brickbride

RDJ and Tom Hiddleston hit it out of the park, that's true. However, I'd include Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pratt and yes, Brie Larson as well. She had a lot less to work with in terms of interaction with other MCU characters, but again I really liked her Carol who was half fun party girl, half angry avenger with a genuine warmth and humour that occasuonally shone through. YMMV of course. I think you misunderstand me. I certainly didn't mean to suggest that Bucky should have been the new Cap instead! I'm not thrilled with what the mantle of Cap stands for in the first place but even apart from that Steve's movies were mostly about Steve, then about Bucky, and Sam was just there. It would be like replacing Tony Stark with Rhodey - that also wouldn't work.

But that space is probably actually meant to house a corridor since it has a secret entrance.

This. I didn't even like Steve Rogers but he was Captain America. The movies did a good job of showing us who he was, how his life experiences had shaped him into the person we knew, what he valued and fought for. I didn't like the character and often disagreed with his actions but he felt fleshed-out. Sam Wilson was just his buddy with the wings, Bucky had a lot more backstory than him. There was no real reason to care about Falcon and calling him Captain America now doesn't change that. In Captain Marvel's defense, I think Brie Larson's take on the character was excellent. I also think The Marvels was, in terms of storytelling, actually one of the MCU's better recent efforts. At least it was fun! But it definitely suffered from the overall decline of the MCU, from coming right after Secret Invasion (and then not even being consistent with it in terms of continuity, though that's probably a blessing given the stupid things Secret Invasion did to the continuity) and yes, from not giving Captain Marvel decent backup. I mean Dr Strange got Wanda as his co-star and Captain Marvel got Monica Rambeau, that's not really comparable. As for LEGO Marvel: Do we know if there's going to be a polybag bext year and if so, who will be in it?

Rumours for 2025 include a single Pirates of the Caribbean set under the icons theme (presumably the Black Pearl) as well as an entire wave based off the Netflix adaption of the One Piece anime/manga. Set numbers for the latter are 75636 through 75640 with 75639 being over 1.300 pieces and 75640 being 18+ and over 3.400 pieces. Those might well be a ship and/or a significant location (i.e. port). I'm not sure how much use the minifigs will be for a more traditional pirates setting unless you really like straw hats (though Usopp's outfits from the show, Luffy's, and even some parts of Zoro's might work), but there should hopefully be some good stuff here.

Yes. Seriously, why wouldn't it? It's one of LEGO's best-selling themes. The "most detailed" moniker refers solely to the modular Hogwarts system in any case, which is only a part of the HP theme. I'm sure they'll find some other superlative for the next iteration. This. I don't like the yellow hair for Draco und Lucius, I much prefer the old tan hair. And I really hate LEGO's tendency to signify femininity by having characters wear lipstick, no matter how inappropriate this is for the character in question. The D&D CMF series even had a barbarian warrior wearing lipstick!

The rumour was posted at the usual place. Both sets will reportedly come out in the second half of 2025. I've said in another thread (and was viciously attacked for it) that LEGO seem to base a lot of their recent product decisions on their competitors' existing products (i.e. Notre Dame, solar system model, microscale Hogwarts and Grounds, 2025's booknooks based on licenced themes in general and specifically the Hogwarts Express one for HP after Reobrix has already done both). Now they"re taking over the Star Trek licence from Bluebrixx and at the same time attack Bluebrixx' and Reobrix' pirates themes with One Piece and PotC sets. I really think there is a pattern of trying to assert market dominance in order to prevent customers from switching brands here. EDIT: Consensus at the usual place and in the Pirates subtheme of Eurobricks seems to be that the PotC set will be the Black Pearl (that's apparently a given) in midi scale with a Jack Sparrow minifig (I'm not sure where those details originate and how accurate they are). The Star Trek set is likely the Enterprise because what else would it be, but it will be interesting to see which iteration. The 90s kids that seem to be LEGO's main target group these days would have grown up with TNG, but personally I think that TOS is more iconic, and also that more people who grew up with TNG would be willing to buy a set based on TOS than the other way round. As for One Piece, right now the main thing I'm curious about is how they're going to do Zoro's three swords. Minifigs cannot hold stuff in their mouths. Do you think he'll hold two swords in his hands and maybe have some sort of utility belt for the third? (I guess they could always cheat and use scenes from past the mid-way point of season one, but come on, Zoro needs his swords!).

According to Brick Tap, both PotC and Star Trek are coming in 2025 under the Icons theme (one set each). According to Brick Tap that's the case, yes. Would PotC qualify? The last set (the Silent Mary) came out in 2017, I think, and they're not returning as their own theme, but still ...

