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It’s Official: Disney Now Owns 21st Century Fox.

After years of speculation and a hint of a possibility of a merger between the House of Mouse and entertainment giant 21^st Century Fox, the deal as it seems, is now finally sealed. In an official press statement by the Walt Disney Company earlier today, Disney has announced the buyout of Fox’s biggest film titles and franchises, with a colossal price tag of $52.4 billion USD. Now if you can’t fully grasp how large this amount is, just consider that you can theoretically purchase the entire countries of Papua New Guinea and Cambodia (based on these countries estimated 2017 GDP) and still have some change to spare.

Now that the deal between Disney and 21^st Century Fox has finally set the deal in stone, what can we expect from Disney as far as possible future LEGO tie-in sets are concerned? Screen Rant has written a summary of every Fox movie franchise that now practically belongs to Disney, which bolsters the House of Mouse’s repertoire of Marvel-related films and other well-known movie franchises. Being a family-friendly company as it is, it is also expected that some of these franchises may well translate into a LEGO set as well. Truth be told, not all films will quickly have its place inside the reverent Disney Castle, and the company has to work its storytelling magic on how some of these will blend in seamlessly with everything that Disney stands for. Just imagine how Deadpool will feel standing beside Captain America in the MCU, with the former being overly conscious not to say anything ‘offensive’ in front of Cap, and somehow we’ll get an idea.

Though these things will take a while to iron out, we can somehow predict the potential LEGO sets that may come along once Disney starts to work on these films. So let’s take a look at some of these franchises – both on-going and those that can be potentially rebooted or continued – and what LEGO sets can potentially be created out of them.

Ongoing Franchises

Avatar

Fantastic Four

X-Men

Deadpool

Franchises That Can Be Rebooted or Continued

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Doctor Dolittle

Home Alone

Ice Age

Percy Jackson

Chronicles of Narnia

Moreover, now that the Simpsons is officially under the Disney umbrella, it is also possible that we will see a revival of interest for more LEGO sets under this theme, or at the very least, a re-launch of some of the most faved sets that we have such as the Kwik-E Mart (71016), The Simpsons House (71006), and the Simpsons Series 1 and Series 2 CMF lines.

Since it was already made clear by Disney CEO Bob Iger (whose contract has been extended until 2021) that the company will look forward to expanding the MCU to include the X-Men, Deadpool and Fantastic Four, I’m personally looking forward to how Disney will weave these superheroes into the MCU’s storyline, with some even speculating on a complete reboot in order for it to happen. Needless to say, it will be a bit complicated how future films featuring the Merc with a Mouth will receive Disney’s seal of approval. I find it hard, if not funny, to imagine how Deadpool will behave, and break the fourth wall keeping in mind his Disney bosses.

Coming up with more LEGO sets including Deadpool and the rest of the X-Men have been long overdue, with a relatively small number of LEGO Marvel Superhero sets already released such as the X-Men vs Sentinel (76022), Spider-Man: Daily Bugle Showdown (76005) and Wolverine’s Chopper Showdown (6866). Additionally, it will not be a long shot to consider a Reed Richards minifigure since we already saw how Ms. Marvel got the LEGO treatment with Captain America Jet Pursuit (76076). Ben Grimm can easily be translated into bigfig form while Johnny Storm and Sue Richards can easily get their own minifigure versions as well.

Now I must say that am I pretty excited to consider how Avatar, Ice Age, and Chronicles of Narnia will all look like in LEGO form, given the vast colorful worlds and the characters that each franchise has. The second sequel to Avatar is expected to be as grandiose as the first one with a return to Pandora with its colorful and lush fauna and flora, and the mysterious people of the Na’vi. With a film as big as Avatar, it is not far-fetched to consider that LEGO will work its brick-building magic to come up with equally colorful and aesthetically pleasing sets perhaps in a similar vein as that of LEGO Elves.

Ice Age has been a long-time Fox animated film franchise, and it will be relatively easy for LEGO to come up with sets featuring the gang of Manny, Diego, and Sid. I can easily imagine how a smaller set featuring the saber-toothed squirrel Scrat and his perpetually lost acorn will easily be a hit among movie and LEGO fans.

