in the long run. It's not a question whether or not this series will finish with all five installments--each one is already in the works in some way, the contracts are there. They're happening. 

 

20 hours ago, GoldenNinja3000 said:

 I think the key to continuing this franchise and fleshing out her world lies in the Fantastic Beasts films: we need to see more of the past. We don’t need the future and seeing where Harry, Ron, and Hermione are now. Their story ended, and ended well.  

You're absolutely right. I entirely doubt JK has anything more than some small projects beside Fantastic Beasts lined up for the Wizarding World over the next ten years. She's a busy gal, she's writing as Robert Galbraith and is working hard on the scripts for the Beasts films (which she's loving as a project). They're the future, and I think they'll increase in popularity, at least a little bit, for the next film. I hope so, as it makes me happy how much money Harry Potter makes for the talented people behind the productions. 

[Huigberts Builds]

22 hours ago, GoldenNinja3000 said:

I enjoyed it quite a bit, but a lot of the choices made were stupid and created plot holes in the original books. It makes me even madder that it wasn’t her idea. I think the key to continuing this franchise and fleshing out her world lies in the Fantastic Beasts films: we need to see more of the past. We don’t need the future and seeing where Harry, Ron, and Hermione are now. Their story ended, and ended well. We want more of the past and previous dark wizards. I did hear the play was amazing, though, and I hope to see it one day. 

I agree, while I would love to see the future of the wizarding world, I think we're pretty much done there atm. But there is a lot of history in the wizarding world that only has been hinted at so far. Personally I would love to see something about the first wizarding war. But I think I'm going way off topic now.

[Don Neimoidte de la Mancha]

I'm curious to see the figures we get in the CMF series (I am assuming that this has been confirmed). Hopefully, we can be getting a updated Peter Pettigrew figure, as the one in the Shrieking Shack was by far one of the favorite figures for me.