Breakspear

Based on the exploding popularity of Castle-adjacent figures in recent CMF series (think Wolfpack Beastmaster, Dragonborn Paladin and the Tournament Knight) It seems entirely plausible that the Lego Group could release a Castle themed CMF series. In addition to the precedent of the recent Space CMF series, possible reasons in a favour of a Castle CMF series include: Lego have a proven track-record of responding to market demand for new Castle figures including: the relaunch of various retro Castle factions, the return of the goat mould (specifically, in a Castle/CMF context), and its fan poll on factions to include in the upcoming Lego IDEAS Minifigure Prize Machine set. A Castle CMF series might have broad appeal to both adults and kids A Castle CMF series would be consistent with the Lego Group's current strategy of delivering Castle products via other existing themes (Creator 3-in-1, Icons etc) instead of re-launching Castle as its own theme. A Castle CMF series could be an efficient way to satisfy AFOL demands for the re-introduction of Castle battle-packs, while avoiding the need to re-launch Castle as its own theme (see Point 3 above). A wish to disrupt the various hording/scalping activity that currently occurs for Castle CMFs. However, there are also several reasons the Lego Group might be holding back: A Castle-themed series could be seen as too similar to recent D&D series Lego might believe that single-theme non-IP CMF series sell worse then generic non-IP CMF series or IP CMF series (NB: I have no idea if this is true, but I assume Lego will examine the performance of the Space CMF series closely to draw any conclusions) There have already been a lot of Castle and Castle adjacent (i.e historical and fantasy) themed figures released as past of past CMF series, meaning there is less justification for a dedicated Castle-themed CMF series. In comparison, the number of Space-themed CMFs or Horror-themed CMF figures included in past CMF series were comparatively low before Lego released the dedicated Space and Horror themed CMF series (Series 26 and Series 14 respectively). Unlike Space, there are fewer pop-culture Castle tropes to exploit then Space tropes. The Lego CMF design team may wish to conserve its designs for Castle figures/retro re-makes to drip feed into each new non-IP series (i.e. what they are doing currently). The fear that a Castle-CMF series might actually exacerbate the current hording/scalping activity for Castle-themed CMFs, resulting in a much wider customer backlash. i.e. it might be too popular (???). Lego may already have a full calendar of future CMF releases planned meaning there may be no space to add a Castle CMF series in the immediate future, irrespective of how popular it could be (??). Of these reasons for holding back, #5 (a desire to drip feed retro-Castle figs into regular CMF series) feels the most credible to me. However, I do think this would be a mistake, and that Lego would be leaving money on the table if it took this approach. There appears to be sufficient demand for new Castle figures to support the release of a Castle-themed CMF series AND the ongoing inclusion of Castle figures in future regular un-themed CMF series. What might a Castle CMF series would look like? I think the posts above by @Lion King are a very good indication of what to expect: 3 or 4 classic/redux figures, supported by a range of other fantasy figures and funny/silly cross-over figures (e.g. an archeologist, Cyborg knight etc) My own ideas would be: Black Knight Redux WIlla the Witch Redux Credric the Bull Redux Royal Herald Astrologer or Alchemist Peasant Farmer Fantasy Elf King Fantasy Prince Charming Fantasy Ghostly King Chess Rook Costume Cowardly Knight with 'Chicken' Shield (Sir Robin Monty Python Tribute) Wicked Sheriff (Robin Hood Tribute)

