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acciobrickPromobricks (caveat: German) surprised us this week with some news on next year's lego Harry Potter theme winter lineup, slated for release on March 1st, 2023. They'd previously announced there will be a fifty percent increase in the number of sets (that works out to two more 😉) than in the winter 2021 and 2022 waves, and now we have some details on the six sets to go with that titbit (spoilers follow, click at your own peril, my lovelies):
* 76409, 76410, 76411, 76412 Hogwarts House Banners, 35 EUR
* 76413 Hogwarts Room of Requirement / Room of Hidden Things, 50 EUR
* 76420 Black Lake Triwizard Challenge / Second Task, 45 EUR
(As they're translated, the names aren't definite, and PB didn't seem sure of the name of the Second Task set in any event.)
Hogwarts Moments sets from 2021 and 2022
First point of note: lego aren't continuing the Hogwarts Moment sets next year, at least not in name; it's unclear, however, what precisely that means for us. Elsewhere I'd seen the new low end / entry sets referred to as "Hogwarts Experience", Promobricks has 76409 - 76412 listed as "House Banners" for the respective Houses. As the theme is licensed with partner WB, the sets are (rather logically) based primarily on the films. I do enjoy keeping an eye out for how they try to incorporate the book canon on occasion (Dumbledore's reflection in the Mirror of Erised holding socks, those cheeky monkeys), or at least not contradict it (Padma has only been shown out of uniform), and am always amused to see where they do (see 76413 below).
Mirror of Erised reflection from 2018's 75954 Great Hall set
Given the licensing partner, the fact these are again representing the four Houses in some fashion or another (making dorms or common rooms a definite possibility), and that we don't see the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw spaces in the movies, a case can be made for it being reasonable not to refer to them as Moment sets even were the style continued, renaming them instead (perhaps in the same way 76401 Sirius's Rescue is the singular Hogwarts Courtyard set at present). Whether or not that actually translates to not seeing more of the book format itself moving forward may be a different matter though. (Fingers crossed, because I liked them.) Regardless, whatever shape they take, word is they'll still fold open, are expected to contain a playable set of some sorts, and include three minifigs, and as that's the extent of the description for now, it's clear why I'm not ruling out more of the books. (Yet.) In as much as the book covers only required 42 parts to build, while providing structure, backdrop and atmosphere, I don't know that a new buildable "banner" could be much more efficient as piece counts / set budgets go, and a moulded container of sorts generally isn't well received beyond the very youngest of fans. So colour me expectantly curious. 😊
As for the figs, we also don't know any more than their number: three. That's obviously not a lot to go on, so let the thoroughly unfounded speculation begin... I can't quite see them repeating the Heads of House as a series two years after their last release (in the 2021 Moment series) when three out of four of them are still on the shelves now, so maybe in addition to the requisite "student in House uniform" they'll give us House ghosts or Quidditch uniforms instead? The Founders (one rumour bandied about) seem improbable as thus far exclusive to 71043 the (quite expensive $470 / 420 EUR) D2C nanoscale Hogwarts (with the figs reselling for at least 15 - 20 EUR each on the aftermarket), which they're highly unlikely to want to undercut, but Prefects might be another option, especially as Prefect Percy Weasley was finally released a week or so ago. I definitely wouldn't object to a robes / jumpers / Quidditch uniform combination either, but that might be too optimistic. We shall simply have to wait and see. Unfortunately we'll also see a 5 EUR / $5 price increase on these sets to the 35 EUR / $35 mark.
hp375 Percy Weasley 2022
The next set on our list is a premiere, 76413 a Room of Hidden Things DH II edition of the Room of Requirement, the latter previously seen in 2020. First and foremost, as I've been banging on for the last year plus about how lego had never said they wouldn't make Deathly Hallows sets - accuracy matters, thank you very much - between this and this summer's Ministry of Magic, we've now got two Deathly Hallows (I & II) sets being released inside of seven to nine months, and I'm feeling pleasantly vindicated, cheers. 😆 I've also somewhat encouraged hopes we may see a Battle of Hogwarts next year in honour of the 25th Anniversary of the occasion, although I'm wisely tempering my expectations. 😉
2020's 75966 Hogwarts Room of Requirement
Where the 2020 set only cost $20 / 20 EUR, this one is the most expensive of the winter wave and will weigh in at 50 EUR (and likely $50). The previous version was small, befitting its price, in the 2018+ style (which meant it wasn't stackable and required fewer pieces), included 4 minifigs (Harry, Hermione, Luna, and the Practice Dummy / mechanical Death Eater) and two new moulds for Luna's and Hermione's Patronuses. Although Promobricks couldn't say anything as to the piece count or minifigs, for the price jump we'll see the inclusion of Crabbe's / Goyle's Fiendfyre Snake; I'd expect something buildable like the Chamber of Secret's Basilisk. Contrasted with the Infirmary (76398 Hogwarts Hospital Wing) with four modules, 2 full roofs, and four minifigs for the same price, I could picture a module less and at least a minifig more. As film focused, the characters from the scene are Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle and Blaise Zabini (the actor who portrayed Vincent Crabbe was unavailable at the time, forcing the change in the story).
