RogueTwo

To be honest, I actually kind of like Target, but I’m upset and surprised that TLG is continuing to do these special “deals” with big corporate retailers, especially after the chaos of the initial product launch (last July at Target) and Bricktober (Barnes and Noble). What’d’you guys want to bet that the Rise of Voldemort and the Beauxbatons Carriage will be available in the US in July as well, just to compound the annoyance and confusion of all AFOLs this year?

Pretty sure TheGlynReaper is referring to one in England. I wouldn’t complain if they showed up early in Chicago, though!

IMO, the Monster Book would have made perfect sense in Hagrid's Hut, given that it includes Buckbeak. That said, I just realized that I don't think anyone ever actually reads that book in Prisoner of Azkaban; they just struggle to close it and open it without it snapping at them. As to your second point, I think any Collectible Minifigure is, by default, desirable at this point, especially one from Harry Potter. I'd personally like to see Harry in his Slug Club dress robes with the Marauder's Map. I actually have the old minifigure from the original Charater Encyclopedia, but I like the idea that this new line is the definitive release of all characters and locations.

My thoughts: 1. It’s not fair to call big American retailers incompetent, because then the blame goes on the low workers. If anything, they are exploitative corporations, but I realize that’s way off topic and politically charged. 2. RandomBlocker, you seemed like a nice guy, what changed? 3. Balrog of Morgoth, you seemed irrational before, but now you’re talking some sense. 4. I’m sorry people had to wait last year, I’m sorry they have to wait this year. 5. I came here for a “hot” topic, and it’s literally half a page of people flaming each other. Even if no one reports it, mods do know how to find this thread on their own. Let’s not get it shut down. 6. My personal feeling about the release date is that I wouldn’t mind waiting two months if it were advertised as such, which it’s not. Maybe LEGO is just playing it be ear, and we could just randomly get the sets whenever they think they have enough supply, be it late June or mid-August. Time will tell. If anyone has a Time Turner, you can tell.

I would love this! Which made me think back to when I played video games: Jak and Daxter Ratchet and Clank I've wanted these two for over a decade. Ratchet is really not very mature at all, especially the newer ones, but I must admit that Jak has some seriously weird sexualized female characters that would be better left un-minifigure-ized.

Thanks so much for sharing all of these! I especially like your “vignettes with other minifigures.” Honestly, one more wave and collectible minifigure series, and I feel like all the essential places and people of Hogwarts will be there! Obviously, I hope we see the Ministry, Grimmauld Place, The Burrow, Diagon Alley, the Lovegood house, Hogsmeade, etc., but I will say that your Castle itself looks pretty darn impressive so far. I wonder why there wasn’t room in the budget to print a new issue of the Daily Prophet with Sirius’s escape, though...

Couldn’t say, as I’d never heard of of Airfix or a Hawker Harrier until you mentioned them. The latter may express my own ignorance, I don’t know. Anyway, getting off topic, so I apologize.

To be fair, what Ole Kirk Christiansen cared about no longer matters. It sounds callous, I know, but it’s true. Times have changed, for good and for bad. THAT BEING SAID, yeah, modern war as a theme will never happen. Imagine a kid whose city had been attacked by said aircraft, and then s/he sees it on the shelf of a toy store.... I guess it’s fair to post for a wishful thinking topic, but nothing that I personally would touch with a three-foot UCS Falcon (which I don’t own, BTW )

¡El laberinto del fauno! Or honestly any non-English language theme. I think that would be really interesting, and (sadly) a distinct challenge. I’m sure there have been a few examples of licenses that were originally not in the English language, but I cannot think of any offhand.