The Quartermaster minifigure has risen a lot my estimation since its official reveal. I'd now consider it one the most innovative pirate figures of recent years. The designer has clearly tried to think outside the most common pirate tropes (tricornes, bicornes, eyepatches etc.) and give us a completely new take on a female pirate. I love the fine printed details: the patterned leg print, the notched boot tops, the lace sleeves, the gold tooth, the different bracelets on each wrist, and the shiny necklace and compass on the torso. My overall favorite design detail is the fabric waist cape, which gives some fun three-dimensionality to the thick red sash printed across the lower torso and hips. Like others, my least favorite design detail is the hair piece. However, I also think the overall concept of a hair/headscarf combo is good, and the re-colour of the specific piece in black is welcome. I'm curious to try this figure with a headscarf with hair down (e.g.11254pb02), or long wavy hair with no hat or scarf (e.g. 90396). While I would have preferred an updated macaw, the new cockatoo piece is really fun and further demonstrates the designer's commitment to giving us something completely new. I agree! More diversity in appearance and facial expressions for Lego female heads would be very welcome. I've certainly noticed the bias you describe of Lego favoring female prettiness over 'un-pretty' features - even when 'un-prettiness' might have made sense in the context of the set itself (a good non-pirate example is the recent Viking blacksmith). Scanning my own collection of female heads I find that "gleeful/exuberant", "neutral smile/pretty smile", and "smirking" expressions, as well as faces with freckles/moles/beauty spots are over-represented, while heads with scars, wrinkles, frowns, anger or sternness are much less common. I'm delighted to see the new Quartermaster has cheekbones - a detail which I think has been relatively more common in Lego's male rather then female faces in the past(?).

It's very impressive how you've managed to capture the authentic look of 1800's naval seamen. Personally, I've always struggled with the limited range of suitable sailor torso options in the official Lego parts catalogue. Some of the details I particularly enjoy are: The combination of sleeve-less fabric jackets with colour-matched miniifigure arms: surprisingly effective! The improvised hair-hat combos: I particularly like the marines - the hair makes the use of the 'top hat' shako pieces seem much more natural. The subtle improvised neck cloths

Regarding the rumoured use of disembodied minifigure heads and racing helmets in the F1 CMF series: while I’m not a fan of the idea as a whole, I do think the it could be partially redeemed if LEGO included some sort of body piece(s) in the box as an extra. The cheapest option would be to include an unprinted Dreamlings body piece (element 1994). While still not a proper CMF, that would at least allow kids to assemble some sort of driver figure to play with. The Dreamlings piece is roughly to scale with the mini build F1 cars, and does look a bit jumpsuit-like. It could have a certain cartoonish/cute appeal, much like the recent baby spaceman figures. Just a random thought. 😊

Well this series looks very promising! The Steampunk Inventor is the one I'm most excited about, but the Beastmaster, Quartermaster and Cupid are also very welcome. Fingers-crossed Cupid has nice classical toga torso print, without too many love-specific details (hearts etc).. That would be an absolute god-send for Roman and Greek mocs/figbarfs. I'm interested to see how the designers approach the more ambiguous figures like "Bogeyman" or "Jetpack Racer" - lots of scope for creativity.

Judging purely by reactions to early reviews of the DnD Series, Lego seems to have a hit on its hands. If so, we should perhaps pencil in a likely second DnD series in 2025-2026. I find the the idea of an F1 CMF Series (as part of the rumored 2025 F1 sub-theme) some what plausible but also somewhat perplexing. If true, Lego could go a few different directions with this one: a 'serious' tribute to past/present F1 teams/drivers: this would put emphasis on the accurately capturing the driver's identifies and brand logos. Would be akin to the 2016 DFB Football Team Series). a 'fun' tribute - similar to the above, but a bit more goofy? E.g. each figure comes with a unique wearable 'car' accessory costume, akin to the Series 18 "Race Car Guy" figure. A series based around the broader theme of F1 racing, but not tied to the identities of specific drivers. Could include a wider range of characters (e.g. driver, engineer, mechanic, pit crew, chequered flag-waver, sports commentator etc). Designs could be relatively 'serious/realistic' (akin to the Team GB Olympic Series), or more off the wall (akin to the Series 26 "Space" Series). In principle, I think blind-bag series work best when they have a sense of fun and where there is a lot of visual diversity across the entire series. This makes me feel that something like option 2 or 3 would be more commercially viable then option 1. Of course, anything can happen!

Yeah, It might! However, I have faith in the designers capacity to surprise us (the Series 24 Potter is a good recent example of a well designed figure wearing protective clothing). My point is that City minifigures are the single largest reoccurring sub theme across past CMF series, so its reasonable to expect that these could get a dedicated series at some point. Sure its not the most exciting, but I expect it would be popular kids.