Room of Hidden Things, Deathly Hallows II
Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini
I think Harry and Draco are locks, and Blaise would be in keeping with lego's recent attempts for more inclusion in the series. (In all fairness to JKR, an analysis of the UK population shows the stories themselves quite accurately reflected the racial and presumptive religious diversity of the countries depicted, but as representation matters and I'm always happy for more side characters in minifig form, I can't say I'll mind. 😉) Goyle is less of a given, but the Fiendfyre without the caster would be a strange, if not entirely unprecedented, choice. 😆 If they only go with one other fig, I think Ron more likely than Hermione as he kicks the Ravenclaw Diadem into the flames and, following Harry's lead, swoops in on his broom to rescue Blaise, however reluctantly. 😋
Still from the Lego Harry Years 5-7 video game, the Ravenclaw Diadem in the Room of Hidden Things
Details I expect (or shall simply be forced to add): flames! (and more!flames), the Diadem, a Basilisk fang for Harry to use to destroy it, piles of stuff to burn, suitable stickers, brooms for the courageous and harrowing escape... Perhaps a bust for the Diadem to sit on, Snape's Potion's text seems less likely, although I'm always pleased to see it. I'll be curious to see if they include the Vanishing Cabinet in the set, it puts in an appearance in the Harry Potter lego years 5-7 video game. And I wonder if the snake could have a Voldemort head or three to swap out... Pixies don't seem too likely as I think they'd have perished in the flames (or are they shown escaping?), although I really wish they'd give us a few more having made that lovely mould.
Completely unfounded wild ginger!crack!theory: although the RoHT is absolutely massive, it might look out of scale with the castle to give it three modular sections of its own... So what if they made it two and included the Ravenclaw dorms and the Grey Lady instead? I may have to do a MOC of that to visualise it... Hmm...
The last of the winter sets is 76420 Black Lake Triwizard Challenge / Second Task, a remake of 2005's 4762 Rescue from the Merpeople (18 years later...). This is one I've been looking forward to, as I don't have the original. In addition to the underwater scene that I expect to echo the 2005 version, they're including one of the wooden viewing platforms.
Given the 45 EUR price, it's unrealistic to expect something as grand as JL.Bricks' MOC of the towers, and frankly I haven't the space or budget for it anyway, but Promobricks assures us: something or another representational will be there. Unlike for the other sets, they do have a minifig list for this set: Gillyweeded Harry, sleeping Hermione, sleeping Ron, Viktor Krum (I'd wager with additional shark head piece) and a Merperson (I'm thinking with the Vidiyo mermaids' tail). For the first time we'll also get a Grindylow (yay! and again: yay!), I expect in place of the octopus that was likely meant as a squid stand in.
Vidiyo mermaids
Grindylow from the Second Task in Goblet of Fire
hp203 Gabrielle Delacour 2019
We've already had Gabrielle Delacour with a sleeping face in 2019's Beauxbatons' Carriage: Arrival at Hogwarts (if you don't have that set, bricklink, brickowl or ebay the fig before the price jumps with this set's release), but there are still some obviously missing character versions. There's never been a Fleur or Cedric minifig version for this Task yet, nor a hostage sleeping Cho. And inquiring minds would very much like to know: where, oh where, Dear Reader, is our Rita Skeeter? This lets me hope (at least a little) that we might eventually see a third Collectible Mini Figure series to close some of the gaps. What say you, lego? Maybe something like this?
The magnificently talented lego3x11L's Custom MOC LEGO Rita Skeeter minifig
(His Flickr is worth a peek. He designs his own minifig outfits that you can print out and tape to your own figs at home.)
