BrickMatit

Wouldn't be a Phone Booth to little for a GWP? Assuming it would have the same number of pieces of the Room of Requirement one? Oh, well, just as a joke, considering LEGO designer obsession with toilette, maybe there will be a Toilet Entrance GWP .

Actually I don't think they were only vaguely connected. In the last three years we had Hogsmeade with DH Room of Requirement, The Burrow with Borgin and Burkes: Floo Network and Gringotts with a further Vault. Maybe it would be something different, but I think that a Umbridge's Office at Hogwarts could be a good GWP for september Back to Hogwarts event, maybe with something else strictly related to Ministry of Magic purchase, like the Collectible Weasley Clock was for The Burrow.

I don't know if the price in euros will be identical to the one in dollars, so I'll limit my little analysis to last year, taking into consideration only the Hogsmeade set. Here how much it should have cost Hogsmeade using other sets price per piece ratio. Diagon Alley (2020) -> 232€ Diagon Alley (current price) -> 262€ Hogwarts Express (2022) -> 314€ Gringotts (2023) -> €289 The Burrow (2024) -> 349€ The increase ratio between the first one and the last one is 64%, while the cumulative inflation was 25% in Eurozone. LEGO may have had to bear costs higher than average inflation, for example for raw material or transportation costs, but the fact its net profit continues to grow in percentage terms year over year suggests than only a part of the price increases are due to costs. Anyway, whatever the cause of the price increase, in the end you receive less than before for what you pay. And if your earnings didn't increase by 64% in these years - likely - well the effect will be even bigger. LEGO is squeezing AFOLs, but it's not that many of them aren't happy to be squeezed. As @RODDY says, the fear is that Harry Potter was Starwarsified.

The start of a new castle system - the fourth since 2018 - doesn't surprise me: the three-year scheme -is quite established, and while I still have some hopes that LEGO will surprise us with an Astronomy Tower set, I don't actually believe it a lot. I don't know how trustable the source describing the set is, but both him and Unibrick said that 76483: First Year at Hogwarts Castle set is movie based and we can assume also 76479: Harry meets Dobby set is, considering the series won't show that scene before the second season. Price point for the first set is said to be 109,99$ and using the price per piece ratio of the last Great Hall, we can suppose that the First Year set should have nearly 960 pieces. Just as a comparison, the 2018 Great Hall had 878 pieces, the last one 1732. So, assuming the set is a playset and not something else, we can conclude that this could easily be the starting point for a new Hogwarts system - even if it's strange for LEGO to start it in January and not in summer, like it used to since 2018. The only reason for this, I think could be the put on air of the TV series, so It will be interesting to see if there will be also series based sets - at least to give old collectors some not appeared before characters or locations and of course something series related for people liking it. The fact that LEGO sticks with the very first movies when launching a new castle was discussed a lot in the past, but it's perfectly understandable. Considering the probable number of pieces this Great Hall would be a downsize version of the location, compared with the last one from the most detailed Hogwarts castle and, by the way, it's understandable too: it gives people a more affordable castle both in price and in space requested. Certainly, this will pretty likely rule out the possibility to add new sets to the current layout without a heavy moccing work.

A user on Reddit put some images from the East Wing booklet ( ). Flying Lesson isn't officially connected, and at this point, considering it's scheduled to be retired at the end of the year, it won't be shown. The Great Hall will be retired soon—the expected date is the end of July—and, again, given how iconic it is, I doubt there will be a new set in the future without it. This could mean the current castle end.

Actually, looking at the prelim image, it's likely to conclude that the door would have been put on the front edge of Chamber of Secrets module. There are 2x 2x2 tile with a central stud to accomodate the door. So it was likely removed for budget constraint.

I'll skip every buildable object/creature 'cause I'm not into it. As for the two sets I'm interested - East Wing and Knockturn Alley - I'll wait September for the Back to Hogwarts event and see if there will be an interesting GWP.

Flying Lessons is said to retire at the end of this year. So there two options: or the set is meant to be connected to East Wing - and LEGO will show it on the set bookleft, so we have to wait until the first reviews of the set or the bookleft itself; or the set is a stand alone set and will never shown attached. In any case, it's a matter of days.

Oh, thanks. Yes, I've just seen the lifestyle photos and he appears the same. @Legofan04

The shirt under the dress is darker, black instead than dark silver?

Maybe there will be other sets, maybe not, but connections are a weak evidence. They put a connection also on the right back corner of the Great Hall where nothing has to be connected. Conncetions serves to increase modularity: let the people arrange differently their sets, even if they hadn't all of them, and suggest people to build their own add on. And there's also the Flying Lesson set that isn't until now showing connected.

On reddit (from unibricks on IG) the first image of East Wing, the front of the box. Flying Fawkes, Snape and the doe patronus.

The misterious set seems to be a Dumbledore's office book nook. Unfortunately no East Wing clear images... @RODDY we have to suffer a bit more .

That's my opinion too. It's a rough estimate, but Astronomy Tower could be done with 1180 pieces. Surely the interior would be pretty crowdy. And I'm not sure about the size of the dungeon, which in my opinion should be larger, because such a tall set with such a small base would be really unstable.

