If Rise of Skywalker fails/under performs, how would that affect LEGO?

[Digger of Bricks]

On 11/12/2019 at 8:31 AM, Lego David said:

On 11/9/2019 at 6:45 PM, Digger of Bricks said:

Until Disney's got a gameplan down, I'm banking my hopes on Lego finally developing at least one new in-house Space theme to follow-up 2013's Galaxy Squad.

That's exactly the same thing I'm hoping for.

Huh, in spite of Benioff & Weiss' departure, looks like Disney still has a stake in December 2022 for a cinematic Star Wars entry... 

Collider - Disney Reveals Release Schedule Through 2023, Including Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars

Quote

Avatar 2 and Avatar 3, the boldest called shots in film history, are due for December 2021 and December 2023 releases, respectively. And finally, there is a single untitled Star Wars film on the roster for December 2022. It’s likely the first film of Rian Johnson’s new trilogy, but with all the chaos behind-the-scenes of Star Wars lately, who knows.

[Lego David]

1 hour ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Huh, in spite of Benioff & Weiss' departure, looks like Disney still has a stake in December 2022 for a cinematic Star Wars entry

So, it seems that they just won't give up...

 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Lego David

[Digger of Bricks]

9 hours ago, Lego David said:

So, it seems that they just won't give up...

It could be Kevin Feige's Star Wars movie, who might be acting as a Plan B for Disney as so to keep that release date locked-down following Benioff & Weiss' exit...

Variety - Marvel’s Kevin Feige Developing ‘Star Wars’ Movie for Disney

[hagridshut]

On 10/19/2019 at 6:42 AM, Lego David said:

If Rise of Skywalker ends up failing or under performing, how would that affect LEGO? Star Wars toy sales are very low at the moment, and that affecting LEGO too isn't excluded. After all, the Solo sets seemed to always be on clearance (from what I have heard).

 

What do you think? 

Star Wars is just one of many themes that Lego sells, so from a financial standpoint, I think the fallout would be minor.  Also, if the TV show "The Mandalorian" becomes a hit, that could counteract any disappointment with "Rise of Skywalker".  Mandalorian warriors and ships, and their opposition, should make for some interesting set designs.  Sets based on "Rise of Skywalker" might sell well regardless of the movie's popularity at the box office, if the designs are interesting. 

Based on YouTube reviews, I was pleasantly surprised at the improvements in the re-designed Millennium Falcon set for "Rise of Skywalker".  I'm glad that Lego didn't just rehash/recolor the previous model.  Nice looking sets with great play features will get attention and sell on their own merits. 

There are so many variables at work that it is difficult if not impossible to say for sure what would happen.  Personally, I don't particularly care what happens to the Lego Star Wars product line.  I own a handful of Star Wars sets, like the Rogue One U-Wing, but I always preferred in-house themes to licensed themes.  

[Flieger]

On 11/14/2019 at 12:46 PM, Robianco said:

There is no right and wrong answers to what is someone's favourite part of the SW Universe but it is interesting to see how people see things differently.

...as long as it is a civil discussion, i.e. without terms like 'SJW' or 'toxic'. One has to respect other people's personal preferences. The commercial success and future of toy sales, which is the topic of this discussion, has very little to do with those preferences.

I for one liked Solo a lot; I would love to see more Lego sets from that movie. That does not mean I have the right to accuse anyone of 'negativity' (aka being 'toxic') simply for pointing out that the movie was an outright flop and that more toys, especially Lego sets, are rather unlikely at that point, given the climate of decling SW toy sales. It is generally better to focus on the issue itself rather than the attitude of the person bringing it up - whatever you think about that attitude. Like movie preferences, 'attitude' is a very subjective and delicate affair. I don't think summary judgment about people you don't know is the way to a fruitful discussion.

 

[Digger of Bricks]

On 11/16/2019 at 9:34 AM, Lego David said:

So, it seems that they just won't give up...

Hmmm, then again...

Rolling Stone - Lucasfilm’s Kathleen Kennedy on ‘Rise of Skywalker’ and the Future of ‘Star Wars’

Quote

Certainly whatever movie comes after this, if it’s unconnected to the Skywalker saga, that’s one of the biggest challenges in the history of the franchise. Until now, pretty much everything has been in some ways connected to the original story. What are your thoughts on that?

• It’s an incredible challenge, and it is something that we’re in the middle of, and I can’t even begin to tell you where this may end up, because I think you are absolutely right. I think whatever this next movie is, and how it begins to define a new way forward, it’s something we want to take plenty of time and plenty of conversation and careful thought before deciding exactly what we’re going to do.

So you truly haven’t yet decided what’s next?

• No. We’ve got various things we’re looking at and various ways in which we can begin or not. As you can imagine. You know, do you go back? Do you go forward? All those questions are being asked. Do we stay in this galaxy? Do we go to another? The universe is never-ending. [Laughs.] The good news and the bad news. They have endless possibilities. It’s liberating, it’s exciting, and it creates a lot of pressure and anxiety as well.

How did Marvel’s Kevin Feige come into the mix?

