RogueTwo

That actually looks pretty good! Although I feel like Mon Mothma could use some lighter hair. I've been using dark orange, but I guess reddish brown might be the best compromise. Is that Narcissa Malfoy's head?

I think the 2010 Snape is the by far the best depiction of Alan Rickman as Snape. I can see why the 2007 or 2018 versions could be much closer to people's imagination of the character from the books, where he is young and greasy. At any rate, printed legs are always a win in my book. By the way, now that I've used the word "book" twice, it makes me so happy to see that almost everyone posting here seems to be a die-hard fan of the books! As much as I love certain performances, music, and production design, the books will always be the holy grail for me. I don't want to come across as negative about the figures and prints for this theme; I honestly think it's the best licensed theme to come along in ages. Sometimes I just feel like there's a redesign for the sake of a redesign, and it ends up being ten steps forward, three steps back.

I'm really hoping for one of those large police caps. If they reuse the one that's been around forever (the one that was used in the previous two Knight Buses) I will be severely disappointed. Speaking of severely disappointed, the Shrunken Head is not good. It's a fantastic head print, but not really fitting for that character, IMO. I'm planning on starting a thread soon about previous pieces/figures that were (arguably) better in their previous iterations: -Shrunken Head -Basilisk -Madame Hooch's cape -Snape from 2010 -McGonagall from 2010 etc.

Wow, thanks for the quick confirmation! That's a disappointment, but there will be more waves of sets and minifigures down the road, I'm sure.

Wow, that's odd. Thanks for letting us know! In what country/territory do you live? Also, any indication as to whether we will be getting a Grim/Animagus dog with the Knight Bus? It seems like a perfect opportunity, albeit probably one that would require another new mold

This would actually be a phenomenal idea! Hogwarts is a school after all, it could use some classrooms. Make it generic and modular enough, and I guarantee AFOLs would buy several to customize the classes and the students. This $10 set from 2001 could have been phenomenal had it used realistic colors: Now just imagine (I hope most of you get that reference) that set with three more students and a slightly higher price point. Not to mention no Mirror of Erised, because almost everyone's heart's desire was pretty well covered in the Hogwarts Great Hall set. Regarding the summer 2019 wave, I'm stoked. I really want them all, without having even seen pictures of the full sets, but if I had to choose, I'd buy them in this order: 1. Hagrid's Hut 2. Expecto Patronum! 3. Hogwarts Clocktower 4. Triwizard Tournament 5. Knight Bus Just because I'm a huge Prisoner of Azkaban fan, but it's hard for me to imagine the Knight Bus flying off the shelves like a Hungarian Horntail.

I always assumed that Americans are known for their conspicuous consumption, and therefore LEGO faces way more competition here from other toys, electronics, and other things that would occupy people's free cash. I don't know how much truth there is to this, but that was always my take on it. Keep in mind different taxes, health care, housing, population size, etc. There are so many factors that make the United States economy different from Europe, and I'm certainly not saying better... Sincerely, A discontented American AFOL who can't wait for June

The Snowspeeder polybag leaked. I can't believe they finally went back to light gray, which in my opinion is far more accurate. I assume it's just in homage to the original set from 1999, but it would be quite a shift if all the classic Rebel ships were suddenly gray again!

I didn't realize the SSD had an interior! As long as there is not a transparent cockpit window piece displaying 100 foot-tall minifigures, I'm okay with that! You're right, it will probably be smaller than most people are expecting. And it had better be a real set, or someone is really messing with me and setting me up for disappointment!

