LEGO News Archives | Page 177 of 413

New “LEGO DC: Batman” Home-Release Film Coming Up: “Family Matters”

The big-screen “LEGO Movie” franchise is taking stock of itself following the meh reception of “LEGO Movie 2.” But elsewhere, the home media branch of LEGO animation continues unabated. Their “LEGO DC” movies in this vein have seen at least one film released yearly. Last 2018, we got “Aquaman: Rage of Atlantis.” Now we’ve got another LEGO DC adventure coming.

This is “LEGO DC: Batman – Family Matters,” focusing on the Dark Knight and his family of Gotham City crime-fighters. A trailer for this home-release movie shows the characteristic blending of family comedy with adult bonuses.

“Family Matters” sees Batman (Troy Baker) make a misstep in putting more time in his “Dark Knight” business. He does this by putting up his company, Wayne Enterprises, for sale. Unfortunately it gets bought by Gotham rogue Two-Face, who uses “Brother Eye” Tech to create an army to rule/destroy Gotham.

LEGO Batman must then work with his costumed partners Nightwing (Will Friedle), Red Hood (Jason Spisak), Robin (Scott Menville), Batgirl (Alison Steiner) and Batwoman (Tara Strong) to infiltrate his former company and regain control. He must also ensure that Two-Face doesn’t discover his dual identity by reinforcing that Batman and Bruce Wayne are different individuals.

What ensues is a madcap adventure with fun gags, clever asides and of course, the expected signature LEGO-environment fun. “LEGO DC: Batman – Family Matters” will be released for home media on August 6. As expected, there will be a LEGO extra included on the Blu-Ray and DVD combo pack: the LEGO Mini Ultimate Batmobile polybag.

LEGO Hidden Side First Official Set Images Released

Releasing a toy line that interacts with a mobile game app doesn’t happen in a day. That’s the story behind the LEGO Hidden Side, a spooky-themed new line of sets introduced in February. We know the backstory. We’ve seen the app features and sets. Now we get to see the official packaging. We can thank Amazon UK for finally listing the sets for LEGO Hidden Side. Thus far there are seven sets shown. Each depicts a landmark or location in the game setting of Newbury High School. The LEGO Hidden Side has players exploring these locales which transform into haunted versions when night falls.

J.B.’s Ghost Lab (70418)

Laboratory setup with spirit portal; three minifigures and one “ghost-dog” figure

Wrecked Shrimp Boat (70419)

Features a river tugboat and kayak with haunted waterfront, four minifigures, one ghost-dog, and one gator figure.

Graveyard Mystery (70420)

Features a haunted cemetery with five minifigures (one skeleton and one angel statue) plus a ghost-dog figure.

El Fuego’s Stunt Truck (70421)

Features a weapon-laden monster truck and tricycle, four minfiigures (two ghosts) and (again) one ghost-dog figure.

Paranormal Intercept Bus 3000 (70423)

Features a ghost-hunting ready school bus, roadwork obstacles and port-a-potty, five minifigures (two ghosts) and that ghost-dog figure once again.

Ghost Train Express (70424)

Haunted ghost-train (with track) and station; five minifigures (two ghosts) and you-know-what.

Newbury Haunted High School (70425)

By far, this set is the largest in the LEGO Hidden Side theme. It is also the central location for the events in the story where the Newbury High school building transforms into a Monster House at night. The set includes seven minifigures, three of which are ghosts or spooky creatures, including the ghost-dog figure.

From the original product announcement months ago, there’s actually one more set that wasn’t featured here. It’s the LEGO Hidden Side Shrimp Shack Attack (70422). It’ll probably pop up later, whether on Amazon UK too or someplace else. This latest theme, both its sets and app, are scheduled to be released sometime late summer this year.

“The LEGO Ninjago Movie Videogame” Joins PS Now Game Library this May

There have been quite a number of LEGO videogames released over the years that some titles might fade away ignominiously. When copies can no longer be acquired from stores, then perhaps these games can regain notice by entering digital-subscription platforms. Some of these, like Sony’s PS Now, have helped some past videogames avoid being forgotten.

On the second week of May, Sony has tipped its hand on the new additional game titles to PS Now. As if it weren’t obvious yet, a LEGO game’s included in the list. This is “The LEGO Ninjago Movie Videogame,” a tie-in to the 2017 spinoff of “The LEGO Movie.”

The “LEGO Ninjago Movie” game is of course developed by the usual suspects of WB Interactive and TT Games. While it employs similar gameplay mechanics as most WB Interactive-Traveller’s Tales videogames, this title has its own additional features. A 4-way “Battle Map” death-match sounds good.

