Author: bluephotographs800

LEGO/Adidas/NBA Shirts, Pants, Shoes Etc. Launching Today

While not exactly a massive newsmaker, the collaborative efforts between LEGO and Adidas have given fans some interesting stuff. LEGO rolled out limited-edition brick sets of signature Adidas shoes. In turn, Adidas had produced merchandise with LEGO imagery, sometimes mixed with the NBA too. Samples of these Adidas shirts with minifigure NBA superstars first appeared in the Philippine Adidas online store, last September. At the time it felt like the LEGO-Adidas wear might only see regional releases. That assumption’s no longer the case. Adidas online stores worldwide now carry these items, and added more gear.

adidas x LEGOr Pullover Donovan Mitchell Yellow GR9816 01 laydown

The Brick Fan reports that the LEGO-Adidas collection went live for Adidas worldwide early this week. Where before the only merchandise the PH Adidas store carried were t-shirts, this wave includes hoodies, sweatpants and shoes. The shirts and hoodies continue to feature NBA stars Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard, James Harden and Trae Young (as minifigures). In the latter case, we get cool close-ups of the minifig heads beaming some nice smiles. Then we have the Adidas Dame Extply Sulley Shoes, as seen in the top image and this shoebox. All these Adidas goodies are available in children and adult sizes, so there’s no buyer missed.

adidas Dame ExtPly 7 x LEGOr Shoes White S42806 012 hover standard

As of this posting the LEGO-Adidas clothing collection should finally be available. Pick your choice of NBA minifigure player on your shirt or hoodie. Slip on your choice of shorts or sweatpants. Finally, lace up your Adidas shoes. Their prices range from $25 to $95.

SpaceBrick54’s The Dojo Gains 10-K Support on LEGO Ideas

Going over the results of the LEGO Ideas First 2021 Review Stage meant running into other Ideas-related news. By that we mean another product idea gaining 10,000 supporters. While a completely original creation, this build by SpaceBrick54 wouldn’t out of place in LEGO Ninjago. For future consideration by the Ideas Review crew, here’s “The Dojo.”

the dojo 1

At anywhere from 2,700 to 2,800, the Dojo by SpaceBrick54 is an intricately designed set. Every detail, from the blooming cherry blossom tree to the nearby brook/river is gorgeous. Its complement of minifigures gets really busy too. Pedestrians walk by (or ride in rickshaws).

the dojo 2

Students practice out in the dojo’s open yard, or spar against one another inside. Even animals like birds and cats add to the ambiance. And again, you can add this to a LEGO Ninjago neighborhood build and no one would be the wiser. We could swear the cherry blossom leaves could fall naturally from the branches.

the dojo 3

The Dojo is the seventh product idea to join the LEGO Ideas Third 2021 Review Stage. For all its intricacy, it could face tough competition from a fellow structure build in Hyrule Castle 30th Anniversary. LEGO Ninjago fans would probably love it if the Review crew gives it a pass.

LEGO Ideas First 2021 Review Stage Results Announced

Way back in May, LEGO Ideas logged in a record 57 product ideas for the First 2021 Review Stage. A mind-blowing ensemble of original and licensed-IP builds vied for a chance to become an official LEGO set. That’s past tense because the actual review period ended this past weekend, after a few brief postponements. To start off with the results, only three of the 57 submissions survived review. In fact one of them is just a technical passer. Without further ado let’s find out which are the lucky product ideas.

jazz quartet

This submission placed runner-up in the “Music to Our Ears” LEGO Ideas contest. If you like Jazz music and don’t mind a static display, Jazz Quartet is an Ideas set to wait for.

the office

Aka the “if at first you don’t succeed” product idea. Jaijai Lewis really wanted a LEGO set based on “The Office.” Twice his work made a Review Stage; twice it ended there. Not anymore; the third time’s the charm. And the Ideas review crew got the hint. The set depicts the US-produced show on NBC however, not the original UK version on BBC.

snow white

This Disney-based product idea is a second-timer for the Ideas Review Stages. Unfortunately the reviewers continue to have issues with the submission and have placed it under further review. In other words, the last say on whether the Snow White build passes will wait until Second 2021 Review results.

All in all, the Review Stage netted some nice results. We’ve got new LEGO Ideas to look forward to in the future. We also wish “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” the best to ace its “further review.”

20 Years of Magic of LEGO Harry Potter – Celebrate with Matthew “Neville Longbottom” Lewis

Just in case you “Harry Potter” and LEGO fans forgot, LEGO reminds you again that the theme’s 10 years old. This 20th anniversary celebration for “LEGO Harry Potter” is happening all year long. We’ve been getting new sets and new LEGO Store promos (or at least there were this October). And LEGO also has been getting famous figures attached to the “Harry Potter” franchise to say hello. Their latest guest is actor Matthew Lewis, aka Neville Longbottom. That’s right: destroyer of the last Horcrux (and tragic prequel character) and “technical” savior of the Wizarding World.