I agree that the lack of a specific 'Bridegroom' figure feels odd, given we have CMFs for virtually every other major life stage. Yes, it would be challenging for the designers to make the figure feel special, but I trust they are up to the task! As you suggest, it might result in the most detailed tux print ever, complete with elaborate boutonniere, as well as arm and leg printing. A new 'kneeling leg' mold would be a game changer. A mythology/fantasy themed series would be a personal dream come true! Other possibilities for future themed series could be a 'world history' series (i.e. a collection of CMFs inspired by classical antiquity, non-fantasy medieval, and early modern world history); an animal costume series; and an 'global culture' series (with CMFs in various national dress), a 'world of work' series (a Lego City-compatible series based on iconic jobs/professions - this might involve revisiting some figures from past CMF series).

Wow, what a great bunch of designs to choose from. The various animal sigils all look great. I'm still weighing up my vote, but am likely to go with the Crows (Ravens) .The Tournament Knight CMF is (IMO) the best looking new faction in recent years, and I would love to get a second variant. The gryphon a great heraldic animal, and gives off strong 'medieval' vibes. The colours are perhaps a little drab compared to the other designs, but I'm confident it would look great as a full figure. I'm imagining the figure wearing a dark red surcoat with white gryphon chest emblem, white arms and silver helmet and pauldrons. I'm confident it would look great. A very safe choice. I love the redesign of the Bull shield. Splitting the background colour into four quadrants looks great - I wish Lego would do this more often! I like the larger number of rivets around the edge of the shield. I would not not mind if this won. Judging by social media, the Kraken seems to have seized the popular imagination. Personally, I find the colour choices least appealing for some reason. Would have preferred to see more high contrast colour combinations, such as 'dark azure and yellow', or 'teal, black and white'. Overall, the Kraken feels like a bit of a wildcard choice and the one which gives Lego maximum scope for creativity. It could end up being really excellent figure - or not!

Temple looks nice! Love the interesting minifigure selection. Always keen to get new heads prints with monocles.

In terms of 'what next' for Castle in 2025-2026, I think a farming set or a tournament set are the most obvious choices. Either would work well alongside the LKC and Mediaeval Town Square. A tournament set would give wide scope to bring back old factions, or introduce new ones. Over the longer term (once the LKC has retired) there is the possibility of TLG releasing some sort black castle (a homage to 6085 or 6086). On current trends, this feels like a near certainty to me. A more radical idea would be for TLG to create a large scale (i.e. 2000+ pieces) version of the Sea Serpent (i.e. a medieval cog made to similar proportions to 70618 Destiny's Bounty). I'd rate this as a low likelihood at present, but something I'd love to see happen. TLG knows ships sell well, and such a set would, I think, have broad appeal with Castle and Pirates fans. In terms of factions: the most obvious gap in the current wave of redux factions is the Black Knights. In the immediate future, this could be most easily achieved via a Tournament set (see above) or via a CMF series (akin to the S25 Vampire Knight). A CMF figure seems like the more logical choice to me, as a high parts budget will be required in order to furnish the new plumes, shields and other printed accessories required to match past glories (e.g. 6009).

Cool list! I love so many of these. I can easily imagine TLG producing a Female Pirate Captain (Pirate Queen?). "Pirate Fairy" is nice and whimsical - I can definitely see the designers having fun with that one. As additional ideas for costume figures, may I suggest "Monkey Costume Fan" or "Parrot Costume Fan" (Red Macaw). I wonder what historical or pop culture references TLG could include in a potential Pirates Series? Perhaps a "Gentlemen Pirate" with a long wig (alluding to Stede Bonnet) or a "Sea Cook" with a wooden leg Inspired by R.L Stevenson's Long-John Silver? Like @panda1, I hope that TLG does give us another Islander CMF figure one day. I'm optimistic they could do a female gender swap of the CMF from the Series 11 "Island Warrior" without it proving controversial.