They mean nothing for this set, insofar as whether or not there will be an interior. The UCS Falcon has some interior areas, and few would argue that it's a UCS. The Tantive IV is almost certainly going to be UCS (a display-caliber ship) as opposed to MBS (Assault on Hoth, Betrayal at Cloud City, and possibly retroactively Ewok Village, Death Star playset, etc.). The latter designation seems to have been created to placate AFOLs who find those sets inaccurate, full of unnecessary play features, disjointed, or generally poor for display. Ultimately, it's LEGO's call as to what logo, if any, is going to be put on the box, but I think we can safely assume that the Tantive IV will be designed first with display in mind. Sure, there are some ambiguous sets in mind, such as the Sandcrawler, which UCS with play features and no stand, but it seems safe to say that the new designation for D2C Star Wars sets are based around the sets, and not the other way around. One thing to keep in mind is that a minifigure scale Tantive IV would be several meters long, so any potential interior areas would have to be drastically out of scale with exterior design of the ship. EDIT: m4st3rt3ch beat me to it, but it seems like we agree.

Aw, you got me so excited for a minute! Although to be honest, since the figure already exists, it might be a more accurate Rogue One Vader than the "movie" version that was first released in 75053. Did you call it in the sense that you were intuitive, or did you have inside info? (Looking for reliable leakers amid the swirling rumors) Either way, I'm thrilled that we have a Bail!

It's still not the same ship in ROTS. Similar, but different in color and design, and has been retconned the Tantive III. That being said, I do prefer Bail's ROTS costume, and this is coming from a die-hard fan of Rogue One. Ah, well, it's all a moot point. We got Bail Organa!!

Is it possible he'll be the promotional minifigure this May the Fourth? After all, I think they're probably not going to release a buildable C-3PO polybag this year... And is there any confirmation yet as to whether there will be a generic Rebel Trooper in the Tantive? I know I asked this before, but I'm not sure whether there have been any revelations.

No, not usually. Early access tends to only happen for D2C (Direct to Consumer, that is, exclusives--sorry if you already know this). But even the Star Wars UCS sets always get early access anymore. Heck, last year, the UCS Y-Wing released for May the Fourth didn't even get double VIP points for the Star Wars "holiday," which used to be the standard, although all other Star Wars sets did, and the Y-Wing was eligible the next time the promotion came around. I would say there is almost zero chance of Major Vonreg's TIE Fighter having VIP early availability. That being said, there is a slim chance that an external retailer will accidentally or casually put it out on shelves early, at least in the United States. I see you are in Australia, and I'm not familiar with the "big box" stores there. Long story short, LEGO has really been cracking down on leaks, and chances of getting sets early or easily have gone down considerably. If you can wait until May the Fourth for Vonreg's TIE Fighter, you will probably get double VIP points and an exclusive polybag (2017 and 2018 were mini, buildable R2-D2 and BB-8, respectively each with exclusive printed pieces). I believe the threshold purchase for the polybag has been approximately 75 USD. If you are trying to get the TIE Fighter for someone's birthday or some other imminent occasion, that could be difficult. Sorry for the long post, hope this answers all your questions! Edit: Oh, and VIP points equate to 5% off the next purchase (points are added to the account about a day later). Double VIP points would obviously be 10% off the next time, which may not sound like a lot, but if you buy enough LEGO directly from the Shop... Also, IIRC , VIP points last for two years before you get a notice saying you have to use them, so a lot of people stockpile points to go toward big sets in the future.

Could be a snow-porg? If/when it has a little carrot for a nose, then we'll know for sure. I like the idea of the GONK present! Could you tell whether it was a printed piece like 75059 and 75149, or was it "brick-built" (or SNOT plates and tiles, as the case may be)? Thanks in advance!

Thanks! Darn good Advent Calendar, then! While I like the exclusive holiday figures, I keep them in storage for nearly the entire year, so ordinary Star Wars characters are more practical, even if less creative. Can you confirm whether there will be a generic Rebel Fleet Trooper in the Tantive, or will it only be the Juniors TIE and the Advent Calendar for now?

Thank you! Much appreciated. You're right, proof is always a good thing. It's funny the website hasn't taken the link down yet. If the Senate gets wind of this, countless systems will flock to the Rebellion. (I really need to stop quoting these movies...)