Thanks for the find! After watching it my opinion hasn't changed, that set is definitely a need-not-buy for me. The interiors look terrible and all the cool details of the original Alley get lost in microscale. To me, Gringotts is the only building that looks halfway decent both inside and outside. I'm assuming there's a market for it though, as the original microscale Diagon Alley GWP from a few years back still sells at very high prices even though it looks just as bad to me. Good find, thanks! I'm honestly a little baffled since the last Quidditch-themed polybag was like two years ago, but polybags are always good for parts availability. I had reason to BrickLink a Golden Snitch the other day and I got it for an acceptable price locally, which probably wouldn't have happened if the Cho polybag hadn't made them more readily available.

A bunch of people are speculating that it might be Magneto. Nothing concrete, though. Well, Star-Lord's helmet is EUR 80 and only about 600 pieces, so at least the price-to-pieces relation doesn't seem far off. But maybe it's less a helmet and more a cowl or something, thus fewer pieces? Or maybe it's a tiny Ant-Man helmet.

Well you probably weren't far off. Some of the lowlights from HP for Summer 2025 include: 76445, 390 pieces - USD 60, 76451, 639 pieces - USD 90, and 76452, 795 pieces - USD 100. If LEGO are continuing like this, in a few years we might all be reminiscencing about what a bargain the X-Men Jet and the Hoopty were.

I'm assuming those five include the two without a piece count, but that would still leave us with three sets at less than 400 pieces yet more than USD 100? Even for Marvel and even in 2025 (HP price-to-pieces ratios for the Summer wave are out and are awful across the board) that sounds like a lot.

Yikes to the lot of them, really. Except for the phoenix - that sounds like a plausible brick count for yet another buildable monstrosity (LEGO can do birds fairly well but not at this small a scale) with no minifigure. As for Aunt Marge's, for what it's worth the Flying Ford as a stand-alone set was 165 pieces so that theory sounds plausible. Though I'd imagine Aunt Marge to be brick-built in the inflated version, which would add a few pieces again. Otherwise they're ALL bad. The Book Nook is especially badly priced given the competition (like I've said, the Reobrix one has over 3.000 pieces and is in the same price range), plus the LEGO LOTR one is rumored to be USD 120 at around 1.200 pieces so the HP one would be worse value for money than the in-house competition, too. (And the LOTR one almost HAS to include at least one minifigure given the subject matter while the HP one might well have none.) The older Privet Drive set was only USD 80 but had about 150 pieces more than the new one, as @joeeehas pointed out. The playset Diagon Alley entry, too, might be even worse value for money than its already overpriced predecessors. And the Main Tower now officially has way fewer pieces than a modular building while costing more (2025 Tudor Corner: 3.266 pieces, EUR 230). In the last years, we've seen price-to-pieces ratios like those with the more badly priced outlier sets in the more expensive subthemes (like Marvel's X-Men Jet and Hoopty), but now LEGO seems to be jacking up prices across the board. Like I've said: I'm pretty sure we'll get stuff for the Main Tower. Which would point heavily towards CoS since half the Christmases you mention don't even take place at Hogwarts, the Slytherin common room might be included in the actual set, and the Tower is likely CoS-based. That said, I wouldn't expect them to adhere to the plots of specific scenes. This year we got the caroling ghost and the House statues, none of which were plot-relevant in the slightest, as well as random House students like Susan Bones and Cho Chang with no plot-relevance for PoS, either. For anything plot-relevant I'd therefore expect it to either get a specific, smaller set (like PPM) or for it to be included in a bigger set.

Didn't know that, thanks. In other news, Minecraft Advent Calendar has leaked. That should put the discussion as to whether or not LEGO are still doing ACs to rest. I'm absolutely expecting them to do one for HP in 2025, probably with stuff to fill the Main Tower.

Minecraft Advent Calendar has leaked. That should put the discussion as to whether or not LEGO are still doing ACs to rest. Also it's reportedly USD 45 for 300 pieces so nope, not backing down on the pricing either. Like I've said - easy money for LEGO and not (yet) enough of a retailer's problem for it to need fixing, apparently.

I think 2024's pretty much done anyway, shouldn't we have a 2025 thread by now with what we know of the January and Summer waves? Can anyone make one or does it have to be a mod?

Given that we're already getting a) a Sony Spider-Man themed CMF series and b) apparently no Marvel advent calendar (after this year's Spider-Man themed one), I'd not hold my breath for much more Spider-Man themed content. Especially Sony Spider-Man! (Spidey and his Amazing Friends are seperate from this, as they're for a different target group; as are MCU legacy sets where Spider-Man happens to play a role.)