Me too, but I’d still be going crazy even if I had the HP sets. But I will gladly take a two-month wait if it means LEGO Shop will start doing preorders on all its high-profile releases. I just feel like they’re insulting our intelligence by not posting SOMETHING. My educated guess is that the press release was never intended for the US per se, it just ended up on the Internet, which is, by its very nature, universal. I guess the staggered release dates are to try to avoid the supply issues of the very poorly planned early launch of the sets in the US last year, which was little more than an obsequious favor to Target (a store that I actually kind of like, don’t get me wrong). Since the sets won’t be “ready” in the US for two more months, I suppose they are correct in thinking that the primary LEGO audience, which is probably still predominantly young boys, doesn’t know about these sets, and there’s no point in advertising something two months away when in might slow the sales of what’s currently sitting on the shelf. Even some of my coworkers, who are serious Potter fans, but not AFOLs, who bought a couple of the sets last year, had no idea of this summer’s wave until I mentioned it. Much as it pains me to say it, we on this forum may just be the minority. Sorry for the long post(s)

Reread now and re-watch as you build the new sets in August! I hardly see the point of adding to this thread; pretty much every good suggestion has already been made, and I think LEGO will try to make just about everything they can before the theme is out. The sets I would most immediately like to see are: "The Burrow" (Molly, Arthur, Fred, George, Ginny, Harry, Remus, Tonks) -- $80 "Diagon Alley Adventures"--includes Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, and Borgin and Burke (Draco, Narcissa, Fenrir, Bellatrix, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Cormac, and Lavender) ---- $100 "Hogwarts Greenhouses" (Professor Sprout, Professor Slughorn, Harry, Hagrid, Fang) -- $40 And some more small sets ($15-30) that wouldn't hurt my wallet so much!

Google “Harry Potter unreleased deleted scenes” if you want to be really depressed about how much WB filmed but is refusing to make available. Anyway, sorry for the off topic discussion. Personally, I think the original Krum head with the current hair piece works just fine. The real problem would appear to be the bizarre face print they chose this time.

You could always go for his more dashing, debonair look from his (deleted ) Deathly Hallows scenes. Seriously, guy flies all the way out from Bulgaria to film an important scene that was IN THE BOOK, and it doesn't even end up on the DVD?

Not anymore. Sure, there may be the rare incompetent store that puts something out early, but in general everything in ultra-street-dated and won’t even scan at the checkout until release date. At least that’s my experience. But you’re right, in the past, stuff used to appear early, especially at ToysRUs, which is no longer around (at least in the US). Ah, well...I’ll make a “count down the days to Hogwarts” calendar like Harry does over the summer. And even better, I’m thankful enough to not have to live with the Dursleys while I’m waiting! ?

Yeah, I guess it's unconfirmed, but I wouldn't say "hearsay." The Random Blocker claims that he/she knew that the US release date would be August. Take that for what it's worth, but I think it's worth something, because The Random Blocker clearly has some inside info. That said, I called LEGO Customer Service and they were unable to find any official release date for the US or the UK. They did admit that they are pretty much left in the dark, but something is definitely weird here, because if you look at the set descriptions on Brickset, they say: Includes all new Stag Patronus charm element and a tree-based shooting function for when Harry casts the Expecto Patronum spell! Compare to the set description published by The Brothers Brick: This Harry Potter LEGO set features a forest scene with a small lakeside build and 2 buildable trees with a spell-cast shooting function, plus a new-for-August-2019 semi-transparent glittering stag figure with room for a minifigure on top. I don't know where The Brothers Brick is based; perhaps that could give us a clue. In short, I am expecting the wave to break (see what I did there?) in the US on August 1, and if we get it any earlier, I will be pleasantly surprised. I do think it's likely that US warehouses already have some of the sets, though, given the leaked/stolen minifigures for sale on eBay. Oh, and FBTB, a site that I really like, so I guess I've now mentioned it thrice, published an August 1 release date from the very beginning. I'd like to know where they got that information; perhaps they implied it from the set descriptions touting "new-for-August-2019" features. Maybe I'll message them and see if they respond. Honestly, it seems to me like TLG is just keeping its options open until the last minute, then they will make the what is the most logical choice for them.