• Kevin has been a huge fan of Star Wars, and he’s made that pretty clear. And I think when he went off to do a couple of the Spider-Man movies, he realized that he could kind of step in and out of what he’s doing specifically with just Marvel. He talked to us, and he talked to the studio and said, “You know, ‘Is there any chance I could step in and do one of the Star Wars movies?'” And I thought it was a pretty cool idea. So we’re just beginning to talk about what that might be and when that might be. But it’s a ways off.

Have you thought about how much longer you’d like to keep doing what you’re doing?

• I’ve really enjoyed this, I have to say. It’s been incredibly exciting. And just the fact that George asked me to do this, I felt a tremendous responsibility with stepping in and taking care of the franchise, and if there were going to be new movies, to really pull a team around this that cared as much as he did. What happens in the future, and how long and how much longer I do this? I don’t know yet. I’m looking at all of that. It’s been incredibly satisfying to reach this point where we’ve completed the saga and, I think, made a really wonderful movie. It’s going to feel very satisfying to the audience. So that’s what I’m focused on right at the moment — and what the future holds, who knows.

[Robert8]

Dude, first reactions from last night premiere are .... not good at all

[LegoFjotten]

If you've seen the previous two movies you kinda know what you're in for... It didn't connect much with me, but at least now it's over and done with.

[Clone OPatra]

Now that it's over, I can neatly treat this series of films just like another entry in the EU. To me personally, the old EU had too much in it to care about in its entirety. The six films were the main Star Wars content, and all of the EU was fun to delve into now and again but it didn't matter if it was good or bad, because there was plenty of both to go around.

This new trilogy has been just another take on a future, and now I can cast it aside and never watch or discuss these films ever again, much like I will never read and discuss every plot point in the Yuuzhan Vong war ever again.

I have a bit of melancholy that that's the state of things, as I recall the thrill in 2015 of seeing the Lucasfilm logo, seeing A long time ago..., seeing the words Star Wars and hearing the familiar music. But that's how things are, and I'm very at peace with it now.

[BrickG]

The film is devisive but seems to be, review wise, doing pretty poorly. The non-professional rotten tomatoes score is higher though.

I think of course it would affect sales if it does really bad. But it doesn't look like it'll do Last Jedi bad. And they'll probably still sell well because most of the sales are for kids and kids have a lower bar (whereas after The Last Jedi I totally stopped buying the sets myself 'cause the movie was so trash). I mean the Prequels sets sold really well and adults didn't really like them that much but adults are less of the target of course...

I think the most it'll affect, if this whole trilogy goes kind of bad, is long term sales. OT Lego sets seem to do better than prequel ones. I think OT sets will probably always have more legs for toys. Even if the movie bombs the current sets will probably do well enough but maybe in 5 years we rarely get sets from this triology.

[dr_spock]

There's always the C3PO outlook on the Star Wars media tie-in market. 

Some stuff will sell, some stuff will not.  It's the nature of the lugga beast.

[TheGlynreaper]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 9:54 AM, BrickG said:

The film is devisive but seems to be, review wise, doing pretty poorly. The non-professional rotten tomatoes score is higher though.

I think of course it would affect sales if it does really bad. But it doesn't look like it'll do Last Jedi bad. And they'll probably still sell well because most of the sales are for kids and kids have a lower bar (whereas after The Last Jedi I totally stopped buying the sets myself 'cause the movie was so trash). I mean the Prequels sets sold really well and adults didn't really like them that much but adults are less of the target of course...

I think the most it'll affect, if this whole trilogy goes kind of bad, is long term sales. OT Lego sets seem to do better than prequel ones. I think OT sets will probably always have more legs for toys. Even if the movie bombs the current sets will probably do well enough but maybe in 5 years we rarely get sets from this triology.

but rotten tomatoes is full of sjw's who complain about everything honestly the rise of skywalker was doomed from the start as many people are still sore about game of thrones season 8  ----

 

 

SPOILER when the emperor was heard in the trailer I jokingly said he is reys grandfather

[jimmynick]

On 12/20/2019 at 4:54 AM, BrickG said:

But it doesn't look like it'll do Last Jedi bad.

TLJ was the highest-grossing movie of 2017 so you can hardly say it did "really bad".

On 12/19/2019 at 8:14 AM, Clone OPatra said:

I will never read and discuss every plot point in the Yuuzhan Vong war ever again.

I avoided most of the post-Jedi EU content because it's too closely tied to the Skywalkers. Give me stories set in 5000BBY any day.

[eliminator]

I think a key ingredient of the level of popularity for the SW Lego sets depends on the quality and uniqueness of the sets themselves.

For the last wave and the just released January 2020 wave, what do we have really? Another A-wing, Y-Wing, TIE, Luke's Landspeeder, "desert building", AT-ST, Millennium Falcon, Kylo Shuttle, etc. At least we got a "UCS" Yoda....and a handful of decent microfighters.

Seriously, the most exciting set from the last two waves is the Mandalorian Battle Pack.... Rehashes of sets from the last two years isnt going to get customers excited. It certainly hasn't gotten me excited one bit.