A final observation: as an added information bonus, the set numbers we now know provide a hint that we're likely to see at least six other sets in the summer wave. 😊 Let the wishful thinking begin! (Isn't it a pity "magical thinking" means something else entirely? It would have fit so well. 😋)
* 76409, 76410, 76411, 76412 Hogwarts House Banners, 35 EUR
* 76413 Hogwarts Room of Requirement / Room of Hidden Things, 50 EUR
* 76420 Black Lake Triwizard Challenge / Second Task, 45 EUR
(As they're translated, the names aren't definite, and PB didn't seem sure of the name of the Second Task set in any event.)
Hogwarts Moments sets from 2021 and 2022
First point of note: lego aren't continuing the Hogwarts Moment sets next year, at least not in name; it's unclear, however, what precisely that means for us. Elsewhere I'd seen the new low end / entry sets referred to as "Hogwarts Experience", Promobricks has 76409 - 76412 listed as "House Banners" for the respective Houses. As the theme is licensed with partner WB, the sets are (rather logically) based primarily on the films. I do enjoy keeping an eye out for how they try to incorporate the book canon on occasion (Dumbledore's reflection in the Mirror of Erised holding socks, those cheeky monkeys), or at least not contradict it (Padma has only been shown out of uniform), and am always amused to see where they do (see 76413 below).
Mirror of Erised reflection from 2018's 75954 Great Hall set
Given the licensing partner, the fact these are again representing the four Houses in some fashion or another (making dorms or common rooms a definite possibility), and that we don't see the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw spaces in the movies, a case can be made for it being reasonable not to refer to them as Moment sets even were the style continued, renaming them instead (perhaps in the same way 76401 Sirius's Rescue is the singular Hogwarts Courtyard set at present). Whether or not that actually translates to not seeing more of the book format itself moving forward may be a different matter though. (Fingers crossed, because I liked them.) Regardless, whatever shape they take, word is they'll still fold open, are expected to contain a playable set of some sorts, and include three minifigs, and as that's the extent of the description for now, it's clear why I'm not ruling out more of the books. (Yet.) In as much as the book covers only required 42 parts to build, while providing structure, backdrop and atmosphere, I don't know that a new buildable "banner" could be much more efficient as piece counts / set budgets go, and a moulded container of sorts generally isn't well received beyond the very youngest of fans. So colour me expectantly curious. 😊
As for the figs, we also don't know any more than their number: three. That's obviously not a lot to go on, so let the thoroughly unfounded speculation begin... I can't quite see them repeating the Heads of House as a series two years after their last release (in the 2021 Moment series) when three out of four of them are still on the shelves now, so maybe in addition to the requisite "student in House uniform" they'll give us House ghosts or Quidditch uniforms instead? The Founders (one rumour bandied about) seem improbable as thus far exclusive to 71043 the (quite expensive $470 / 420 EUR) D2C nanoscale Hogwarts (with the figs reselling for at least 15 - 20 EUR each on the aftermarket), which they're highly unlikely to want to undercut, but Prefects might be another option, especially as Prefect Percy Weasley was finally released a week or so ago. I definitely wouldn't object to a robes / jumpers / Quidditch uniform combination either, but that might be too optimistic. We shall simply have to wait and see. Unfortunately we'll also see a 5 EUR / $5 price increase on these sets to the 35 EUR / $35 mark.
hp375 Percy Weasley 2022
The next set on our list is a premiere, 76413 a Room of Hidden Things DH II edition of the Room of Requirement, the latter previously seen in 2020. First and foremost, as I've been banging on for the last year plus about how lego had never said they wouldn't make Deathly Hallows sets - accuracy matters, thank you very much - between this and this summer's Ministry of Magic, we've now got two Deathly Hallows (I & II) sets being released inside of seven to nine months, and I'm feeling pleasantly vindicated, cheers. 😆 I've also somewhat encouraged hopes we may see a Battle of Hogwarts next year in honour of the 25th Anniversary of the occasion, although I'm wisely tempering my expectations. 😉
2020's 75966 Hogwarts Room of Requirement
Where the 2020 set only cost $20 / 20 EUR, this one is the most expensive of the winter wave and will weigh in at 50 EUR (and likely $50). The previous version was small, befitting its price, in the 2018+ style (which meant it wasn't stackable and required fewer pieces), included 4 minifigs (Harry, Hermione, Luna, and the Practice Dummy / mechanical Death Eater) and two new moulds for Luna's and Hermione's Patronuses. Although Promobricks couldn't say anything as to the piece count or minifigs, for the price jump we'll see the inclusion of Crabbe's / Goyle's Fiendfyre Snake; I'd expect something buildable like the Chamber of Secret's Basilisk. Contrasted with the Infirmary (76398 Hogwarts Hospital Wing) with four modules, 2 full roofs, and four minifigs for the same price, I could picture a module less and at least a minifig more. As film focused, the characters from the scene are Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle and Blaise Zabini (the actor who portrayed Vincent Crabbe was unavailable at the time, forcing the change in the story).