I think a Pirates series and a Castle series are possible. 'Wild West' too (with the usual caveats). These all provide scope for TLG to include 3-4 'redux' characters from classic themes, with the remaining 8-9 figures comprised of whimsical costume figures and riffs on pop culture tropes. Plus, they are potentially cheap(er) for TLG to produce, as it would be able to leverage its existing moulids for these themes. I can certainly see them doing a 'Global Cultures' series - they have done some of these already (e.g. Lederhosen Guy, Geisha, Bagpiper, Royal Guard, Mariarchi, Flamenco Dancer etc), so no reason for them not to do more. A historical focused series would be logical (history/mythology figures are a staple of unlicensed CMF series). This could go in a few different directions: Classical history and/or mythology: one or more series inspired by ancient civilizations )e.g. Egypt, India, China, Greece and Rome). This would include a mix of mythology (Odin, Zeus, Anubis, Sphinx etc) and reality (e.g. Pretorian Guard, Ancient Thespian, Philosopher, Sculptor, Princess, Terracotta Warrior, Maharajah). A fun history idea I'd like to see would be a 'Trojan Horse' inspired figure: a Hellenic Warrior with gold helmet, shield and sword, wearing a printed horse costume piece (in the style of the 18 CMF Cowboy and Horse Suit Minifigure). 'Famous people from history' - in the vein of the Abe Lincoln and William Shakespeare mini-figures previously released. This would focus on leaders, artists, musicians and thinkers from the pre-1900's (e.g. Louis XIV, Elizabeth I, Napoleon, Nefertiti, Aristotle, Da Vinci, Mozart etc). Of these, I think the 'classical history + mythology' option would give designers the greatest scope for creativity/whimsy in their designs.

I'm supportive of letting the kids play with the big, adult-focused Castle sets too. I've had great fun sharing my Castle Lego with my daughter since age 5, with minimal mishaps. She mainly enjoys customising the Black Falcon knights to make kick-megablocks fantasy 'warrior queen' type heroines! (e.g. adding golden golden helmet, armor and wings from the CMF Flying Warrior). The Lion Knights Castle seems pretty play-friendly for kids: great doll-house style design and not too much fine detail to knock off. In terms of permanent loss/damage, I think in the worst case you might end up with a broken shield or two, but as long as you're ok with that, go for it!. You can order a few spares on PAB, which limits the risk.

i think its very do-able, although I think the chances of it actually happening are pretty low. Duplo, Creator, Classic, Technic, CMFs, Icons, Architecture, Art and DreamZzz are all easily capable of accommodating Castle-themed sets/imagery. City and Friends are more challenging, but also do-able under the guise of theme park, fair, theatre, museum, 'grand hotel' type sets. I agree with the OP that the primary audience for any such multi-theme Castle wave would be to introduce Castle to child fans of the existing themes (i..e not adult Castle collectors). Nevertheless, TLG could reasonably hope to pick up a few AFOL sales as well, given the absolute lack of small-mid range Castle sets currently on shelves (not including GWPs). A couple of other thoughts: Of the above mentioned existing themes, which is most suitable to host the largest number of Castle sets? For 2024 Space collection, the largest number of sets were released under the City theme (7 sets). This is followed by Technic (4), Friends (2) and other themes having only a single set each. Plus a couple of poly-bags. This approach makes sense, as Space has existed as an established sub-theme of City for many years. Castle lacks this advantage of a natural 'home' theme to provide the backbone of the wave. Unlike Space/Sci-Fi imagery, medieval or castle-adjacent imagery gets used a lot more regularly across TLG's contemporary retail offering. This includes recent Creator and ICONs and IDEAS releases, as well major licensed themes (Disney, Harry Potter, LoTR and now, D&D). Does this make a 2025-2026 Castle wave more likely (because there is evidently an established audience for it) or less likely (because that demand is already being served)?

If true, that would be disappointing. I was expecting it to be a removable accessory, like the recent reindeer antlers,. I had hoped to use it to make some custom robot figures. I agree, the Vampire Knight figure set a high bar for CMF quality, which the retro figures in this series (M-Tron, Blacktron and Ice Planet) struggle to match. Including trans neon elements (in particular, visors) for these would better capture the retro-remake aesthetic and would take these figures from 'good' to 'great'. The Orion figure has certainly lost some of its lustre in the latest photos. Is it using the hobbit hairpiece? My personal favorites of the series are the Retro Space Girl and the Robo-Cook.

