strangely

That's what I was thinking too. It makes me think they made the one from this year intentionally underwhelming so people would want to upgrade it the following year. If they did the T-Rex build with scaffolding and a velicoraptor (maybe using the Atrociraptor mold) with Alan (with the new Indy hat) I would be pleased (honestly I'd be pleased with any additional Jurassic Park sets next year).

I hope we get that hairpiece at some point it looks pretty good. It kind of looks like Ariel has a new hairpiece too.

Examining the pictures closely there are some visible objects inside the Magical Menagerie (though I can't really make out what they are. It also seems the back wall of the shop is removable. Hopefully there's a couple surprises inside. I'm a bit mixed on Gringotts itself. The columns look too skinny, and the dome looks a bit underwhelming. I also really hate that they created steps up into the bank and then back down inside, it kind of feels cheap that they just didn't match the floor to the door on the inside. I do like the interior column and desk designs though. I think with a couple of mods I'll be happier with the build. I do really like the underground portion. The play feature is perfect and I think the overall build really captures that cavern feeling. For once I actually feel like they portrayed Hermione perfectly (they usually phone it in with the hairpiece choice). Bellatrix and Ron are perfect. The Goblins look good, though I'm a little disappointed they didn't include a PS version of Griphook.

Seems that one of the stores is the Magical Menagerie according to a leaked description. I hope we get a new Crookshanks!

It's in a blog post. The options are interesting. I feel like that Mickey Statue is the obvious winner. Honestly the other choices feel like the Ideas staff stacked the deck for it to win. I mean all the submissions look nice, but the other 4 are smaller, single subject with no minifigures. It just feels like an obvious choice for everyone to vote for the big one with the minifigures. I also feel like the Beauty and the Beast ballroom not making the cut might have been because they have something similar in the pipeline already, though that could be wishful thinking on my part.

Closeups of the minifigures are on Brickset now. I'm a little disappointed that Eggman's head is attached to the torso, but otherwise I actually really like the design for him.

I looked up the video, he said he was disappointed the Peter Pan set didn't come with a quote tile, and that we'll see why he's disappointed in the coming weeks. While he did show his entries during this quote, I don't think it necessarily means he was hinting about the contest. My suspicion is that he's hinting about another diorama set that will be revealed (like the Peter Pan set), but it'll have a quote tile (like all his submissions did) and that's why he's disappointed that the Peter Pan set didn't have one.

I fully expect they'll do sets for the original again at some point. For most of these remakes the merchandising usually died off after about a year (even for the movies that made a billion dollars). As much as I enjoyed the remake of the Little Mermaid, I just don't see it having the same hold over consumers as the original (at least not until todays kids are old enough to be nostalgic). I could see Lego doing some tie in sets for the Disney Junior series that just got announced, but otherwise I don't expect to see the remake get anymore sets (especially with the lukewarm box office numbers). A ballroom set would be awesome! I feel like the minidoll sets did a poor job representing that sequence from the film, so a set dedicated to it would be great.

No, there's a bow sticking out the back. I think it might be the newer mold they created for Rapunzel this year.

Same for me. Not sure why Instagram made that change.

I agree with you. I think them releasing the Keaton Batcave covered the only real set piece in the movie that would have made for a good set. Any Zod set would have basically just been a remake of the Man of Steel sets, and the Zod stuff is so little of the movie it feels like kind of a waste to make sets for it. Really, the only things I would have wanted in Lego form are the Batwing with spinning function and minifigure variations of Supergirl/Superman/Flash etc. I feel like if Lego had done a wave of sets for this movie, it would have just been a wave of Bat vehicles, so I can't say we missed much.

Weird, they revised the hat part of the Vidiyo mold, it's a different shape, they must have updated the mold. I like the look of the set, but I'm anxious to see some reviews, it looks a little packed in the renders. I'm also curious to see if they included an alternate book cover with the eye open. It is interesting that they included both the old broom mold and the new one, Lego just can't make up it's mind about that piece lol. The minifigures are pretty awesome, the Sandersons look perfect. I don't like Allison's face and hair, I'll definitely be swapping that out. I'll also be swapping Dani's legs with short legs. My only disappointment is that they didn't include Billy (though they did include his tombstone).

It's probably Hocus Pocus, Dani wears a hat like that.

For those in the USA looking for a deal, all the sets are on Kohls.com now, and they're running a promotion today where you get $5 in Kohl's cash for every $25 you spend. I was able to order the two biggest sets and the Kohl's cash is going to pay for the Triceratops set.

I feel so torn about the NWH set. The build is great, I love that they went the display piece route and I'm pleased with the color choice and that they managed to squeeze a little bit of interior into the head. The scaffolding with the machines are surprisingly good too and I love all the trans parts for displaying minifigures. Raimi Spidey is wonderful and I'm so thrilled to have a new version of that suit after all these years. ASM Spidey is pretty good too. Doc Ock is great (though I'll probably switch the hair) and Electro is really well done (I'm surprised because I expected them to skimp on these two). Ned and Strange are okay. Nothing to write home about. However Green Goblin and MJ bother me a lot. Goblins face is great and I like the torso, but the lack of leg/arm printing is really noticeable on him, he just looks so plain. Then the lack of a hood is baffling to me. The goggles face is paired with the hood in the movie, it feels like such a weird omission. A purple version of any of the hood molds would have been perfect. For such an iconic villain they really did the bare minimum. Even the version of him from twenty years ago goes harder than this one. Even just the Wyldstyle scarf would have been such an upgrade to this figure. And then we get to poor MJ. Her third appearance and they have phoned it in again. I had expected that having a much stronger role in the story they'd actually try this time around, but nope. I didn't expect them to give her a new torso, but I didn't think they'd pick the ugliest Ron Weasely sweater they could for her. I also don't understand the hair choice (maybe they just have an overstock of that piece). Worst of all is the face. Don't get me wrong, it's a good likeness most of the time, but for this set it doesn't work. This set recreates the scene where ASM Peter saves MJ, a cathartic and heavy moment for that character and the face they went with for MJ is just mild annoyance... At this point it just feels like someone over at the Lego group really hates Zendaya lol.