There are a total of 10 new titles added to the PS Now platform, including “The LEGO Ninjago Movie Videogame.” They comprise eight Sony PlayStation 4 games (again, including our LEGO title) and two PS3. Ninjago fans who fancy the alternate retelling of the film from the series might well like this 2017 videogame adaptation.

Monster LEGO Technic Set Liebherr R 9800 (42100) Release Moved from August to October

Last April we got our first good look at one of the newest monster-builds in the LEGO Technic line. This was the Liebherr R9800 (42100), a gigantic excavator that’s been rendered in an equally-huge Technic build. It also boasts an incredible app-operated CONTROL+ multiple function mechanics system with motor engines moved by Smart Hub units.

The news then was that the LEGO Technic Liebherr R9800 (42100) will be released on August 1. However, a new update from German LEGO news source Promo Bricks has scratched that schedule. LEGO has instead moved the start of sale several months to October instead.

Why was this Technic set delayed? The description of the Liebherr R9800 set (42100) and its mechanical features answer everything. Apparently, some of the components that go into the build were taking too long to manufacture. It’s the holdup in production times that spurred LEGO to just postpone the release.

Both retailers and LEGO outlets – branded stores and Shop@Home – are now holding off on this Technic set until October. While it’s a bother for Technic collectors to wait longer, the reason is at least understandable. The Liebherr R9800 (42100) is another push on the furthest limits of what the Technic line can build after all.

Home Video for “LEGO Movie 2” Now Available, with Different Extras from Different Retail Chains

When it comes to the sequel, the song as it were didn’t get stuck inside our heads. We’re talking about “LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part,” sequel to the 2014 blockbuster that wasn’t quite able to click. At least the tie-in LEGO sets and videogame were good enough to compensate.

Perhaps the momentum could be shifted from the cinemas to houses. Warner Bros. Pictures announced the home media release for “LEGO Movie 2” back in March. As of this week that day has finally arrived. The three major video formats of this age – Blu-Ray, Digital and DVD – are well-represented here.

Also notable is that some of the retailers stocking the “LEGO Movie 2” home media versions have their own exclusives. Two of these retail chains have tie-in polybags released months ago. A third has a more prestigious packaging instead. Compare these three sets and choose:

Wal-Mart – Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital Copy combo pack with Emmet’s “Piece” Offering (30340) for $29.99
Target – Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital Copy combo pack with Rex’s Plantimal Ambush (30460) for $27.99
Best Buy – Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital Copy combo pack in sturdy SteeBook storage with General Sweet Mayhem art for $29.99

Note also that the Blu-Ray will include more stuff than just the actual movie itself. From a sing-along of “Everything is Awesome,” the expected commentary voiceovers, production featurettes, a short animation, and much more. It’s strange that no “Catchy Song” sing-along was included. Still, this is a second opportunity for “LEGO Movie 2” to become memorable for LEGO fan audiences.

Barnes & Noble Restocks LEGO Bricktober 2018 4-Minifigure Set for Harry Potter (5005254)

It’s like a story retold to tedium, about last year’s LEGO Bricktober 4-piece minifigure sets. Originally slated for Toys R Us, they had to be made available elsewhere in the US for obvious reasons. For instance, the Bricktober for LEGO Harry Potter (5005254) was to be made available in major bookstore chain Barnes & Noble.

That announcement came to pass. Collectors managed to acquire the LEGO Bricktober Harry Potter set (5005254) in B&N stores before October 2018 was done. We’d thought that that was the end of it, that any further 5005254’s will be found online. But there are still more left at B&N apparently.

The official Barnes & Noble website has once again put LEGO Harry Potter Bricktober 2018 (5005254) up again for listing. If any Potter-fans haven’t gotten this then now’s the time. Granted, quantities for the set seem limited. It’s already marked “temporarily” out of stock online.

If you’re planning to grab your 4-piece minifigure collection, its current price is at $14.99 and it might be available on B&N stores instead. LEGO Bricktober 2018 Harry Potter (5005254) consists of Madame Hooch, Professor Horace Slughorn, Dolores Umbridge and the “Prisoner of Azkaban” Boggart in the form of Snape.

Early Halloween Treat with Reddit User’s Ultimate LEGO Haunted House MOC Featuring Franchise Crossovers

The best thing about LEGO, particularly its sets based on licensed franchise, is the potential for crossovers. What’s really going to stop you from combining LEGO DC and LEGO Marvel for double the superhero vs. super-villain action? Many a builder out there has demonstrated cross-franchise awesome with their various MOCs.

One very recent example is given us by @Kreimkoek, a Reddit user. It’s an impressive two-story (plus attic) house that also happens to be haunted. While seemingly tranquil-looking from the outside, it’s when the build is opened up that the true terrors are revealed. And what a lot of shout-outs!