True, but reddish brown is more accurate than dark orange, anyway, so who knows. Mostly, I wish we got the Filch bald hairpiece with printed dark tan hair. This isn't JK Rowling related, but per one of the LOTR designer videos, apparently the original design for the Cave Troll was mostly grey, and WB opted for a more colorful sand-blue/tan version. So it does happen, but that was a big-fig designed to help sell a set, whereas Wormtail's hair might be more a case of..."Who cares?" from the license team.

Here's my ranking, late but hopefully still not irrelevant. 1. Hagrid's Hut Brilliant design, good/great figures. The only real disappointment to me is the reuse of last year's Hagrid figure. Ron and Hermione have inaccurate faces and hair pieces, but I actually like the variety since I don't have the sets from other themes that they originally appeared in. 2. Hogwarts Clock Tower Good design; interior is hugely improved from 2004, but I find the exterior slightly disappointing due to lack of a pendulum and large main doors. The value seems good, and I just love building Hogwarts add-ons. This set actually has more pieces than the Great Hall set, despite costing $10 less in the US. 3. Expecto Patronum I agree with Clone OPatra that the 2010-era Dementors were better. (Though oddly enough, I turned the hands sideways on the new figure, and I think it looks more convincing. It somehow made the minifigure torso feel more ethereal and grasping. It doesn't even count as a MOD, but I thought I'd mention it). The new Sirius figure is great, and I actually love the Stag (trans-white with sparkles would have been better, I suppose), and the trees are quite well-designed. 4. Advent Calendar This set ranks so high mostly because I'm just thrilled that we're getting it at all. I suspect this will be a tradition for years to come. I also appreciate that it makes Dumbledore and McGonagall available to piece who can't or prefer not to buy the Great Hall set. Meanwhile, I'm very eager to see the new Hogwarts Architect Statue, not to mention Flitwick and the trio. . 5. Beauxbatons Carriage To be honest, I don't like the source material for this set at all. That said, the set is beautifully designed, with lots of rare pieces and exclusive figures. Not to mention horses for Legolas and Gandalf once the Triwizard Tournament is over. 6. Knight Bus This set seems technically very good, it's just hard for me to get too excited about it compared to the more medieval/fantasy aspects of Harry Potter. No Padfoot= 7. Rise of Voldemort Well, four (five, if you count the Angel of Death) exclusive minifigures is hard to argue with, but the build is sad. No doubt there's some play function we can't yet quite see, but it's hard to believe the original Graveyard Duel set was only $10 more for almost 400 more pieces. Granted, the old set was ludicrously cheap even for 2005, and I think the new price point makes far more sense for a set that's mainly character-driven, but somehow it still seems like not a great set. The Deathly Hallows sticker is genius, especially because Tom Riddle's ancestor (would that be Cadmus Peverell?) was one of the original owners of the Hallows, and could have possibly been buried in the Little Hangleton graveyard. That's a stretch, I know, but it's the way I'll interpret it. This set mainly ranks so low because Peter Pettigrew's figure and the KKK Death Eater leave a gross taste in my mouth. I know they're kind of supposed to, but I honestly feel like both could have been better designed. Which leaves...."The Horntail"

Please, people, less patriotism, more Patronuses! Stereotyping is a waste of time and moral integrity, especially based on a small number of obsessed fans on a LEGO forum. The release dates will be what they will be, and I see no need for antagonism or mocking from either side. I know that's basically mini-modding, but there are enough other websites to talk about political entitlement and such things. We don't need that here, do we? My only real disappointment is that Amazon UK and Smyth's don't ship to the US. I suppose they'd be swarmed by resellers if they did. Ah, well...I can either save my money until August or spend it on something else. That's hardly a hardship. I wanted to buy all the sets on day one, but I will live. Or if by some freak chance I don't live, it won't be the LEGO Group's fault.

Haha, wow, thanks! Was that vial piece ever released in any theme? I actually have some magazines from around that time that I've been trying to find (not physical copies, but just photos from inside). I'll PM you, and if you have time, I'd love to see if you remember them! Also, is that a "wood pattern" print on Harry's wand, or is it just the light?