The same leaker, in the past, said there will be 12 minifigures - pretty coherent with the number of pieces and price, considering it's the same of Main Tower - but now he listed only 11 minifigures. Maybe Tom Riddle is the 12th.

It would be foolishness to have a Chamber of Secrets without Tom Riddle. I know that Main Tower had PS challenges and no Quirrell, but he was in the Great Hall set, while Tom Riddle isn't in any other set. And it's not a minor character like Pomfrey, whose lacking could somehow be justified, also considering she didn't appear in the PoA Hospital Wing (not that I appreaciated her missing, anyway).

Are the two torsos so different? Looking at them on Bricklink it seem the only difference is in hands colour that was Dark Brown in QQS and previous sets and Reddish Brown in the new one. It seems more like an inconsistency of colors: - Gryffindor torso has always Dk Brown hands (2018-2024); - Slytherin has Dk Brown hands (2018-2025), but Rd Brown in Main Tower (2025); - Ravenclaw has Rd Brown hands in Diagon Alley and Polybag (2020-2023), but Dk Brown in Trunk (2023); - Hufflepuff has Rd Brown in Diagon Alley and Cedric (2020-2021), but Dk Brown in Trunk (2023); So both Slytherin (in 2025) and Ravenclaw (in 2023) use different hands in the same year. And for Gryffindor jumper, it seems they changed the bright light orange with yellow. Likely someone in the designer team said: "Fools, it's yellow, not orange!" Quidditch is indeed missing from this castle. The last sets were in 2023: the Trunk - but one might argue that it is not really a (or half) Quidditch pitch - and Cho Polybag - with an entire very tiny pitch. Otherwise we'd have to go back to 2018.

This would likely be the best thing, I suppose, to give the slide its own space and to avoid having just a hole as the passage under Myrtle's Bathroom. Hovewer I think the structure would be disproportionate considering the entire castle. In the films, the Viaduct Entrance is as large as the Great Hall with the Entrance Hall, so to maintain the proportions, I think a plan with more than two modules might be too much.

Just the part with Slytherin statue head, in 2021 CoS, was 24 studs lenght and 8 studs width, while a single module is 16 studs length and 11 studs width. And there were also the access slide and, separately, the entrance to the Chamber. So I don't think the new Chamber of Secrets will be impressive, also considering it's said to be a small one, likely having Slytherin Common Room occupying half of the underground section. Looking at Lupin's class in Hospital Wing, I think that a module like this could be an interesting choice for LEGO. The central section with Slytherin statue and water and two snakes statue for each of the two side sections, so that when you slide out the module you can give the impression of a deeper set.

@brickbride for some reason I thought there were two at this point I take Millicent, just to have some variety. @Accio Lego

Very interesting news. Despite being a lover of the first movies, a HBP Knockturn Alley is the best choice. Assuming 6 or 7 minifigures, like previous Diagon Alley shops I'd add Draco (pretty certain) to the roster, Borgin (would be logic to have a shop owner); a new Narcissa would be a really good choice, but maybe there will just be a deatheater, considering how easily LEGO could combine the head and torso in production to create a new one from existing pieces. Hope to have a Lockhart never done before sinche the rebooting of the theme in 2018. And Myrtle presence strongly suggest that her bathroom will be part of the East Wing, likely with a slide to link it with the Chamber of Secrets. The current known roster of minifigures is Harry, Ron, Lockhart, Bloody Baron and Myrtle. Tom and Ginny are certain in my opinion. So there are 5 missing minifigures. Bloody Baron strongly suggest the presence of Slytherin Common Room, so one male and one female student should be a must and I'd say Draco and Millicent could be LEGO choice (EDIT: considering usually there only one student, I'd say Millicent for variety). Usually big sets have characters from all of the Houses so there could also be a Ravenclaw random student and Hufflepuff one. (EDIT: I don't know if there is another not so know adult character missing, or there will be just another Dumbledore), add Hermione and the roster is completed (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lockhart, Ginny, Tom, Myrtle, Draco or Millicent, Bloody Baron, random Hufflepuff and random Ravenclaw, Dumbledor or another adult). Expecto Patronum has 100 pieces more than the former one, so I suppose more trees or bigger ones.

Azkaban is something that here and there appears as a suggestion and I've never understood what can be the appeal of a dark grey, perched on a cliff, triangular plan building, without windows. The interior, if there would be one, would be nothing but a series of cells. Add a bunch of dementors, Bellatrix and that male death eather appearing in the movie, maybe also Sirius, all in prisoners outfit and a section of wall that can be removed for the explosion. Ministry of Magic has a very complex structure to being represented in a playset, even in D2C dimension, cause it's partly on the ground - phone box entrance - partly underground. And even the underground section has an outside section - with the fountain and offices buildings - and inside section - the interior of offices - and also a more underground section - Wizengamot, Department of Mysteries. But when I read about Ministry of Magic, I suspect that what some people want is not so much the location, but the characters. Really, the Veil room is a cave with the veil, nothing else - but to have a complete selection of minifigures you'd need more than 15 minifigures - Dumbledore's Army (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Luna), Deatheaters (Lucius, Bellatrix and other 4), Order of Phoenix members (Sirius, Lupin, Kingsley, Moody, Tonks). No way LEGO will produce a set like this. It's better in the battle in the entrance hall, because it would need just Dumbledore, Harry, Voldemort and Bellatrix.