Lastly, given the rich and vast world of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, and if Disney can somehow lift the franchise to the same level of fandom comparable to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, then it is not difficult to imagine how a LEGO Chronicles of Narnia theme can come along. The classic Lewis series is filled with so many colorful characters and engaging storyline that it will be great to see them in LEGO brick form.

These are all part of my LEGO wishlist now that Disney has officially sealed this agreement with Fox. The shape of the entertainment industry will definitely evolve, and for LEGO fans, this means that more exciting days and future sets are still yet to come. What do you think brick fans, are you also excited about these recent developments? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

2018 LEGO Speed Champions Sets Now Have Model Names to Go with the Brands and Numbering

Last month we have a small bit of news regarding the latest sets coming out for LEGO’s automobile-themed Speed Champions line, which were set to come out next year. The information we got was merely that there will be six new Speed Champions sets, along with their product number and the brand of the car.

At last we have some further clarification on the new additions to LEGO Speed Champions. Listed now are the updated names with the model of each car set to be released in 2018. There have been hints that these six sets are only the first wave for the following year, so LEGO gearheads should watch out for more Speed Champions on the way.

1968 Ford Mustang Fastback (75884)

Ford Fiesta M-Sport WRC (75885)

Ferrari 488 GT3 “Scuderia Corsa” (75886)

Porsche 919 Hybrid (75887)

Porsche 911 RSR + 911 Turbo (75888)

Ferrari Garage 250 GTO, 488 GT (75889)

Source: Eurobricks

Better Look at the New LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina Set (75205) in Action

It’s only been two days since the last update on this, but news is news; and this time, we have lots of pictures to share too. Yes, it’s about the new version of the Mos Eisley Cantina play set in the LEGO Star Wars line (#75205), reimagining the original set 4501 from 2003.

Our last update on this gave us an estimate on the retail price of set 75205 ($39.99). It also showed nice shots of the four accompanying minifigures (Han, Greedo, Sand Stormtrooper and new minifig Wuher). Box art was also featured. But now, we get to see the minifigures and location sets assembled.

The very first thing you’d notice from the box design is the action depicted in the right side. There it is: the scene that cemented Harrison Ford’s Han Solo as a total bad-ass, when he made “crispa” Greedo during their encounter from the first Star Wars film. Whether you want the original “Han shot first” version or the later “Greedo missed, I didn’t” edit by George Lucas himself, re-enacting this signature pose in the Cantina dining table all over again is going to be a – pardon the pun – blast.

Here’s a better look at that Ubrikkian 9000 speeder that took the place of Luke’s from the original 4501 set. It’s a covered vehicle with room inside for a minifigure to pilot, though I’ve no idea about its performance. Does it hover along like Luke’s speeder did, or can it actually fly?

Uh-oh, here comes that Stormtrooper through the Cantina doors, acting on a tip from somebody inside about the missing droids they’ve been looking for. We all know how that turns out, right?

And that’s the update. Now we’ll be waiting for a release date in 2018 so we can expect when the LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina set (75205) will become available.

Halfway There: Days 9-12 of LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar (75184)

Whoops, we appear to be slipping in schedule. I should’ve posted the third digest of mini-goodies from the LEGO Star Wars 2017 Advent Calendar (75184) yesterday. But better late than never, so now we’re going to have a look at what models and minifigures were revealed from Day 9 to Day 12.

Day 9: Rey’s Speeder – I remember back when teasers for The Force Awakens were still rather new in 2014, and aside from the shot of BB-8 rolling across the sands full throttle, I was also impressed by a segment showing the Jakku scavenger later identified as Rey (Daisy Ridley) scooting off in her massive motorcycle-type speeder. She looked so small compared to its forward section. Anyway, LEGO does have a full-scale model set of the speeder (75099), so this mini-model is a budget option for those who missed getting that. It’s too small for minifigures, though.

Day 10: Jakku Scavenger – Well, Rey wasn’t the only one in Jakku poking through all those star destroyer wrecks. Here’s one of those many other scrappers working the barren planet, whom Rey does business with. The desert gear goes with the cool facemask, but that wooden crook looks incongruous.