SW is absurdly expensive even by LEGO standards. The fact that their battlepacks still sell for less than HP's is kind of hilarious to me. The last similar HP set I can recall, 75945 Expecto Patronum, also sold for EUR 5 less. That one had four figs as well (and a more attractive selection IMO), one of which was exclusive and two of which had fabric capes. Fewer pieces, and no prints, but I'd say the giant glittery exclusive moulded bonus stag more than makes up for it. Alternatively: Polyjuice Potions Mistake. four figs including the exclusive golden Harry, printed chocolate frog cards, extra hair pieces for the boys and a printed cat head for Hermione, a really nice dual-moulded potions cup, and well over 200 pieces. Also EUR 5 less than what we get here!

A major chain store in my town had two different Friends calendars on offer this season, with last year's calendar priced at a regular EUR 15 (before additional store discounts). That's roughly 44% off and a year's worth of storage space wasted. In addition to likely complaints from customers that their kid already had the 2023 calendar, since nowhere on either the shelf or the set itself it says "2023" - though notably on the 2024 calendar it does! Another chain store still has the 2023 Friends calendar available at full price! If their stocks haven't been depleted now, in mid-December 2024, it might end up clogging their storage facilities for a whopping two years. And yet we got another Friends calendar this year. It's a problem for retailers right now. It might turn into a problem for LEGO if they keep up their pricing. It also might lead to a decrease in the number of advent calendars. But like I've said (and like @Swordyseems to agree), I don't think LEGO'll stop with either the pricing or the advent calendars in 2025 (sure they might weed out one or two but given that in 2024 we have six (!), that's still a significant amount overall). LEGO are very close-lipped about their prices, and apparently forbid retailers from disclosing them, but from comments I've heard over the years retailers ought to get the products at a discount of roughly 20-30%. Which means that at least in German-speaking countries, Amazon would sell most sets at at loss (unless they get considerably more of a discount than others giving their purchasing power). Most physical stores - both smaller ones and chain stores - carry the sets at list price. But between marking down individual sets that don't sell well and general promotions like "20% off all toys" before holidays, they cannot make all that much of a profit on them either. Honestly, I doubt that any regular toy store or chain carries LEGO for the profits! However, LEGO is - at current - still a major toy brand, and a toy store that doesn't carry any LEGO would be considered to have a poor selection which in turn would hurt the rest of their sales. Which is, presumably, why retailers put up with LEGO's increasingly ridiculous list prices. Including the ones for their advent calendars. But this position depends on LEGO being able to a) defend its market share with kids, and b) keep the more affordable alternatives out of toy aisles, so we'll see how long it lasts. I don't think LEGO are going to be focusing on making affordable playset for kids anytime soon, with the exception of stuff like EUR 10 Friends sets which are often decent value for money. The new Hogwarts Great Hall set is EUR 200 and next year's Main Tower is supposed to be EUR 250 - again, for playsets! Even worse, for playsets with removable sections which you're supposed to replace with additional sets to be sold seperately! Right now, LEGO seem to be focusing mainly on sueing competitors in order to keep them out, along with catering to the AFOL market. Which works but only as long as there are enough affluent, brand-conscious AFOLs around. From what I see in daily life, LEGO are slowly but surely losing relevance among kids. That's of course just a limited perspective given where I live and who I interact with - but pretty much the only kids I know who are into LEGO are those with AFOL parents, and then not all of them. Others might have the odd small set they've been given by their peers at a birthday party, and that's it. Overall, kids seem to be less into building bricks in the first place (which might well account for LEGO's increasingly frantic attempts to push their apps and online series) and then to care less about specifically getting LEGO sets as opposed to any other brand. So I'd be really interested in hearing what LEGO's long-term strategy is. Their main AFOL target group of nostalgic 90s kids is going to dry up eventually.

Well that's a retailers' problem, not so much LEGO 's. The only one LEGO themselves has discounted this heavily was, I think, the Marvel one (which might well be the reason why Marvel reputedly won't get one in 2025). Plus, again, given the price-to-pieces ratio EUR 20 isn't that unreasonable a price, so even if LEGO themselves sold them for that they'd likely still make a profit. The larger issue is that retailers might sell them at a loss but that's probably true of a lot of LEGO Sets, not just advent calendars.