*Controversial opinion incoming* I can't believe I'm writing in defense of stickers, but here goes. I have found the recent debate around TLG’s production cost management system (allocating a limited number of slots per set) quite instructive. It’s something I was only vaguely aware of previously. What I was aware of is that TLG almost bankrupted itself in the 2000's due to the uncontrolled expansion of its parts inventory. With that in mind... …rather than see the inclusion of stickers in the MTS as an inherent downgrade (which has been my own default mindset to date) it might be more productive to 'flip the script' and treat them an optional bonus. The designer didn't have to include stickers. He clearly used up his full allocation of production slots on new minifigure prints, the goat re-colour, the queen’s shield print, other parts re-colours etc. Presumably, he could have stopped there. But he didn't. He choose to make intelligent use of a single sheet of 10(?) stickers (which requires just one production slot) to imbue the set with heaps of extra detail which would otherwise simply not appear. [If all the stickers were printed parts, they would require between 10-20 slots - I'm still a little vague on whether one printed part = one production slot or two]. As consumers/collectors, if forced to choose between the option of stickers or or nothing (i.e. blank bricks), I suspect many of us would choose stickers every time (even if - in our heart of hearts - we'd still prefer prints). [To be clear, it’s totally valid to: a) have a personal preference for prints over stickers (I still do); b) question whether the production slot allocation for this specific set was appropriate given its target demographic; c) question TLG's consumer pricing strategy and the overall value for money of the set; d) question TLG's overall approach to setting production budgets.] These are such great points. Of course a single set cannot satisfy all needs/tastes simultaneously. Yet without a diverse wave to cater to a range of interests - and with zero certainty over if, or how long, TLG will continue producing new Castle sets - the expectations placed on each one-off set are always sky-high. I agree the level of criticism aimed at individual sets might decrease if there were regular waves of sets at varying price points/levels of complexity/quality. In addition, I also think it would be helpful if TLG introduced a more transparent classification system to help buyers better identify the sets that were designed to cater to their particular wants/needs. The current age rating system for Lego Castle sets is broken, and the only clear distinction in consumer segmentation is whether something is released under Creator 3-in-1 or ICONs. ICONS and IDEAs are a complete grab bag of concepts, united only by black box packaging (mostly) and the 18+ rating. A more sophisticated system might look something like how TLG markets its Star Wars sets: There is the Ultimate Collector Series (mid-large size, high price, high fidelity, high complexity sets designed for display), the Master Builder Series (Mid-large size, high price, high complexity sets, designed for play) and a range of age-appropriate children’s sets. (Mid-small size, low price, low complexity, low fidelity sets, designed for play). Greater transparency over target audience of a set might reduce the volume of spurious complaints (e.g critique's that a play set has poor displayability, or that a display set too large/too expensive/lacks play features etc) and help us to judge sets more fairly on their own merits.

Thanks for the hyperlinks, that was super helpful! Also, glad to hear the good news that the bodies won't include flesh-tone printing, allowing them to support a wider range of customization.

You're right - I got carried away in my earlier comment and ended up conflating 'return of Lego Ninja sub-theme' with my desire to see more samurai-inspired sets in general. The latter can be achieved through licensed sets, the former, not so much. Putting discussions of licensing aside, I think there are two three possible avenues for a limited revival of the Ninja theme: a fan designed, non-licensed, IDEAS a set (like the Medieval Blacksmith, or the Viking Village) LEGO notices that the Viking Village is enjoying strong sales and decides to develop more ICON sets for other famous warrior cultures, of which the Japanese Samurai would be a strong contender. In doing so, it might choose to draw on its own Ninja-IP as part of the development of the set Lego decides to make some Samurai/ninja inspired Creator 3-in-1 sets, which include references the Ninja sub-theme (as per TeriXeri's idea above). I agree, as a Castle-sub theme, Ninja has an extremely very low profile (unlike say - Wolfpack), and lacks sets of sufficiently 'classic' status to justify a modern, nostalgia-fueled remake (e.g. like Eldorado Fortress). This is a major impediment. As such, i believe any future set would probably be marketed primarily on the global appeal of Japanese samurai/ninja imagery, rather than the appeal of the Ninja sub-theme itself. Again, I see parallels with the recent Viking Village set here. While these are fair points, I believe LEGO is becoming more adventurous in the regard. For example, LEGO will soon be offering medieval/fantasy sets across multiple themes simultaneously (Creator, ICONS (Castle/Vikings) Harry Potter, LoTR and soon, D&D). So never say never! Good point re opportunity to deliver a new set using mostly existing parts - great way to keep costs down. Regarding incorporating more classic Ninja elements into Ninjago - yeah that's certainly possible. The concept art from the early days of the theme drew more heavily on traditional Japanese style motifs. However, those influences have been less evident lately. Would love this to come back.

i think you're right. A one-off Icons set is very possible - either as a revival of a past Lego IP (as was done with the Viking Village), or though licensing some a popular film, tv show or video game. However it happens, I'd love Lego to give us more traditional samurai/japan inspired minifigures then just the occasional CMF.