Yes, look at the thumbnail of that video, released last weekend on YouTube. Matthew Lewis had a massive glow-up from his chubby freshman and unassuming 7th-year looks, eh? But what has LEGO planned for his guest video? Why, Matt’s being challenged to build his 20 favorite scenes from the “Harry Potter” films, using the 20th anniversary LEGO sets! And boy did it look like he was having fun doing just that. One reason might be that Lewis was also sneaking side-commentary on what his own character was doing. Indeed, Neville slaying Nagini the last Horcrux is (in Matt’s POV) better than Harry killing the Basilisk.

We’ve got to hand it to LEGO, with their deft promotion of their LEGO HP 20th anniversary sets here. Matt Lewis got plenty mileage using Chamber of Secrets (76389), Hogsmeade Village (76388) and more to build his scenes. The Hogwarts Icons – Collector’s Edition (76391) sitting to his left during his introduction still takes my breath away. About the only thing missing are, again, the October LEGO Store promos that got scrubbed recently. They better be in the November calendar schedule.

Rumor of LEGO Creator Expert Modular 15th Anniversary Set: Hotel & Art Gallery (10297)

In 2007 LEGO released a set, the Café Corner (10182).  This was the beginning of a series of LEGO building sets that were modular in function. Since then some 16 sets have come from the “Modular Buildings Collection.” They could be put together to form a city street’s worth of shops and establishments. We got the latest of these, Police Station (10278), way back in January, too. With its start in 2007, it means the Modular Buildings Collection turns 15 years old in 2022. Surely there’s no better way to celebrate that milestone than by a new modular set release.

That, coincidentally, is the subject of this new rumor from German LEGO news source Promobricks.de. Said set, numbered 10297, will have a commonality with the originating product, the Café Corner (10182). That set comprised the aforementioned corner café paired with a hotel. 10297 will also feature a hotel building, only this time it’s paired with an art gallery. In addition, the shape of the brick-built structure tapers off instead of having four 90-degree corners like its predecessors. A comparison can be made to New York City’s Flatiron building, which houses a LEGO Store. The Flatiron also had an earlier LEGO Architecture set adaptation, now retired.

Some specs about this set according to Promobricks are the presence of street arches, nougat-colored pieces, and 6 minifigures. This LEGO Hotel and Art Gallery (10297) will release January 1, 2022 alongside a 15th anniversary GWP (number 40532). Or at least the rumor says so; and that’s what we must treat this info for now.

Rumor of Minifigs on LEGO Education’s “Build to Launch” Series Packaged with 2022 Space-Themed Sets

LEGO Education is one of the global toy brand’s branches that rarely, if ever, engage in visible commercial promotion. Their target customers tend to be schools and educational centers, after all. About last month, LEGO Education introduced “Build to Launch,” a STEAM exploration series. Developed with NASA and centered on the Artemis Lunar Return Mission, this series introduces a cast of minifigure characters. Serving as POVs to this series, these characters, members of the “LEGO Space Team,” have distinct backgrounds and personalities. One expects such details to story themes like LEGO Friends, Ninjago or Monkie Kid. Is it possible that these minifigs could appear in sets coming in the future?

This is an interesting point brought up by Brick Fanatics. Sure, the characters of Commander Kate, Flight Director Maria and more serve to demonstrate the lessons on “Build to Launch.” Yet they look so fleshed out that the LEGO Education STEM series they’re attached to seems too small. Add this to the rumors of new space-themed LEGO City sets due for 2022, and it fits. Or at least it feels like they fit. These minifig astronauts and rocket technicians could perhaps populate the following alleged sets according to Brick Fanatics:

  • Moon Rover (60348)
  • Space Station (60349)
  • Research Base (60350)

Okay, the more fantastical space designs of LEGO City might not sync with the real-life Artemis moon mission. But it’s a nice idea. Or maybe it’s just rumors and the “Build to Launch” cast is stuck in the LEGO Education series. All the same, these characters are interesting enough that if LEGO does release themed sets featuring them, someone might buy.

Revamped October 2021 LEGO Store Calendar Removes LEGO Harry Potter GWPs

As September came to an end, LEGO gave us a glimpse of this month, on their official LEGO Store Calendar. The promotions we expected for October 2021 looked like a well-varied ensemble. Original themes like Creator Expert Winter Village and LEGO Friends were side-by-side with licensed IPs. These included “Super Mario” and “Harry Potter,” the latter of which was celebrating 20 years. No less than two LEGO HP gifts-with-purchase awaited buyers on LEGO Stores according to the October calendar. Well in the middle of this month things underwent an abrupt change. The Brick Fan has alerted us to this development.