Day 11: Luggabeast – If you’re wondering what else to do with the scavenger from Day 10, then here’s your answer. The luggabeast is a weird cyborg mount and beast of burden that’s somewhat common in worlds like Jakku. Rey’s had scenes in The Force Awakens interacting with scavengers on luggabeasts, before the start of the great adventure.

Day 12: Millennium Falcon – Didn’t we cover this before in micro-foil form? Indeed, the most iconic spaceship in the whole Star Wars franchise gets yet another micro-model take for this advent calendar. It’s nothing collectors haven’t seen before, but Han Solo’s just never gets old.

After careful consideration, I’ve decided to wait until Day 18 for the next digest of reveals for the LEGO Star Wars 2017 Advent Calendar (75184). That’s 6 days’ worth of new stuff to cover, and the next digest after that should be the last one, showcasing the remaining minis all the way to Day 24, Christmas Eve. I’ll see you then, after the premiere of The Last Jedi on Friday.

More LEGO Seasonal BrickHeadz Slated for 2018.

After LEGO recently announced and created some buzz around the latest BrickHeadz to watch out for with the Valentine’s Bee (40270), it left me with a distinct impression that it will not be the last in the series. Revealed as a seasonal set, it is somehow expected that more similar sets will be introduced later on from this particular subtheme of BrickHeadz.

As it seems, it looks like LEGO is intentionally showing us what’s next after the Valentine’s Bee BrickHeadz for 2018. The back side of the set’s box art reveals five additional LEGO seasonal BrickHeadz, each of which is expected to be released alongside the traditional seasonal vignettes throughout the year.

#30 Easter Bunny – available in March

#31 Halloween Witch – available in September

#32 Thanksgiving Turkey – available in October

#33 & #34 Mr. and Mrs. Claus – available in November

Truth be told, I wish LEGO could have followed its usual BrickHeadz silhouette teaser rather than revealing the whole nine yards. As a LEGO enthusiast, I appreciate a certain degree of excitement and sense mystery on what LEGO has in the works for its future sets. So revealing all the LEGO Seasonal BrickHeadz all in one swoop kind of put a damper on it.

Nevertheless, these are still lovely sets, and will be a great addition to your ever growing BrickHeadz collection.

LEGO Designers Explain Why the LEGO Creator Downtown Diner (10260) Has New Minifigure Faces.

We’re just a few weeks away before the next LEGO Creator modular set is released for everyone to enjoy. The LEGO Creator Expert Downtown Diner (10260) will be available starting January 1, and it was also previously announced that it will not have an early VIP access unlike previous larger sets. Coming in at 2,480 pieces and retailing for $169.99, the Downtown Diner is a welcomed addition, a breather if you will, to the modular series because of its unconventional and maverick design. Particularly, I appreciate the 1950s vibe of this set, with its large curve front window, outrageous Diner sign, and the pink, stylish convertible.

However, most of you were also quick to notice that LEGO Designers seem to have taken a detour in coming up with the usual minifigures that traditionally goes along these modular sets. For the first time ever, LEGO decided to do away with the bland, generic minifigure expressions that are standard features among the minifigs in these sets, as you can see from previous sets below.

10255 Top 01 — Collection of minifigures from the LEGO Creator Expert Assembly Square (10255).

10246 alt13 — Minifigures from the LEGO Creator Expert Detective’s Office (10246).

Frankly, most fans of the theme were a bit unhappy with the move since it clearly deviates from what is expected from the modular sets. This difference becomes more obvious when you build this set alongside older ones, as you try to figure out how these newer minifigures will ‘blend’ with the old ones. It’s a rather perplexing moment, if not frustrating, to figure out how these new minifigs on the block will aesthetically go along with the older minifigures.

Just to be clear: I do prefer the changes that LEGO introduced with its line of minifigs for the Downtown Diner. The dual print minifig heads and the creative visualization of the various emotions that they try to represent has a vast potential for creative story-telling and imaginative play. Check out some of these official images from the Downtown Diner (10260), and see how these minifigures seem to interact with each other to build up a story.

After almost 2 weeks since the announcement of the Diner, LEGO seems to have been quietly listening to fans’ comments about this new direction of minifigure designs. LEGO has been keeping tabs with the community and has recently released its official statement on the reasons behind the changes. Here’s what LEGO Designers have to say, courtesy of The Brick Fan.

