(Official Unreleased Prototype) Geonosis Arena 2002 Set

[LegoAcklay]

Here are a prototype version of the Acklay and Reek which was made in 2002 and later shown for the 2005 Lego Star Wars Weekend in celebration of Episode 3.

They decide to cancel this set because one of them believed "it would not sell well". I searched for any remaining photographs which I could find of the set but I have only found these three. If you have any more available please share. It could be interesting to see the Reek in closer details. Especially to see if it has anything on the tail which I have missed.

Here below are all three of the beasts together. (The mini Nexu design was made by me)

Finally here is a edited version of the Prototype Acklay which I made using the original design. As you can see it has more mobility to it's limbs, some extra details are added and finally the color is corrected.

Edited February 18, 2015 by LegoAcklay

[Alfadas]

Nice pics, but what is the stormtroopers thing down below on the first pic?

[LegoAcklay]

Nice pics, but what is the stormtroopers thing down below on the first pic?

Some sort of Walker:

Edited February 18, 2015 by LegoAcklay

[Captain Braunsfeld]

Interesting - I think they would have made a great set.

Makes me wonder what other great designs were "ready" but never published....

[Alfadas]

Thanks. That walker also looks very nice! Shame we didn't get any of them...

[LegoAcklay]

Interesting - I think they would have made a great set.

Makes me wonder what other great designs were "ready" but never published....

I know there was prototype Yavin 4. Images are available online. No idea on other sets. They seam to be very secretive so that they cab be re-used if the time comes.

[Lord Tyrus]

Is that a Republic Swamp Speeder in the back?

[LegoAcklay]

Is that a Republic Swamp Speeder in the back?

Is that a Republic Swamp Speeder in the back?

Yeah. They later finally released it. You can still see some of the original features:

Edited February 18, 2015 by LegoAcklay

[Only Sinner]

Wow, LEGO sure has come a looong way since back in the day. The Reek looks OK, but I don't know about that blue Acklay.

Your creatures look so much better than this, I think.

[LegoAcklay]

Wow, LEGO sure has come a looong way since back in the day. The Reek looks OK, but I don't know about that blue Acklay.

Your creatures look so much better than this, I think.

HAHhaha. Thank you! Yeah I have no idea why they made it blue. My only guess would be that they planned to have the Acklay in a blue color in the film but seams unlikely that they had it like that for so long. Funnily enough it's even missing it's front claws.

[Borex]

Shame they never made a real set of it. Maybe back then it wasn't a set that people would buy, but after all those years of sw-lego and still no geonosis arena set, i dont know, it feels like a hole in the collection. (Just like Kamino btw)

[LegoAcklay]

Shame they never made a real set of it. Maybe back then it wasn't a set that people would buy, but after all those years of sw-lego and still no geonosis arena set, i dont know, it feels like a hole in the collection. (Just like Kamino btw)

I think people would of gone for it. At least a instant-buy for me. Some of the other big scenes in the Episode 2 sets where quite lacking. Like the Anakin vs Tuskens and Yoda vs Count Dooku sets which where tiny. Yeah I agree about it being a gap in product line/collections. Yeah that's right about Kamino. I'm surprised they did not make one of the Kamino people and the flying winged creature with at least one of the towers.

[Commander Beltar]

Some sort of Walker:

snip

I feel like it may be this: All Terrain Riot Control Transport

I think that that's what the walker is.

~Beltar

[LegoAcklay]

I feel like it may be this: All Terrain Riot Control Transport

I think that that's what the walker is.

~Beltar

Ah yes definitely is! Nice find.

[The_Chosen_1]

A Geonosis Arena set is still on my shortlist of most-wanted sets. It would be fantastic!!

[LegoAcklay]

A Geonosis Arena set is still on my shortlist of most-wanted sets.

Always has been for me as well from when Episode 2 was released.

[Godtshep]

I would love to see an updated arena. Also, great modifications LegoAcklay!

[LegoAcklay]

I would love to see an updated arena. Also, great modifications LegoAcklay!

Thank you! I hope to at least see one version of it. :D

[Godtshep]

Also, is that a concept Solar Sailer below the Clone Walker?

[Tariq j]

^^

I think it is. And if I'm not mistaken there is a Tank Droid next to it.

[coolguy2323]

I hope Lego decides to make a set based on the arena battle someday, so it's good to see that it was a possibility at some point, maybe they will revisit the idea in the future and expand it!

Edited March 23, 2015 by coolguy2323

[Ronan]

The set is great, unluckily these pieces don't exist in this colour, so is impossible to remake. In a picture I also see a dooku ship, do you have more pictures of it?

[darththeling]

Thanks for sharing. This is very interesting. I was wondering if I should hold out any hope of there ever being an official TLG arena scene release before I spent a lot of time, money and energy on a custom MOC.

Props to your brilliant Lego Ideas set as well, LegoAcklay. I'd say this scene as well as the Royal Naboo J-327 are the two most ignored-but-critical pieces of the prequel trilogy in TLG's catalog. I sure wish we got this instead of another Republic Gunship.

[LegoAcklay]

On 28/03/2015 at 11:35 AM, Ronan said:

The set is great, unluckily these pieces don't exist in this colour, so is impossible to remake. In a picture I also see a dooku ship, do you have more pictures of it?

Sorry for the very late reply! No unfortunately. I managed to get extra pictures by contacting a guy some years back probably in 2015 when I posted this. Don't know anybody else that might have more pictures. Might be worth asking around though.

[LegoAcklay]

On 24/04/2015 at 1:30 AM, darththeling said:

Thanks for sharing. This is very interesting. I was wondering if I should hold out any hope of there ever being an official TLG arena scene release before I spent a lot of time, money and energy on a custom MOC.

Props to your brilliant Lego Ideas set as well, LegoAcklay. I'd say this scene as well as the Royal Naboo J-327 are the two most ignored-but-critical pieces of the prequel trilogy in TLG's catalog. I sure wish we got this instead of another Republic Gunship.

Sorry for the late reply! Use Eurobricks on and off. Never noticed the comments. Thanks! That goes for the Yavin temple too! Was prototyped but also never released. Hope they also eventually make something do do with the jedi temple, dark side dagobah cave, sea monsters, kamino, remake of boga, naboo palace and the mustafar seperatist base as sets eventually. Lots to expand here and there from the prequel films. Hopefully they will make something from the arena some time soon. If you make that moc I will definetly find it haha.

On 23/03/2015 at 10:06 PM, coolguy2323 said:

I hope Lego decides to make a set based on the arena battle someday, so it's good to see that it was a possibility at some point, maybe they will revisit the idea in the future and expand it!

Sorry for the late reply! I hope so. Maybe as a line of sets like Jabba's palace or one big one. It must be done eventually. Maybe the giant Geonosis Update for battlefront 2 might help stimulate it's creation.