I hope so too! I see lots of potential to leverage this into a whole line of fantasy inspired diorama/vignette sets, which could have broad appeal. The customizable nature of Lego minifigures lends itself well to the adventure/hero building themes of D&D. The main impediment would be risk of competing with LEGO LoTR or classic Castle sets.

I tend to agree - the name "Medieval Town Square" does imply a more urban setting = fewer animals roaming around. I think this set suffers from a slight crisis of identity in that 50% of buildings appear urban/detailed while 50% are simple/rustic. Then again, the buildings in the original Medieval Village Market were 100% urban, but surrounded by farm animals, so.... Agreed! I'd love to see some colour swaps with a slightly warmer palette: less dark red and green, and more shades of orange, nougat, browns and tan. Perhaps also a tiled cheese-slope roof or two in the style of the LKC. I agree, I would personally rather pay more for delivery of the full prelim concept than have a cut down version with key aspects removed. Thanks for reminding me about the visible stickers in LKC! That restores my hope. I was in shock at the large number of stickers visible in the leaked images.

First impressions: I like it! Admittedly, my interest in this set has always been tied to the minifigures and so far I like what I'm seeing. I love that TLG chose to focus on civilians (7/8) rather then new military factions. I can only see one definite reuse of an existing torso (the blue/green farmer torso from LKC). However there are five new, unique torso prints and two (the crook and the guard) which are indeterminate. On that basis, the set easily surpasses my minimum success criteria of 50% of figures having new torso prints (I can even see a little bit of leg printing - yay!). There seems to be good diversity in the new prints: the tax collector looks particularly interesting, but the other new artisans/peasant figures also all seem to have unique designs (I was expecting to get a few repeats of a new 'generic peasant' torso). I'm very happy TLG have resisted the urge to give us another copy of the blacksmith/miller/barista brown leather apron fig, or make gratuitous re-use of CMF parts (a la the poor troubadour in LKC). I'm excited to learn about the factions of the guard and the crook. The latter has strong wolfpack vibes - but does it carry the wolf insignia? Again, the fact that TLG didn't just take the easy route and make the crook a red/green forestman gives me reason to hope. As for the buildings - while I agree with some of the critiques, as a group I think they look OK. I'm super curious to see how they pair with the LKC in terms of size/scale/complimentary colours etc. The apparent non-appearance of the much-anticipated 'shieldwright' workshop is curious, but perhaps it will be explained by the interiors. I note from the side of the box that the 'Guarded Inn' building is hinged, and can fully close-up, just like LKC. No idea if the other cluster of buildings has the same feature, but I suspect it has. Bring on the the high-res high-res photos!

I’m so excited for the minifigures, but it’s hard to know what to expect! I imagine the designs will be heavily influenced by the style of figs in the original Medieval Market Village (10193). A remake of the generic tan/brown peasant torso seems almost certain. I’m not expecting much in the way of additional leg, arm, or dress printing., although it remains an outside possibility. In terms of how many figs might be repeats from other recent sets (such as LKC): I think my benchmark for success would be 50% new figs and 50% repeats. Anything over 50% new fig designs would be fabulous. As this set seems intended to pair directly with the LKC, I wonder if this might encourage TLG to limit the number of duplicate figures across the two sets? The designers of the new Eldorado Fortress certainly took that approach when considering compatibility with with PoBB.

Personally, I'm hoping that the majority the minifigures are civilians, and that at least half feature new/unique new print designs. It would be great to get a couple of new printed peasant dress pieces, some new peasant tunics. Who knows, perhaps a new 'nobleman/woman' torso print (the tax collector?) too. The main new military minifigure print I'm hoping for is a new Lion Knight torso variant ('the Axe Knights') as the town guards. However, chance's are it'll just be the standard Lion Knights from the LKC again.