What website is this from? Where did you intercept this transmission? And hooray for Tantive IV! There'll be no escape for my paycheck this time. Any word or leaks on whether a standard Rebel Fleet Trooper will be included? It would be a bit cheap if I had to buy that Juniors TIE just to round out the crew... That's pretty harsh, but I kind of agree. The Resistance Bomber (minus Finch fiasco) and Luke's island were pretty great, though. I think the movies Episodes VII and VIII are phenomenal, though. Speaking of the sequel trilogy and 2020 rumors, this has gotten a bit ridiculous. While new TIE variants and Resistance ships are probably inevitable, is there any proof of any of this at the moment? I'll believe any of this when I see it, and then I'll be happy, and I'll buy it, and I'll remember for future reference who leaked the sets, and I'll thank them, but until then, I'm a skeptic, and I don't see the point.

Underrated comment. Sorry I missed it before. But you forgot the CEC fresh-out-of-the-box, pre-Falcon YT Freighter. Has it ever been confirmed what those look like (in the canon)? All joking aside, like many others, I have so far been disappointed by this year's offerings, but I think if the UCS sets are great, that's all AFOLs will care about or remember about this year looking backwards. I have decided that I will definitely be buying the 20th Anniversary Snowspeeder set. It's one of the laziest sets of all time, but I'm rationalizing my purchase like so: -New canopy print. A new mold is really necessary, but maybe the year's budget wouldn't allow for it, and the designer had to do the best (s)he could to make something that will hold up to kids dropping it on the floor. -Slight improvements overall: the exhaust things on the back are now more accurate in shape, as is the little vent on the right airfoil (Wow, my Snowspeeder-jargon vocabulary has real declined!) -New stickers. This should never be an incentive for anyone, but they do improve the look of the model. -Dak/generic Rebel pilot helmet finally has the little insignia(?) printed on the side. It's the simplest helmet in the series, and it took them 20 years to get it right, but here we are. Luke's is still a lazy duplicate of the version released ten years ago, however. -Lando. I have no intention of buying "Betrayal at Cloud City," and the Lando figure from that set is currently selling for approximately 60 USD, which is ridiculous. For two thirds of that price, I can get a Snowspeeder set, Lando with stand-o, and like I said some pages earlier, just pop a new head and/or hairpiece on him, and you have a Lando figure that is still more detailed than 50% of current minifigures. I'm just happy that swanky, two-sided cape covers up the anniversary print on the back! I swear to God, though, if they printed "20th Anniversary" on the back of that cape.... Regarding the other spring sets, the only other one I like is the Slave I, which is, frankly, brilliant. I honestly think it is better than the UCS that I have displayed in my room (at least taking price into account), but I have to save my money for a Rebel fleet, not bounty hunters. I don't need their scum.

As someone on the spectrum, I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or complimented by your post. I never liked the Ewoks, though. And, come on, you know you have a Snowspeeder before your dinner Falcon. Everyone does. Also, where did this Falcon rumor come from? A new one would be neither a surprise (to be sure), nor particularly welcome, but it makes a lot of sense. The TFA Falcon was one of the best-selling LEGO Star Wars sets of all time, and they have to work off the assumption that once a set is retired, it is inaccessible to kids and their parents. If people will buy a new Falcon at a LEGO Store instead of on eBay, or from a reseller on Amazon, that''s a big win for The LEGO Group. The only problem I see is that I don't think any Star Wars movie will ever again be as successful or well-merchandised as The Force Awakens. Add to that (or subtract, rather) the kids who were old enough to get the last Falcon from 2015, or the adults who already bought a UCS Falcon and will never again buy any iteration of that ship for the rest of their lives, and I think sales will be disappointing. Not to mention, it's sure to cost at least as much as the version from Solo, and if the design strays too far from the OT variant, some people will be put off. So...no pressure.

