Will Lego ever return to an In-house Space Theme? We are going on 5+ years now...

[Digger of Bricks]

On 2/21/2018 at 6:15 PM, Aanchir said:

Anyway, I'm almost inclined to interpret Mark Stafford's comment as a response to fans' arbitrary standards for what they consider a "true" Space or Castle theme. After all, a lot of people didn't consider Alien Conquest a true space theme. Some people didn't even consider Life on Mars and Mars Mission true space themes!

While I may consider Alien Conquest a Space theme myself, I can understand arguments against that designation. But to say that's not the case for Life on Mars and Mars Mission... 

I mean, what sort of arguments did those people bring to the table to say that?! 

[Robert8]

On 20/2/2018 at 7:40 AM, Digger of Bricks said:

That's a pretty fun idea, but it sounds too simplistically archetypical to be done as an entire action theme. But I could see it done kind of as a one-off Creator/Ideas-type set, something like a single flying saucer, with a grey alien, a cow, and two Mulder and Scully like paranormal investigators.

Yeah, that's the idea, something far from the "space war" setting the space themes have had like from the beginning (expect Alien Conquest)

It could even be a Studios theme

Like instead of being an actual abduction, it's actually a scene they are filming. Similar to what they did with Jurassic Park and the Studios theme back in the day

They can recreate famous UFO incidents like the Roswell crash

That way we get a Space theme disguised as a Studios theme and so there is no interference with Star Wars

[Digger of Bricks]

Just as a heads-up for those reading/following this topic, Lego will be announcing the winner of the LEGO Ideas Moments in Space gift-with-purchase contest tomorrow, so stay tuned until then! 

7 hours ago, Robert8 said:

It could even be a Studios theme

I've always thought that a revival of the Studios themes would be best suited as a subtheme of City, with plenty of sets based upon camera rig cars, green screen shoots, car chase shoots, miniature props, etc.

Studios could also work well as a subtheme of Friends, but I'd imagine that a lot of its playsets would be of make-up/dressing room layouts. 

Edited March 1, 2018 by Digger of Bricks

[The Island Chronicles]

Well....to be frank....

No

Space is under City now. 

[hagridshut]

Do some of the sets from The Lego Movie 2 count as an in-house space theme?

The Rescue Rocket (Set 70831: Emmet's Dream House/Rescue Rocket) was a great space set for me personally, because of its original design, use of lots of rocket engines/pods, and general bent towards exploration.  I wasn't enamored with the Sweet Mayhem Starship or the WLD-Mayhem Starfighter for subjective reasons, but they do also represent unique designs that are far different than Star Wars or Avengers fare.  

The Space themes from the 80's and 90's were what drew me into Lego as a hobby.  To me, an in-house Space theme has generally meant: (1) Beyond Earth (2) Futuristic (3) Exploration & Colonization focused (4) No specific pre-established storyline.  Yes, Blacktron were supposedly the space pirates that Space Police were supposed to apprehend, and the same dynamic played out between many of the Aliens and Space Police III, but for the most part, kids seemed to be encouraged to create their own stories and adventures with the sets.  

I've been designing and building small MOCs in the style of old space themes.  I don't know that I actually need The Lego Group to revisit the specific style of Space that was prevalent up until around the year 2000, because I can create my own out of both old and new pieces.

If Lego decides to revisit Space with compelling new themes and designs, I'm very likely to buy.  I'm not going to wait around though.  I'll keep building my own.

[Digger of Bricks]

On 9/10/2019 at 8:59 PM, pooda said:

Well....to be frank....

No

Space is under City now. 

Only for 2019, and after that, we may not likely see the subtheme return to City until 2023 as customary within a four-year cycle for nearly all of its exploration-based subthemes (that is, unless this year's Mars Expedition sets do extraordinarily well-enough to justify them becoming an annual mainstay within the City theme). 

[The Island Chronicles]

4 minutes ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Only for 2019, and after that, we may not likely see the subtheme return to City until 2023 as customary within a four-year cycle for nearly all of its exploration-based subthemes (that is, unless this year's Mars Expedition sets do extraordinarily well-enough to justify them becoming an annual mainstay within the City theme). 