I was able to find Velociraptor Escape and Dilophosauraus Ambush today at Kohl's! So excited!

Seeing some of these reviews has definitely improved my opinions of the sets. I think I might actually get the Hogwarts Express set at some point, it just looks so sleek and compact, I think the new design for that scale actually looks pretty good outside of the renders. All the new prints are nice too, I especially like Hermione's new face, the Galleon, chocolate frog box and photo album prints. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes looks better in these reviews too, the compactness of the build is kind of nice, though I don't see myself buying it still. I think the battle of Hogwarts looks a bit less impressive in the reviews. Seeing the backside of the set in entirety really shows how empty and bland the interior is. I think I'll still probably wait for a sale for most of these though.

I feel like maybe they had designed this batcave for something else originally and then decided to tie it in with the Flash movie and as such threw in a few Burton Batman elements. Also, it baffles me that spinning the chair is advertised as a feature.

I really like the batcave itself, but the facade seems like a pretty big waste of money.

Having some time to actual look at all the pictures, here are my thoughts on the sets: Expecto Patronum: I actually really like the design. I never really expected it to be trans, and I actually like the solid color choice they went for. Harry's arm printing is a welcome surprise and I'm impressed by how much it improves the figure. I still won't be going out of my way to buy this set (as I usually skip the statues), but I could be tempted during a sale. Battle of Hogwarts: I like the great hall entrance, but not the rest of the build. I feel like trying to make it transformable into two separate builds led to the overall build being kind of weak. I do think the 'destroyed' configuration on the back of the box looks the best of the configurations. The minifigures look good, but Bellatrix and Molly's faces really bring down the minifigures for me. The lack of trolls and spiders is disappointing, it makes the battle seem very small and unimpressive. Quidditch Trunk: The design is clever, being able to operate one of the players by pulling the trunk handles is neat. However, the trunk gimmick for a second year in a row really makes me dismissive of this set, it just doesn't do much for me. Dobby: Looks great, I would never buy it though. Weasely's Wizard Wheezes: I didn't care for it when it leaked, but it's grown on me. It's different enough that it doesn't really compete with the DA version, but still good enough that I would be tempted to buy it if I didn't have the DA version. Lavender's design is still a pretty big fail. I get not making a new hairpiece, I know there's a budget, but I think there were better options available. I also feel like I would have preferred Hermione instead of Romilda Vane. Hogwarts Express: This one was the biggest surprise for me. I had zero interest in it, but after seeing better pictures, it's really grown on me. I actually really like the updated train engine, it looks way better to me. Hogsmeade station is really nice too, the overall design hits the nostalgia hard for me, so I think I might pick it up if I see a sale. The minifigure lineup is a bit on the unexciting side, and the passenger cars are too cramped, I feel like a couple studs wider would have been perfect. I think so far for 2023 the theme is still good, but I think it has lost a little bit of ground. I feel like gimmicks are taking over more and more every year. The banners were okay, but actual builds of those rooms would have been better. The trunk idea was cool once, but I feel like trying to jam an entire Quidditch pitch into one was a mistake. I also feel like the minifigures are kind of lacking. Molly and Bellatrix using old faces is disappointing. They finally gave Molly skirt printing, but somehow skipped Bellatrix. Lee Jordon's hair choice would have been understandable if not for them introducing a much better option in the Dreamzzz sets. Hermione's hair in the room of requirement was lazy too, they could have used Autumns hair from the Friends sets. I sometimes wonder how they decide which characters they'll go all out for and which ones they'll slap together and say 'good enough'.

If you google the set number you can find it pretty easily. It is ridiculously cramped inside and the trolley piece inside looks really funny to me. The lifestyle photos show a little bit more interior for BOH, there's a table with teacups visible and a stickered wall panel that looks like the great hall walls.

That makes more sense. I was wondering what those sections were as they were too flat to be the corridors that surround the courtyard. That definitely helps improve my opinion of the set. Seems to be a fireplace on the left. So I'm guessing it's supposed to represent the interior of the great hall.

I've found them at Walmart and Kohl's so far.

I think you're right. With the reintroduction of the Alice hairpiece and her inclusion in the treehouse, it would make sense for a minifigure set to be in the works. Too, I think it would be weird not to include her in the lineup given how well represented all the other 50's animated movies are (Cinderella has two minifigures so far, Sleeping Beauty has three and Peter Pan is likely to have three given the new Wendy Hairpiece and the unrevealed set, so Alice in Wonderland only having the Queen would be strange). Cinderella's Carriage would be welcomed. I've thought the minidoll versions were okay, but there's definitely room for a new and improved version of it.

I thought so too, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up in case the head and torso are just one piece.