No surprise here. The Marvel calendar was already criticised for having too-common figs, I don't think a collection of like three Batmans and three Jokers would go over any better. ;-)

Like I've said in the HP thread, I cannot imagine they'd stop with them completely. (You also forgot Disney in your list, yes, there's another one now!). Advent calendars are easy money for LEGO given the price-content ratio. And more importantly, everyone is doing them! By "everyone" I mean both other brick companies (Bluebrixx, for example, had a bunch of them this year) and other toy companies like Playmobil or Schleich. If LEGO stop doing them, people won't stop buying advent calendars, but they'll grab a Playmobil or Schleich one (or for the AFOLs a Bluebrixx one) instead, so LEGO would really only play into the competitors' hands. I can imagine them taking a break for single themes like Marvel, especially if the last one didn't sell, or to switch one theme for another with a fairly close target group - like Friends and Disney might not need one each, or maybe we'll get a Ninjago or even DC one instead of Marvel? But I cannot imagine they'll stop doing them completely. Besides, the HP one this year was just stuff for people to beef up their Hogwarts Castle Great Halls (which had a list price of EUR 200 to begin with) and the summer wave includes the Hogwarts Castle Main Tower with a list price of EUR 250, so there should be plenty of empty space again that needs filling, too.

First of all, LEGO doesn't make sets solely for movie-goers. The books are still a thing, new boxed editions are being released pretty regularly for both kids and adults, and those do factor into our enjoyment of the sets. It's not just Harry's incessant whining in OotP - the books (and movies) generally become a lot less fun after GoF. Just compare Lockhart and Umbridge, the teacher foils in CoS and OotP! Both are despicable people but Lockhart's despicable in a hilarious way with his incompetence and his obsession with looking good and his hints to Harry about being famous and his pride in having won an award for his smile. With Umbridge, all you get is Dumbledore handing over Hogwarts to a child abuser. In addition, the focus on classes becomes less with each book, mostly just one or two classes per book (Divination and DADA in PoA, DADA in GoF and OotP, Potions in HBP), whereas the first book introduces plenty of classes, even ones LEGO has never done (such as Binn's History class). So yes, like most everything else HP (Hagrid's Hut, the Burrow, Hedwig ...) PS and CoS themed Castle expansions have been done to death, but that's because the earliest books are the best suited to them (with later books filiing in gaps such as Divination). I don't think LEGO's all that interested in taking risks with the theme these days. Even Malfoy Manor neatly fits with the Ministry and Grimmauld Place in a mini series of dark location sets. They'll do one every other year - Lovegood House or possibly Spinner's End might well be next - but other than that it's the same old, same old.

Well to be fair, OotP is easily the worst of the books next to DH. There's a limit to how much of Harry's whining, Hermione's crying, and Ron's being a jealous megablocks the average reader is willing to endure. We've slogged through it because we'd already come this far, but PS and CoS are much more accessible on several levels, and much more accessible to a younger audience especially - thus of more interest to what is, after all, still a toy company. The 2007 Hogwarts Castle which is based on OotP came out in 2007 when the movie was newly released - that's a very different thing from making OotP the focus of a large castle set now. Though I do think the "most detailed Hogwarts ever" should have Umbridge somewhere in it. How about an Umbridge's Office to swap with Dumbledore's?

LEGO might well give us that scene soon. Since their new line is apparently "HP: Death Scenes" between Hedwig in the motorcycle set and Dobby in the Manor. I agree that a Ministry sounds awesome and like something that could really benefit from the larger scope of a D2C. However, I doubt LEGO would take the risk. We've had the Ministry olny once before, that set was heavily criticised and I cannot imagine it sold well. Plus it's kind of the bad guy lair in story terms. Much safer, in recent years, for LEGO to limit their D2Cs to generelly well-regarded concepts like Hogwarts Castle, the Hogwarts Express, the Burrow, or Diagon Alley/Gringotts (the latter was probably the biggest risk and I cannot imagine they would have taken it if not for the success of Diagon Alley, which probably explains the long wait). I mean the Hogwarts Express one kind of failed but that was due to execution only - when they first announced a Hogwarts Express D2C everyone was thrilled.

I've read somewhere that the designers deliberately left out Gringotts initially because it was the only thing iconic enough that it could be done later, on its own. Nothing else really qualifies. Not many people are going to want to start their DAs with Potage's Cauldrons and a bunch of other shops that are seen on-screen for half a second only from the outside, while missing out on the likes of Ollivander's and WWW. And LEGO don't do pubs even with the expert modulars, it's getting kind of noticeable. The latest one has something that very, very much looks like a pub but calls itself an inn. The only instance I can think of where they did a building that explicitly serves alcohol was the Hogsmeade Village Visit, and I guess no-one had told them that in JK's world, the go-to drink for thirteen-year-olds is supposed to be alcoholic. Don't get me wrong, I'd love seeing a DA Expansion! I just don't think we will.