That's pretty sure, in my opinion. As you notice, compared to Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade is a theft - well, it's a theft also compared to Gringotts or The Burrow. Surely, if we look at the current edition of the theme - "The most detailed etc." one - and considering how this appears to be a pretty complete PS and CoS version the only important things missing are Hogwarts Express, Quidditch and Whomping Willow. So I can understand people thinking about a Quidditch Pitch as a D2C set. In the past I created a nearly complete pitch, using two of the 2018 Quidditch Match set and adding stands (you can see an image here ). Really it's miles away from a D2C set quality - it has no field, no stands behind goal areas... but it's already a 2330 pieces MOC. And just to close the space behind the goals you'd likely need more than 500 pieces. So a nearly 3000 pieces for at least a 350$ set. And minifigure would be a problem too, considering just for two complete teams you need 14 minifigures (it's true that only 2 torsos would be needed) and at least Madam Hooch. So I don't really think a minifigure dimension Quidditch Pitch could be a good D2C. A new Hogwarts Express could be an idea for a set, but that's the fact that it was already done in 2022 and I don't know how adult collectors usually react when they see a repetition of a set they had. That set was likely not well received, in my opinion because of the price: 500$ was likely too much for Harry Potter buyers (better the shrinkflation, as likely LEGO tested with Hogsmeade). In any case, I think a Hogwarts Express D2C, smaller to the 2022 one, wouldn't add too much to the series to justify a D2C treatment. Maybe a Chamber of Secrets – Collectors' Edition, similar in style to the January Philosopher Stone one could be a good add. It's true it would be a second D2C in the same year, but untill now Collectors' sets were only put up for sale on summer. And the price of the set - 170$ - wouldn't be so high to be a strong constraint for buyers that would have to pay in a year less than for Hogsmeade. While I'm not into this type of set, I think that they could appeal a lot of buyers. Edit: Fawkes instead of Hedwig, Tom's diary and one or two Lockhart's books, Gryffindor's sword, a Polijuice reference, the notorious sock and the phoenix patronus to tempt completists.

@akaseim Main suggestions, based on my experience and purchasing habits: 1) don't buy directly by LEGO, never , unless you can't avoid it; 2) don't rush, but don't even wait the last moment . In general, the only two reasons I can see to buy directly from LEGO are: a set is exclusive, so you can't buy it in any other place or there's a GWP you're interested in. No other reason, for me, to pay full price at LEGO. I don't know in Spain, but even in Italy, that for what I know it's not a place with so various discount occasion on LEGO, you can simply wait a bit and look for interesting discounts. LEGO double points give you nearly a 10% value in Insider Points, but it's not properly a discount, because you have to use them on the next direct purchase on LEGO. Of course, you have also to consider shipping costs, but for example Amazon - in Italy - has a threshold of 35€, that can easily be overcome with a medium-sized LEGO set. Just as an example, I bought the Great Hall from an italian seller, paying 149€ - so 25% of discount. It's pretty rare for LEGO to have similar discounts: I see it for set that are going to be retired, but waiting for the last moment can be risky. When for some reason you have to buy directly from LEGO, of course try to maximize your expenditures, waiting for GWPs or double points. As you say, LEGO Back to Hogwarts on 1st of September is the best occasion. There are GWPs tied to a purchase threshold - for example it was 130€ for Gringotts Vault, Borgin and Burkes: Floo Network and also Room of Requirement - so I tend to keep some sets for my September purchases and deciding wheter or not to buy them looking at the GWP. That's why I haven't bought any Winter Wave sets yet. Let's just say I'm almost always behind on LEGO releases . Other GWPs are tied to a specific set. I admit that I was not interested in those, so I was not on a rush when buying Hogsmeade or The Burrow - and in the end I bought only Hogsmeade the next double points occasion. But if you interested in them, of course you have to buy them in that occasion. We don't really know, at the moment, if there will be a Collectors' set this year. There's an unknown set, said to be 129,99$, but with no other info. In my opinion it's too cheap for being a Collectors' set, so maybe there's another unknown set, even if it's strange to not know its existance now. CONCLUDING If I were you, I would likely look for interesting discount for Main Tower from seller outside from LEGO. I don't think LEGO will discount it - I don't really know if LEGO has ever discounted Great Hall - surely not this year, considering the Main Tower is said to be retired in summer 2027. And I would keep Hospital Wing for Return to Hogwarts event, so to have surely something to buy in order to reach the threshold for the GWP - if there will be one - with some of the summer sets (if you buy only playsets, there won't be a so hard choice, however, considering we know about Knockturn Alley, Expecto Patronum and East Wing). If there will be a Collectors' set you'll interested in with an interesting GWP you can buy only this set and very likely have every GWPs available that day. Sorry for the length of the comment

that was the funny part. But agree on waiting for info from some reliable source.