It was also part of City for 2011 and 2015. 

[Digger of Bricks]

Just now, pooda said:

It was also part of City for 2011 and 2015. 

Exactly! With four-year breaks in-between! 

[The Island Chronicles]

3 minutes ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Exactly! With four-year breaks in-between! 

But still. That would cost too much money. 

[Digger of Bricks]

Just now, pooda said:

But still. That would cost too much money. 

What would cost too much? 

[danth]

4 hours ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Exactly! With four-year breaks in-between! 

I can't believe Galaxy Squad was 6 years ago! We've been due for another Space theme and never got one.

Yet City Space has been right on schedule. 

I guess licensed Sci-fi themes are just too profitable and in house themes would compete with them too much.

[Digger of Bricks]

2 hours ago, danth said:

I can't believe Galaxy Squad was 6 years ago! We've been due for another Space theme and never got one.

Yet City Space has been right on schedule. 

Not to mention, City's previous Space lines didn't interfere with in-house Space themes outside of City. 2013's Galaxy Squad sat right in-between the releases of City's 2011 and 2015 Spaceport subthemes, while Alien Conquest was released the same year as City's first Spaceport subtheme (and that playtheme, iconically, was the only "Space" theme to have a non-extraterrestrial setting).

2 hours ago, danth said:

I guess licensed Sci-fi themes are just too profitable and in house themes would compete with them too much.

*cough* Disney's Star Wars *cough*

[Modeltrainman]

I think it's possible, but, probably won't happen until people are tired of Star Wars.

[The Island Chronicles]

21 minutes ago, Modeltrainman said:

I think it's possible, but, probably won't happen until people are tired of Star Wars.

Which won't happen anytime soon! Love your Rex avatar btw! 

[Digger of Bricks]

1 hour ago, Modeltrainman said:

I think it's possible, but, probably won't happen until people are tired of Star Wars.

Well, there reportedly have been some signs of fatigue showing in certain areas for the franchise...

Bloomberg - Star Wars Is Struggling to Win Over the Next Generation of Kids

[meliander]

5 hours ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Well, there reportedly have been some signs of fatigue showing in certain areas for the franchise...

Bloomberg - Star Wars Is Struggling to Win Over the Next Generation of Kids

It still is (and probably will be for a long time) stronger than a completely new in-house "franchise" from Lego. Meaning even if SW is not as strong now as it was in specific periods in the past, it still is a supermassive franchise and Disney would need to completely abandon it and even then it will fade out slowly. That being said, I would love to see new original space-themed sets from Lego, but I just don't think we will see them soon.

[Modeltrainman]

11 minutes ago, meliander said:

It still is (and probably will be for a long time) stronger than a completely new in-house "franchise" from Lego. Meaning even if SW is not as strong now as it was in specific periods in the past, it still is a supermassive franchise and Disney would need to completely abandon it and even then it will fade out slowly. That being said, I would love to see new original space-themed sets from Lego, but I just don't think we will see them soon.

@melianderHi. Anyway, you're right. Star Wars is too big, old, and beloved to die out soon. Much as I am sad to say it, Star Wars is like a train. Once you get it going it's not going to instantly stop. Also, I would vote for a RoboForce successor.

[Retro]

Galaxy Squad was really cute! 

I think Disney and Lego are both in a bit of a bind about Star Wars, of which I am a big fan. It is such a huge machine now, and I think they are discovering that 'the centre cannot hold'. They have to somehow appeal to;

- fans (now adults) of the original trilogy who want grittier, more grown up films/tv without the jokes and the gungans and without character development

-fans (now adults) of the prequels who want films/tv featuring clone wars period Jedi, starships and, eh, clones

-children, who would want something light, with colour and friendships like the Clone Wars or Ninjago tv shows

- the general cinema-going public. You'll probably get better numbers for a sugar rush thing like Infinity War, but better reviews (like it or lump it) for TLJ

The current result of this is a lot of boring Star Wars sets on the shelves. But if I were a Lego executive, would I commission a new, in-house space theme to compete against it?