Over the past 10 years our modular buildings have evolved in many ways. We’ve added more interior details, more story-telling and more emotional triggers such as unique decorations on windows & Minifigure torsos. We now feel the time is right to bring the Minifigure expression in line with all the amazing details now offered throughout our models. We have always loved the classic smiley face for its versatility and nostalgia value, but are now excited to explore the new possibilities expressive faces will offer us.

Clearly, LEGO is trying to innovate with the Downtown Diner (10260), and has now made known the direction that it will take for future modular sets. Now I know that most of us are still uneasy with these developments, and we just have to wait and see if these will eventually catch up with the fans of the theme.

What do you think brick fans? Are you happy with these changes? Do you agree with the LEGO designers on this one? Let your voice be heard in the comments below.

Cartoon Network Announces “Unikitty” Animated Series Premiere Dates.

Remember back in October when Cartoon Network showed special previews of a new LEGO (2D) animated series starring Princess Unikitty, the Master Builder unicorn-cat-thingy from The LEGO Movie of 2014? As we reported before, they were but a taste of a full cartoon series about Unikitty and her friends that’s slated to premiere next year.

That was all the information given back then. No specific date as to when Cartoon Network will start up the Unikitty! series in 2018; but not anymore. CN just issued a statement revealing the premiere of the “fun-fun-fun” LEGO animated cartoon series. They mean to have it kick off with another special airing on the first day of the year, January 1 itself.

What’s more, this special Unikitty! showing is not just one, but six new episodes, aired every hour starting 6AM (ET/PT). The episode titles released thus far are: “Action Forest,” “Kaijuu Kitty,” “Fire & Nice,” “Rock Friend,” “Kitchen Chaos” and “Crushing Defeat.” Here are brief descriptions of each episode as mentioned in Turner Broadcasting’s official press release via BrickFanz.

6:00 a.m. (ET/PT): “Action Forest” – Hawkodile is the toughest action hero in the land, until his old rival shows up to take vengeance on him. Defeated and in need of help, Hawkodile must train Unikitty and the others into super muscle?y tough bros. And there’s only one place unstoppable warriors are made, the Action Forest.

7:00 a.m. (ET/PT): “Kaiju Kitty” – When a giant monster attacks the Unikingdom, the gang fights back with Dr. Fox’s awesome new secret weapon: a massive mega robot!

8:00 a.m. (ET/PT): “Fire & Nice” – When Master Frown causes Unikitty to have an angry outburst that gets a little too destructive, she wishes her Rage Kitty side wasn’t part of her anymore. Thanks to a new Dr. Fox invention, she gets her wish.

9:00 a.m. (ET/PT): “Rock Friend” – Unikitty discovers Puppycorn’s only other friend is a boring old rock. Encouraged to “make more friends,” Puppycorn takes her advice and decides to literally make a new friend out of the best parts of his friends.

10:00 a.m. (ET/PT): “Kitchen Chaos” – After a workplace injury, Richard is unable to do his servant work. Unikitty and the others take on the task of one simple chore, clean the kitchen. This incredibly boring task taxes our heroes as they find every way possible to not do it.

11:00 a.m. (ET/PT): “Crushing Defeat” – When Hawkodile develops a secret crush on Dr. Fox, he finds himself actually crushing down in size! Unikitty and the gang become his love gurus to help him confess his feelings before he shrinks away into nothing.

Once the special January 1 airing is done with, the Unikitty! series starts off for real on Friday, January 5. More new episodes of the show will air on Cartoon Network every Friday afterwards, at 6:30PM (ET/PT).

Unikitty! chronicles the adventures of the titular Princess Unikitty (Tara Strong) of Cloud Cuckoo Land, first seen in The LEGO Movie. Here’s the title theme again (performed by Babymetal) so you can get into it.

The series focuses on her everyday life and challenges in running her kingdom, looking after her brother Puppycorn (Grey Griffin), and venting her hidden rage at anybody messing with the positive vibes in her land – like villain Master Frown (Eric Bauza) – with the help of her allies Dr. Fox (Kate Miccuci), Hawkodile and Richard (both Roger Craig Smith).