0001

Take a look at the new October 2021 LEGO Store Calendar, as presented on LEGO’s servers. Take a peek at the original edition here for comparison. Yes, the LEGO Harry Potter GWPs are just gone. Hermione’s Study Desk (30392) and Hogwarts Gryffindor Dorms (40452) both just disapparated from the calendar promos. The new, bigger LEGO Friends GWP spot comes across as very jarring without Gryffindor Dorms beside it. The removal was quite surgical too. Both LEGO HP GWPs were to become available starting October 25, the last day of the month. And LEGO doesn’t look like it’s willing to explain.

gryffindor dorms banner

Honestly, it’s a shame that 30392 and 40452 have been shafted, at least for the rest of October. Gryffindor Dorms, being a revamp of an early-days LEGO HP set, would have been a sought-after special offer. Collectors perhaps might be able to pin the blame on supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. They messed up the arrival of Hogwarts Icons (76391) in North America; they could do the same for these GWPs. Hopefully they’ll finally be available next month.

Rumored LEGO Speed Champions Sets Releasing March 2022

LEGO Speed Champions has been on a wild roller-coaster ride of prominence within LEGO’s many themed lines. It hasn’t exactly released lots of set since debuting in 2015. There have been plenty of rumors that the theme might be discontinued. Then again, Speed Champions became a DLC theme for the 2018 Xbox One auto-racing videogame “Forza Horizon 4.” And last month LEGO assured that more sets will come out through to 2023. The latter news should be quite the relief for Speed Champions collectors. Also welcome for them might be the recent rumors of what famous racecars will get new sets in the coming year.

This information we have thanks to Promobricks.de from Germany. No less than five new LEGO Speed Champion sets are coming in 2022, four of them in March. Their prices are expected of Speed Champions, with one featuring two cars. Let’s have a look at what sets are supposed to arrive:

All the above sets except 76909 are alleged to be released on March 1, 2022. Do note that they are just mere rumors at this point. Take them with a grain of salt until LEGO gives us official word.

Creator Expert Pickup Truck (10290) Designer Video Now Out

The LEGO Creator Expert Pickup Truck (10290) had one of the earliest set reveals recently. We first learned about it in July, well before it officially released this past October 1. It being a rather key LEGO set release, it was just a matter of time before we got the designer video. And so we have, this past Wednesday, on the 13th. The arrival of this video felt comparatively late. LEGO Queer Eye – Fab 5 Loft (10291) got its designer video October 5; note the numbering. But that may be just semantics at this point.

As seen above, LEGO designer Pierre Normandin takes us through the paces of this set’s features. AFOLs who have been around since the 1950s would likely find the descriptions of this vehicle as nostalgic. The time period also lends to the Easter egg that is the LEGO logo on the tailgate. It uses the logo font from that particular decade. The Creator Expert Pickup Truck (10290) also boasts some of the mechanical interactivity one might expect from a Technic set. Having a steering wheel that can turn the front tires and an adjustable rear-view mirror makes the set feel “real.” This set is a prime candidate for immediate purchase by LEGO VIPs this week, with Double Points still in effect.

“LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga” File Size Spoiled by Xbox Store?

“LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga” is the most ambitious LEGO Star Wars videogame ever. How else would you describe a game combining three movie trilogies (plus “Clone Wars”) in one package? The game worlds seemed big enough in the first two games in 2005 and 2006 (adapting the Prequels then the Original). The year 2007 brought a “LEGO Star Wars Complete Saga” combining the previous ones. But Traveller’s Tales and WB Interactive have gone for broke with “Skywalker Saga,” considering the content from nine films and a massive animated spinoff. Somebody on social media just discovered just how big.

Brick Fanatics reports Twitter’s “Freakishly Geek” (@freakgeek_yt) saw data for the Xbox version of “LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.” On the Xbox Store, the file size for the game apparently came to a massive 52.16 GB. @freakgeek_yt notes that the game data was for Xbox Series (“Skywalker Saga” also has an Xbox One version). He later updated his tweet, dated October 13, showing that the Xbox Store has erased the file size. It’s now blank along with Release Date. For comparison, the now-cancelled “LEGO Dimensions” videogame, featuring multi-IP crossover characters, only measured 16.13 GB. To coin a very old meme, “Skywalker Saga” is “XBOXHUEG.”

WB Interactive and TT famously delayed the release of “LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga” from late 2020 to 2022. They claimed improvements to the game experience as one reason. That was no idle boast when one looks at its recent trailers. What is curious is Xbox Store abruptly removing the file size from its title data. Were they trying to keep it under wraps, or was 50+ GB a mistake. Hopefully we won’t have to wait until early next year when “Skywalker Saga” releases. Ah, and no file size info was reported for the other major game console versions.