Room of Hidden Things, Deathly Hallows II
Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini
I think Harry and Draco are locks, and Blaise would be in keeping with lego's recent attempts for more inclusion in the series. (In all fairness to JKR, an analysis of the UK population shows the stories themselves quite accurately reflected the racial and presumptive religious diversity of the countries depicted, but as representation matters and I'm always happy for more side characters in minifig form, I can't say I'll mind. 😉) Goyle is less of a given, but the Fiendfyre without the caster would be a strange, if not entirely unprecedented, choice. 😆 If they only go with one other fig, I think Ron more likely than Hermione as he kicks the Ravenclaw Diadem into the flames and, following Harry's lead, swoops in on his broom to rescue Blaise, however reluctantly. 😋
Still from the Lego Harry Years 5-7 video game, the Ravenclaw Diadem in the Room of Hidden Things
Details I expect (or shall simply be forced to add): flames! (and more!flames), the Diadem, a Basilisk fang for Harry to use to destroy it, piles of stuff to burn, suitable stickers, brooms for the courageous and harrowing escape... Perhaps a bust for the Diadem to sit on, Snape's Potion's text seems less likely, although I'm always pleased to see it. I'll be curious to see if they include the Vanishing Cabinet in the set, it puts in an appearance in the Harry Potter lego years 5-7 video game. And I wonder if the snake could have a Voldemort head or three to swap out... Pixies don't seem too likely as I think they'd have perished in the flames (or are they shown escaping?), although I really wish they'd give us a few more having made that lovely mould.
Completely unfounded wild ginger!crack!theory: although the RoHT is absolutely massive, it might look out of scale with the castle to give it three modular sections of its own... So what if they made it two and included the Ravenclaw dorms and the Grey Lady instead? I may have to do a MOC of that to visualise it... Hmm...
The last of the winter sets is 76420 Black Lake Triwizard Challenge / Second Task, a remake of 2005's 4762 Rescue from the Merpeople (18 years later...). This is one I've been looking forward to, as I don't have the original. In addition to the underwater scene that I expect to echo the 2005 version, they're including one of the wooden viewing platforms.
Given the 45 EUR price, it's unrealistic to expect something as grand as JL.Bricks' MOC of the towers, and frankly I haven't the space or budget for it anyway, but Promobricks assures us: something or another representational will be there. Unlike for the other sets, they do have a minifig list for this set: Gillyweeded Harry, sleeping Hermione, sleeping Ron, Viktor Krum (I'd wager with additional shark head piece) and a Merperson (I'm thinking with the Vidiyo mermaids' tail). For the first time we'll also get a Grindylow (yay! and again: yay!), I expect in place of the octopus that was likely meant as a squid stand in.
Vidiyo mermaids
Grindylow from the Second Task in Goblet of Fire
hp203 Gabrielle Delacour 2019
We've already had Gabrielle Delacour with a sleeping face in 2019's Beauxbatons' Carriage: Arrival at Hogwarts (if you don't have that set, bricklink, brickowl or ebay the fig before the price jumps with this set's release), but there are still some obviously missing character versions. There's never been a Fleur or Cedric minifig version for this Task yet, nor a hostage sleeping Cho. And inquiring minds would very much like to know: where, oh where, Dear Reader, is our Rita Skeeter? This lets me hope (at least a little) that we might eventually see a third Collectible Mini Figure series to close some of the gaps. What say you, lego? Maybe something like this?
The magnificently talented lego3x11L's Custom MOC LEGO Rita Skeeter minifig
(His Flickr is worth a peek. He designs his own minifig outfits that you can print out and tape to your own figs at home.)
A final observation: as an added information bonus, the set numbers we now know provide a hint that we're likely to see at least six other sets in the summer wave. 😊 Let the wishful thinking begin! (Isn't it a pity "magical thinking" means something else entirely? It would have fit so well. 😋)
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Date: 2022-08-27 06:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-28 03:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-27 06:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-28 03:45 pm (UTC)Cheers!
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Date: 2022-08-27 04:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-28 03:45 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-27 11:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-28 03:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-28 02:40 am (UTC)💖💖💖
(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-28 03:46 pm (UTC)I really need to get the portrait one off the clipboard, that was a lot of fun, too. 😊