First Look at New Seasonal LEGO BrickHeadz Valentine’s Bee (40270) Set.

LEGO could always be counted on to have some set or other ready to be released or made available throughout the various seasons of the year. For the coming New Year however, they appear to be expanding from the expected general minifigure collections, play sets and models, and expanding into some of their more recent product lines.

One such theme that has begun showing seasonal trappings is LEGO BrickHeadz, the line featuring super-deformed depictions of numerous franchise characters from various brands. I need not remind you of the BrickHeadz sets coming out for Rey and Kylo Ren (41489), and the Justice League, and Darth Vader (also for next year).

Well, here comes the first – and likely not the last – seasonal BrickHeadz set to be released by LEGO, this one being for Valentine’s Day 2018. It’s the Valentine’s Bee (40270), a black-and-yellow bee with antennae, beady eyes, rosy cheeks, white wings, and carrying a honeycomb and heart.

BrickHeadz set 40270 has 140 pieces in all, assembling not only the Valentine’s Bee and its handheld accessories, but also its platform which can be decorated by LEGO-brick rose bushes, sunflowers and white buds. It will come out next year, naturally, and will likely cause about $9.99, the same as other BrickHeadz sets. That’s something to look forward to for a cute Valentine’s gift.

2018 LEGO Elves Official Images Revealed!

After the release of Ukraine’s 2018 LEGO Catalogue showing us a glimpse of the latest range of LEGO Elves sets for 2018, LEGO has now officially uploaded the theme’s latest official set images via its servers. The theme currently added five new sets to its roster, with particular emphasis on several elemental creatures that is the target of Nocturna’s sinister plot. It also features new molds used for the heads of these elemental beasts. Check out the following images below.

Emily Jones and the Eagle Getaway (41190) – 149 pieces

Naida and the Water Turtle Ambush (41191) – 205 pieces

Azari & the Fire Lion Capture (41192) – 360 pieces

Aira & the Song of the Wind Dragon (41193) – 451 pieces

Noctura’s Tower & the Earth Fox Rescue (41194) – 646 pieces

A First Look at the LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina (75205).

We already know who shot first, so the only question is, how will the most wretched hive of scum and villainy fare in LEGO’s latest brick-built iteration? A few days ago, we reported on a certain rumor that has been making rounds over the Internet for quite some time already, and since we ran that article, we have to clarify some points that were raised about it. The Mos Eisley Cantina certainly ranks as one of the most iconic locations in Star Wars lore – so much so that LEGO has already released two versions of this fateful encounter between Han Solo and Greedo.

The first LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina (4501) was released back in 2003, coming in at 193 pieces. The second version of the Cantina came in 2014, with set 75052 and having a total number of 615 pieces. The latter features a different take on the Cantina by adding several details that are not included in the first set such as the Bith Musicians, and the thick-skinned reptilian Dewbacks. Now it seems that the rumors might as well be set in stone. Instagram user Maru just recently shared a thumbnail of an image of how LEGO’s latest version of the Mos Eisley Cantina will be like. Apparently, it seems that this particular image is taken from a page of a toy catalogue, and since it doesn’t have a confidential watermark, then I guess LEGO will not hound us upon posting this (I hope).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BckEXi0FRyL/

Rebelscum also mentioned that given how this latest Cantina looks like, the set will come in at 376 pieces. If you noticed each brick-built version of the Mos Eisley Cantina somehow builds upon each other, particularly to the variety of minifigure offerings on each set. The second set, 75052, boasts as the largest LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina set, with a total number of 615 pieces used to create it. However, what is unique to this latest version of the Cantina in set 75205 is the introduction of new minifigure character – Wuher the Bartender. I am re-posting the above image here just in case this Instagram post silently disappears.

The LEGO Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina (75205) is expected to retail in the US for $39.99, made of 376 pieces. It has four minifigures, namely: Han Solo, Greedo, Stormtrooper (without the pauldron), and the latest addition, the bar keeper, Wuher. Here’s another closer image of the minifigures in this set courtesy of Rebelscum.

So what do you think of this latest LEGO Star Wars sets? Do you think it was nice of LEGO to offer another Mos Eisley Cantina, or do you have something else in mind? Let us know in the comments below.