As a US American, I can safely say that this is “disappointing,” but not “unfair.” I guarantee you it has nothing to do with being a British franchise or not. Why do you think the US got the sets early last year? It’s all about business strategy, plain and simple. Also, just like to point out that FBTB, not to mention the LEGO Store employees and LEGO Customer Service representative I cited, were probably right after all.

Great idea for a thread! Sorry for my late response. Well, Blondie-Wan, based on your profile picture, you will be pleased to hear that I discovered Indiana Jones entirely through LEGO (that is, I knew about the movies, but somehow I thought they were from the fifties or something, based on the retro packaging). To this day, I love Raiders to death, while I mostly dislike the others, with special disdain for Temple of Doom, but I suppose opinions vary greatly when it comes to entertainment. I also watched the Prince of Persia and Speed Racer movies as a result of new set releases, but that was a waste of my time! To be fair, though, I have also seen the old Speed Racer cartoon, which is stupid but amusing, and the Prince of Persia sets were rather phenomenal, especially considering the source material. Same sort of deal with The Lone Ranger. Do you by any chance have a photo or link for that original LEGO HP magazine advertisement? I love the nostalgic Potter stuff, but oddly, I don't remember that cover!

I certainly haven't, but I would be surprised if we didn't get something. Two observations after re-watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkban (I'm sorry if these have been mentioned before): 1. The Harry Potter minifigures in the Knight Bus and Hagrid's Hut sets are identical. The film costumes are similar, but the minifigure is clearly based on the outfit Harry wears toward the end of the film. One less reason for me to be interested in the Knight Bus, then... 2. I don't think Fang appears in this particular movie at all! I had completely forgotten this! I guess the creature budget was filled with Buckbeak, Dementors, owls, rats, cats, bats, crows, and that weird sarlacc-egg thing that Hagrid covers up with a blanket when he has visitors. In my opinion, this makes Fang's omission in the Hut set much more excusable as long as he appears in a later set. However, this makes the absence of a new Grim mold (or even a repainted Husky) completely inexcusable, IMO. It would have fit perfectly in the Knight Bus set, or even as a tree-transformation feature in the Expecto Patronum set! Bonus observation: It's a just an amazing movie. I notice new things each time, like how Sirius has his wand wrenched from his grip as he's trying to restrain a transforming Lupin, or all the little details in the time-lapse hospital wing sequence (watch in slow motion forwards or backwards; the attention to detail is amazing!). Also, as a kid, I never got the joke where Hermione asks Ron: "Do you want to move a bit closer? To the Shrieking Shack?"

hehe, yeah, I noticed that, too. I'm really sorry for the confusion, guys; I had asked at a local LEGO Store (fortunate enough to have FOUR in the Chicago area ) and they didn't know anything about release dates. The employees had seen the pictures, of course, and we talked about the sets, briefly, but they thought any time from June to August. Then I called LEGO Customer Service and they referred me to that tweet, so clearly the sets are just well under wraps, perhaps unnecessarily so, and people are apparently just unaware of what's going on. So June 1 it is, I guess, and thank god.

Sorry if this has already been addressed, but VP of Design for TLG tweeted that these sets will have an August 1 release date, and FBTB's news seems to have taken a cue from this, as they are the only website I've seen that references an August release date. So is June 1 no longer the day to end all days at all? Was it ever more than a rumor? Did the release date get pushed forward? Pushed back? Someone please help me, because I'm confused. Obviously, I'd prefer not to wait until August, but if that's the case, I'd still prefer to know so I can budget properly. EDIT: In the comments, VP of Design at TLG admits he may have made an error about the release date. We're probably good after all, but who knows?

Way to make me jealous, man! Honestly, those are wonderful upgrades/Firestar customs, and the photo editing makes them even better! I may even use the Red Squadron one as my computer desktop, if you don't mind. Where did you get the official list of pilots for each squadron? Is this all canon now, or did you have to extrapolate for some of the unseen pilots?