@Kreimkoek references several scary media franchises in his LEGO haunted house. The theme is initially innocuous (Halloween trick-or-treaters in the front door, witch with boiling-pot in the backyard). But inside, we find Regan from “The Exorcist” doing her crab-walk, “Gremlins” raiding the fridge, Ghostface from “Scream” chasing a victim…and “Scooby-Doo.”

And they’re not the only ones. Ash of “Evil Dead” fame, Norman Bates from “Psycho,” and “Beetlejuice” as well. The eclectic selection of characters is a major draw for this scary cool MOC. It’s too franchise-heavy for actual submission LEGO Ideas, but we can thank @Kreimkoek for his work.

“LEGO Harry Potter Build Your Own Adventure” Book Ready for Pre-Order on Amazon

From a certain point of view, UK publisher Dorling-Kindersley (DK) is the king of LEGO printed media and references. Recently they brought out a New Edition for their long-running “LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary.” It even got a 20^th Anniversary Edition (with extra freebies) timed with the product line’s milestone.

But “Star Wars” is just one licensed franchise under LEGO’s belt. They also have Warner and J.K. Rowling’s “Wizarding World,” particularly “Harry Potter.” That’s the subject of this new “Build Your Own Adventure” book that’s been listed on Amazon. It’s also now ready for preorder.

As can be expected from DK’s “Build Your Own Adventure” series, this book combines visual references to the world of “Harry Potter.” That’s doubled with nifty building instructions to recreate locales and scenes familiar to “Potter” readers from books and films, using existing LEGO pieces.

The book also comes with several goodies too. There’s a Harry Potter minifigure, a poster and several bookmarks. It also carries enough LEGO bricks with which to build an exclusive 2-in-1 set not rendered in any other LEGO HP products. The builds appear to be a Hogwarts Castle interior doorway and a possible fireplace to use the Floo Network on.

“LEGO Harry Potter Build Your Own Adventure” from Dorling-Kindersley is priced at $16.33 on Amazon. Like we said earlier, it’s up for preorder over there now, in anticipation for its official release on July 4.

Another LEGO-Themed Accesory Line on Amazon: Minifigure-Head Containers

First there was the wall hangers shaped like LEGO studs. Then we had the storage boxes and drawers shaped like LEGO bricks. What other household organizers are we going to see LEGO-fied? True to form the answer can be found in Amazon. How about minifigure-head containers? Indeed, Amazon again has a sale going on for LEGO household organizers, in this case, the minifigure-head containers. They come in two sizes, small and large. Also, depending on size there are two (large) or four (small) variants with different facial expressions. These storage containers each have a removable cover to put stuff inside the head (but it’s not watertight).

Regarding the Amazon discounts for these LEGO head containers, the Large Girl Head’s got the best deal. Normally priced at $35.99, it’s down 35% to only $23.48 now. That’s great but unfortunately, there’s no discount made for the Large Boy version, because it’s out of stock.

For the Small versions, it’s the Small Boy that has the Amazon discount. Formerly $14.69, it’s now only $12.55 thanks to a 15% discount. All LEGO Storage Heads are made of plastic polypropylene without PVC. The Small Head actually can fit its bottom to the top pegs of the LEGO Brick storage boxes. Now that’s compatibility.

LEGO BOOST “Realizes” Brick-Built “Star Wars” Droids with Upcoming Droid Commander Kit (75253)

For LEGO and its variety of products, the level of complexity available depends on how intricate you want your builds. It can either be like the interlocking Technic system, or brick-built sets with programmable internal mechanics. That’s been tackled by LEGO in their STEM-leaning BOOST sets, which offer basic programming.

With the recent Star Wars Celebration and May the Fourth franchise fandom events, LEGO saw a prime opportunity to announce a new BOOST building-programming kit. As might be expected, it’s based on “Star Wars.” Droid Commander (75253) sees players assemble brick renditions of three Droid models from the franchise and program them with multiple motions and functions like real robots.

The LEGO Boost Droid Commander (75253) set has the usual BOOST downloadable mobile app, color and distance sensors, Bluetooth-powers “Move Hub,” interactive motors and enough pieces to create an Imperial Mouse Droid, a blocky GNK (“Gonk”) Droid, or R2-D2 itself.

LEGO Star Wars fans can expect BOOST Droid Commander (75253) to be released in September 1. LEGO Group CMO Julia Goldin remarks that putting the “Star Wars” theme on the LEGO BOOST system was a great way to fire up imaginations of young program encoders while building their STEM knowledge.

With over 40 possible programming “missions” that can be given via BOOST app to the Droid Commander (75253) builds, the Galactic-level fun never ends. To paraphrase Obi-Wan Kenobi, “These are the Droids we’re looking for.”