GreyBeard

I remember hoping a re-release of 10188 with updated minifigures existed two years ago. You know, to have a more current, a go-between version, before the "real upgraded Death Star" would arrive at some point. I wondered why Lego hadn't done that, but concluded that they won't because a genuinely new Death Star would be needed so soon anyway. But now it's 2016, and if what CM4Sci said was accurate, then this is just a re-release of 10188 with updated minifigures, and not a new Death Star at all. Having gotten over the initial disappoinment, this makes me chuckle a bit, because I really didn't expect TLG to do a re-release at this point anymore. But maybe they can afford to play it safe, moneywise. It's not the 90s, and they are the second largest toy company in the world. I feel slightly stupid. Like a kid, I waited for a "new" DS for over a year, and then it's precisely the re-release I would have liked existed in 2014. Well, I got my expectations wrong. Also, just a guess, but perhaps Lego would have liked to do the re-release a couple of years ago, but decided to wait, because there was a new movie about the Death Star coming in just two years? Meaning Rogue One. Marketing, marketing.

The new Rogue One sets give me hope that there might be a "movie accurate" version of the Death Star Trooper / Imperial Navy Trooper included in the upcoming Death Star. A version that would be accurate enough even for a aesthetics perfectionist like me. You know, the guys standing in the background here: The Imperial Ground Crew and Tie Pilot minifigs included in the Tie Striker set both have the "triple" belt lock print on their torsos. On the other hand, the AT-ST pilot has a new head (it seems), that would perfectly fit the Death Star Trooper since it has the chin strap - which to me is an essential part of the overall look of this costume in the Original Trilogy movies. The 2014 Star Destroyer (75055) didn't have an accurate presentation of the Navy Trooper, and this really disappointed me. No triple belt locks, and no chin strap, that is. For me, the appearance of the trooper is one of the small visual details that will define the overall mood and "atmosphere" of the upcoming Death Star. My hope is that it will inspire me to feel that this is really "Star Wars" and "Imperial", in its characteristic and slightly menacing "nazi-like" way - even though we are talking about Lego here :) (I really like the Empire.) Anyway, the fact that Lego made a new mold for Han Solo's hair might indicate that they are taking greater pains to produce the (Death Star) minifig details the way they really appear in the movies. And to me, this would be great news. The superb visual design (including costume design) in the Original Trilogy has always been an inspiration to me.