75244 has been posted on several European Amazon.com sites, with a slated availability date of August 2, which fits well for a May the Fourth release after a window of exclusivity through the LEGO Shop. Of interest, the box dimensions are listed as 58.2 x 10.3 x 37.8 cm, which is just slightly deeper than 75144 "Snowspeeder" and 75181 "Y-Wing Starfighter", but with nearly the same length and width. Obviously, all details are confidential, and these numbers could be dubious at best, but also of interest is the item weight, 5.79 kg. I am no pro at the metric system, but this is ludicrously heavy for the solidly rumored price and piece count. Even the largest, heaviest pieces ever would be hard pressed to make a 1768-piece set weigh nearly as much as 75159 "Death Star." But wait, there's more! Per Bricklink, 75144 weighs 2530g, and 75181 weighs 2478g. Respectively, 5.79 lbs and 5.57 lbs. If the scarce listing on the European Amazon.com sites, whether intentionally or accidentally, mixed up kilograms and pounds (and believe me, stranger things have happened), that would leave us with a box that has nearly the same weight and front dimensions as 75144, but slightly deeper, either to accommodate larger pieces, or just because TLG works in mysterious ways. I'm not claiming this as a hard fact, but I wasn't sure where else to post it, so make of it what you will. This sleuthing probably means almost nothing, except for one thing I noticed while crunching numbers: Brickset doesn't have a set listing for 75244, and I'm pretty sure they had one before. Does this mean someone is modifying it, or am I reading too much into this?

I agree with almost everything you said (I even forgot a potential new Mountain Troll, since I have the first one, and it looks better than 90% of the "big-figs" released today) but I think Collectible Minifigures are the last things that need hype. I think it would be wiser to release Series 2 next year to keep the theme going strong! Granted, this has surely all been decided by now, but since we've nothing more substantial to talk about... For the anniversary, hype something like a remake of the motorized Hogwarts Express with Hogsmeade Station, or a microscale Hogwarts expansion. complete with Quidditch Pitch, greenhouses, and Hogsmeade Main Street, including 30 microfigs, plus minifigure versions of young Lily, Snape, and the "Marauders"--in short, something we didn't know we needed!

Actually, what would be great would be to see Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince sets next summer, and then more Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows sets in summer of 2021, followed by a new wave of Philosopher's Stone sets in November/December 2021. That way, the whole series will be covered, and then they can start over again with even more coverage! (The Chamber of Secrets movie came out only one year later, after all). Then we could see the Philosopher's Stone challenges (Wizard's Chess, Fluffy, etc.), followed by a proper Chamber of Secrets set, along with any other omissions from the first time around. Repeat cycle until people get tired of it. These are words of wisdom. Sincerely, A long-time Star Wars fan.

The whole wide word of Advent Calendar humor, and you go for...that? Pathetic. I refuse to see Fantastic Beasts II, but I must say, I the graveyard in Goblet of Fire has limited playability. Then again, it frequently sells (or at least is listed for $100+ on eBay, so I'm sure LEGO would love for people to channel some of that money into new products! $15-20, Battle Pack-esque set could do it justice. LEGO very wisely kept Cedric safe by putting him in the Collectible Minifigure Series. The only way I could see this working would be a series of vignettes, which, while cool, would rule out the possibility of a new large dragon, whether molded or brick-built, because it wouldn't fit with the scale. I would say, regarding the rumors, allow a margin of error of 10 dollars/Euros either way due to wonky LEGO currency conversions. Generally, yes, but obviously LEGO has no control over this. The secondary market is entirely dependent on what buyers and sellers agree it to be, whether the other party likes it or not. In other words, it's all mind games. Believe me, I'm in the same boat. So excited! Whatever you do, don't order any Prisoner of Azkaban sets until we see what's in store for this year! I disagree that they had to justify a four-minifigure count. The Merpeople set had five minifigures (and about three hundred fewer pieces) for ten fewer dollars, so I think LEGO basically did whatever they felt like back then--and still do, I suppose! I really hope this is not the case. The Clock Tower in Prisoner of Azkaban is one of my favorite architectural/narrative elements in the whole series. Yes, a watchtower could literally be a watchtower, but I believe that in French (and certainly in Spanish) the words for "clock" and "watch" can be interchangeable if taken out of context, thus leading to a whole lot of ambiguity here. See you all in the morning!

Nice one, Mace! Although, technically, Anakin was telling the truth, he just had...loyalty issues.