[TeriXeri]

Lego Movie 1 and 2 can't be forgotten, while not 100% full Space themes, it has/had multiple sets featuring Space related builds.

I do not consider Nexo Knights Space at all, but Lego Movie 2 certainly had a Spaceship set released as recent as August 2019 with the Wyld-Mayhem Star Fighter set.

Edited September 13, 2019 by TeriXeri

[Digger of Bricks]

6 hours ago, meliander said:

It still is (and probably will be for a long time) stronger than a completely new in-house "franchise" from Lego. Meaning even if SW is not as strong now as it was in specific periods in the past, it still is a supermassive franchise and Disney would need to completely abandon it and even then it will fade out slowly. That being said, I would love to see new original space-themed sets from Lego, but I just don't think we will see them soon.

Of course Star Wars will always outpace in-house Space themes by lightyears, yet Lego did find room for FOUR different in-house Space themes alongside Star Wars in between the 2005 cinematic release of Ep. III and the 2015 cinematic release of Disney's Ep. VII. There'll be a three-year cinematic hiatus for the franchise after this year's release of Ep. IX, so I'm hoping Lego has something in store as so to take advantage of that brief break.

[Lego David]

I really hope Star Wars takes a break after episode 9. I am just so tired of it. We need a new in-house Space Theme now more than ever.

[Digger of Bricks]

9 minutes ago, Lego David said:

I really hope Star Wars takes a break after episode 9. I am just so tired of it.

Cinematically, there will be, but only for three stinking years. Come 2022, the showrunners behind Game of Thrones are kicking off yet another trilogy. 

[Lego David]

20 minutes ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Cinematically, there will be, but only for three stinking years

Yeah, but other Star Wars content will still be released meanwhile, such as that Mandalorian thing on Disney+.

[TeriXeri]

2 hours ago, Digger of Bricks said:

Cinematically, there will be, but only for three stinking years. Come 2022, the showrunners behind Game of Thrones are kicking off yet another trilogy. 

I think Star Wars will not take a true break with how much it sells for the forseeable years, and also Disney having a big portion of LEGO sets overall with multiple CMF, Castle/Train, and the regular sets.

Also consider the last Harry Potter Wizarding movie was over 8 years ago, and the theme got rebooted hugely in 2018 with many sets, CMF , bricktober , advent calendar and a "UCS" Microscale hogwarts type set.

I realise there's Fantastic Beasts now, but Harry Potter and Star Wars are just very popular even from their oldest movies.

 

Even just for in-house themes there's been multiple action themes with elements that'd could be seen in Space themes.

- Chima, Nexo Knights, Ninjago  (Mechs / Aircraft / High-Tech Vehicles / "fantasy" creatures + droids)

- Lego Movie 1+2 (Space Ships / Other planets / "Aliens")

I'm not saying that Space themes can't exist now while something like Ninjago is still ongoing, but we had at least 2 of those themes run at the same time.

2013 - Chima , Ninjago , Galaxy Squad

2014 - Chima , Ninjago , Lego Movie 1 

2015 - Chima , Ninjago , Lego Movie 1 , City-Space

2016 - Nexo Knights, Ninjago

2017 - Nexo Knights, Ninjago

2018 - Nexo Knights (1HY), Ninjago 

2019 - Ninjago, Lego Movie 2 , City-Space

2020 is the first time where there might be room for new action/sci-fi themes. , Elves also ended after 2018, but  2019 TLM2 had a minidoll presence.
2020 is more similar to 2016 in that regard, with themes ending and for now, we know Ninjago is the only theme for sure to continue (I'll leave Hidden Side out for now), and there's the mystery "Leaf" theme.

Edited September 13, 2019 by TeriXeri

[The Island Chronicles]

@TeriXeri That and the space sets that you see under City is the in-house space theme. If folks were expecting a revival of Launch Command and Space Port from the 90s, that's the space we have in City. I wish people would stop asking for an in-house space theme.