[BrickG]

On 12/26/2019 at 12:48 AM, jimmynick said:

TLJ was the highest-grossing movie of 2017 so you can hardly say it did "really bad".

There's more than one measure of success. When I said TLJ did bad I didn't mean financially. I meant in the eyes in a lot of the viewers which would almost certainly lead to lower merchandising sales than they wanted.

Also, you can fail upwards. Plenty of examples of that. TLJ made lots of $$$ because it was Star Wars. It being bad was mostly irrelevant to it, itself. But it would affect future Star Wars mainly (and RoS is underperforming atm according to Dinsey's forecasts).

[Vindicare]

On 1/7/2020 at 11:53 PM, BrickG said:

There's more than one measure of success. When I said TLJ did bad I didn't mean financially. I meant in the eyes in a lot of the viewers which would almost certainly lead to lower merchandising sales than they wanted.

Also, you can fail upwards. Plenty of examples of that. TLJ made lots of $$$ because it was Star Wars. It being bad was mostly irrelevant to it, itself. But it would affect future Star Wars mainly (and RoS is underperforming atm according to Dinsey's forecasts).

Damn...what are Disney’s forecasts? According to IMDb, the US gross is $461M with a worldwide of $946M. With a budget of $200M, that sounds better than good. 

[Brickadeer]

Star Wars fails in China. In comparison: Avengers 4: Endgame grossed ~500 Million US Dollars in China. The Rise of Skywalker, however, grossed ~20 Million Dollar in China. So Disney's strategy which surely encompassed getting a foothold in the chinese market did nothing but utterly fail.

Source

Edited January 15, 2020 by Brickadeer

[Kit Figsto]

On 1/8/2020 at 1:53 AM, BrickG said:

There's more than one measure of success. When I said TLJ did bad I didn't mean financially. I meant in the eyes in a lot of the viewers which would almost certainly lead to lower merchandising sales than they wanted.

Also, you can fail upwards. Plenty of examples of that. TLJ made lots of $$$ because it was Star Wars. It being bad was mostly irrelevant to it, itself. But it would affect future Star Wars mainly (and RoS is underperforming atm according to Dinsey's forecasts).

I also think that there's been issues in other places.  Supposedly the attendance figures at Galaxy's Edge in Disneyland CA were significantly lower than forecasted, and from what I've heard, merch sales are down.  They also seem to have royally screwed up any chance of a future spin-off/anthology film by releasing Solo while Avengers was still out when SW movies have been put out in the winter the past few years, and right after TLJ created some major animosity among fans.  Most people I've talked to have really enjoyed the Mandalorian and I'd say about 80% of the opinions on TRoS were either "I liked it" or "It was a good film considering the other films in the trilogy and what they had to work with" so who really knows if they've "damaged" the brand or not, but I definitely have met more people than not who really didn't really love the sequel trilogy.

As far as LEGO goes, I'm hoping that after the summer wave, they're done with sequel trilogy sets for a little while and give us some prequel/OT/CW stuff that we haven't had for a while.  

[BrickG]

I think Star Wars is slowly becoming Game of Thrones. If they make enough crap people don't like it'll continue to ruin the rest of Star Wars for some people.

What Star Wars has over Game of Thrones is a complete story. You can look at the Original Trilogy alone. While in Game of Thrones season 8 they messed up the ending so badly it went form a cultural phenomenon, to literally basically NOTHING. Nobody cares about the Game of Thrones series anymore. If Disney keeps screwing up, while Star Wars won't die as spectacularly, it's reach CAN be massively damaged.

[Digger of Bricks]

Huh, this is kinda strange... 

The Hollywood Reporter - New 'Star Wars' Movie in the Works With 'Sleight' Filmmaker (Exclusive)

Quote

As Lucasfilm maps out the next phase of Star Wars movies, executives are grappling with this question as development moves ahead: Which characters and stories justify theatrical releases and which should arrive exclusively on streaming platform Disney+?

The Hollywood Reporter learned Friday that a new Star Wars project is in the works: J.D. Dillard, best known for writing and directing the sci-fi thriller Sleight, and Matt Owens, a writer on Marvel shows Luke Cage and Agents of SHIELD, have been tapped to develop it. But insiders say it is undecided whether the project will be for the big screen or for the highly prioritized streaming platform.

Plot details, character details and setting details are unknown and are being kept in the murky underworld of Exegol. It is unclear whether Dillard would direct should the project move forward. The Dillard project is understood to be unrelated to a Star Wars film pitch by Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige and potential work from Last Jedi director Rian Johnson. 

[BrickG]

11 hours ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Huh, this is kinda strange... 

The Hollywood Reporter - New 'Star Wars' Movie in the Works With 'Sleight' Filmmaker (Exclusive)

What a stupid idea.

I think Disney has lost it. I've liked 2 of the last 5 Star Wars movies they've made. And that's about the same proportions of movies that got good reviews.

Star Wars is dying and the execs at Disney aren't helping. :P

[GK733]

When Star Wars finally kicks the bucket it'll take years for Lego to stop producing sets for it :P