Virginia_Bricks

I thought that was more likely to be this year to give a lower priced D2C after Hogsmeade similar to the Burrow. While I still want a D2C OOTP/DH 12 Grimmauld Place, I think a playset is more likely. And there would be overlap in mini-figs between these sets with Sirius, Kingsley, and Tonks. If the whispers of a new modular castle are true at a lower price point, then the higher price point play set slot could be used. $160-200 would be a good price point as the original was $135 inflation adjusted. Lego is also known to follow secondary prices to determine good future sets. Right now 12 Grimmauld Place new goes for $200+. Clearly there is demand.

UniBricks posted today that Helm's Deep is coming in 2027 and more LOTR sets (assuming beyond the Mumakil).

Everyone can have their own opinion. But I don't see where you can easily add this GWP to the atrium. There might be enough space in front of the floo chimney but then you block it or in front of the fountain but then you block that. Compare that to the Tie Fighter GWP that explicitly fit into the hanger.

In other news, the new Dobby and House Crest are in a 2 in 1 set now. Think this is the first time Harry Potter got a combo set

All licensed themes start out cheaper. Look at One Piece currently. Lego needs to create demand and test out the market, but once they have data they know what the market will tolerate.

The veil is silver. I honestly don't know what the gold thing is next to it though. The mini-figures in the set are well designed instead of giving us a lot (like DA did). For a newer collector I am happy to get my first Tonks, Mad-Eye, and Umbridge. But I can see those who have been around awhile won't get too excited. The image also doesn't show the trio or the goblin, so I think there is more display space behind for mini-figures. Official pictures in a week or two I think will make this look a lot better. I am pretty sure the middle floor extends backwards behind the golden statue as a way of providing counterbalance for the height and so more things might be under that.

I don't blame the designers. They are given parameters and most of the time do wonderful things within them. I know Lego sets a limit on new molds for each set (along with re-colors) and I just assumed the hat piece even as a reused mold would be done. It seems the budget rather went to the new cloth pieces. The banner and I think the veil (seems to be two pieces).

And it confirms a Gambon and Harris Dumbledore mix which is the most egregious short cut since we haven't had a Gambledore mini-figure in too long.

All in all, I'm content with the design (and price). The only way to include the phone box is to make a full street level since otherwise it would look odd to have a full level just for a the phone box. I do hope the grey piece isn't the magical elevators but rather the banner that gets displayed but based on how its drawn I am guessing its an elevator that can take mini-figs between floors like in the Death Star. 14ish mini-figures is what I expected but no Bellatrix or any Death Eaters would be odd (so hopefully the two unknown maybe are) with the veil scene. Not going to buy day one because the non-Lego GWPs just don't interest me and so waiting for 2x points is better. Buying the East Wing during Back to Hogwarts instead.

Looking at the sketch, I have a feeling each major section can be detached and displayed separately (kind of like the modular Hogwarts builds). In that scenario the top portion maybe is in scale and the middle, but yeah you wouldn't attach with them all combined. I do wonder if the top becomes the Leaky Cauldron to give fan service even if it makes little canonical sense. Or it could be the building that had the bathrooms from DH.

Solid news on the GWP. The microscale castle is a retail set and not the GWP. Still possible it’s part of the modular castle. The retail set has an exclusive mini-figure. At $40 I wouldn’t assume a patronus

Let me know how those silver pieces look in a year from now. I’d expect them to be in not great shape. Partially because of quality control and partially because drum lacquered silver just gets beat up no matter how nice. Just look at the new N-1

So far of the minifigure lineup, no potential for a new patronus. Tonk’s Jack rabbit or wolf are done, Dumbledore’s Phoenix, And Umbridge’s cat. Voldemort doesn’t have one. Moody’s is non-corporeal. Mrs Figg was a Squibb

Leg printing on 5 of the 6 mini-figures so far is a good thing. Only 2 in Hogsmeade. The Moody inclusion is a good sign that 10+ is significantly 10+. You would have to still expect the trio, at least Fudge for the trial scene (since we have Figg we know that is in there now), a few DA members and Death Eaters since Tonks suggests the veil scene, and maybe the silver trio. Honestly, I think that is where the cuts are going to happen, the silver trio.

The US Iran war drove up oil prices which are kind of essential for plastic. This is what I expected for a price. I’m expecting at least one large printed cloth piece that will drive up the price