Wizarding World 2023 - Rumors & Discussion

[Black Falcon]

9 minutes ago, MaxHeadroom said:

Lego could easily just remake certain segments in the same style, especially with the 2021-23 format. No need to totally reboot unless they specifically want to try something different. 

While kids surely wouldn´t care if they would do that, when the span between both is long enough, since they would have finished their hogwarts at some point - and then would likely have other interests anyways, from an Adult perspective, that would be pretty boring IMO. I mean there are still many adults out there collecting them, and bringing the same set out over and over again, even with smaller changes, wouldn´t be very intersting. In the end everyone can decide which of the different imaginations of Hogwarts suids you the most and just buy and keep that one.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Black Falcon

[Seaber]

I'm quite hopeful that we'll see rockwork under the castle in the new building system. So far, I think Chamber of Secrets is the only set that's had it. 

It means the Boathouse can actually be down a set of steps, bridges can actually cross open spaces and underground locations can be suitable built into the rocks beneath Hogwarts. 

The Owlery shows there doesn't have to be much in the underground section to make it interesting too. 

[Black Falcon]

3 hours ago, Seaber said:

I'm quite hopeful that we'll see rockwork under the castle in the new building system. So far, I think Chamber of Secrets is the only set that's had it. 

It means the Boathouse can actually be down a set of steps, bridges can actually cross open spaces and underground locations can be suitable built into the rocks beneath Hogwarts. 

The Owlery shows there doesn't have to be much in the underground section to make it interesting too. 

I would think the same. The boathouse and the Owlery both would make me think that we will see rocks under the rest of the sets - and in the end I would also think we will see the chamber of secrets again, which would be easy to place there - then potion class. And for the rest of Hogwarts it wouldn´t be that hard to find something too, which lego wouldn´t have to necessarily place on the right space - some of the rooms from stone of wisdom for instance.

[Ravenclaw62442]

It looks like we can expect a Hogwarts reboot every three years. 

[PsychoBuilder]

I've dipped for a while, but are these confirmed to be part of a new reboot? Like, are they planning on retiring the old Great Hall soon, so we can expect a new one in the summer?

[BrickMatit]

1 hour ago, Brickroll said:

I've dipped for a while, but are these confirmed to be part of a new reboot? Like, are they planning on retiring the old Great Hall soon, so we can expect a new one in the summer?

Castle Owlery and Boathouse sets are adviced on LEGO.com as "the first in an upcoming series of modular sets (sold separately) that connect to create the most detailed LEGO® brick-built Hogwarts™ Castle scene ever".

So they're not intended to be paired with the 2021-2023 Hogwarts castle, but with a new Hogwarts dispay. And considering the Great Hall is a central and iconic location in Hogwarts we can easily assume we'll see a new one sooner rather than later.

I don't know when the Great Hall actually sold, wtih Chamber of Secrets, will end its life, but I wouldn't be surprsied to see a new Great Hall in 2024 summer.

Edited December 17, 2023 by BrickMatit

[Black Falcon]

1 hour ago, Brickroll said:

I've dipped for a while, but are these confirmed to be part of a new reboot? Like, are they planning on retiring the old Great Hall soon, so we can expect a new one in the summer?

Yes, the describtion of the Owlery and Boathouse say something like they are part of the most detailed Hogwarts yet - and well the roof colour speaks for itself anyways. A great hall would be to expect I think, howevery might be they split it with the underground section this time (great hall one set, Chamber of Secrets another - I guess it will depend on how detailed they are really going to go). But I kinda feel like in this case they still would release both at the same time

[Alas_Earwax]

I see what's being said regarding the new sets, but one of the major complaints people have with long running Lego themes is how quick things are being remade. Majority are expecting a new Great Hall this year, but the reality is that there's still one actively on sale through the Chamber of Secrets set. What is frustrating to me is how they're managing to reboot Hogwart's systems after customers have spent time buying an existing system. It was frustrating in 2021... Some people (including myself) still haven't gotten the last few sets from that 2021-2023 modular line yet, but there's already a reboot in the pipeline. All I'm saying is, there's a lot they could tackle with this theme that they seem to be avoiding.

Honestly, I'd rather have individual Diagon Alley stores released at an afforable price than a new Hogwart's.  Overall, we're still missing key locations, like Malfoy Manor, shell cottage, an accurate full quidditch pitch (which I'd happily pay out for), Durmstrang ship (I could genuinely go on here).

It's no big deal, I'm planning on swapping all of the green roof sets to grey, so they'll fit in (I hope). But it's frustrating that we're already promised a 'new' hogwarts, when the last system is still on shelves. This is the only Lego theme I'm really interested in, so I really do hope they'll continue with their sets. But there's been so many repeats lately, I fear we're going to be walking familiar ground once again in 2024.

[RichardGoring]

1 hour ago, Alas_Earwax said:

I see what's being said regarding the new sets, but one of the major complaints people have with long running Lego themes is how quick things are being remade...

While it's irritating for most people here, I suspect it suits the majority of buyers for these sets perfectly, who are likely children and teens who are into it for a year or three before fading, or, at the very least, when they get into it, they want to get a complete collection as quickly as possible, and LEGO won't want to disappoint them with sets locked behind the retirement barrier.

I think the 2018-2020 sets are still the best and I'm pleased to have most of them. I have 76389 to use as the base for the 2018 Great Hall (through the excellent MOC on Rebrickable) and I think one other more recent set. They just didn't interest me that much, but I have no doubt they were flying off the shelves in vulgar numbers. Seeing people put all of them together into a single Hogwarts is very impressive though. Selfishly (and only semi-jokingly) I hope the next batch aren't as good as the 2018-2020 versions, so I don't feel compelled to get more of them! 

[Black Falcon]

17 hours ago, Alas_Earwax said:

What is frustrating to me is how they're managing to reboot Hogwart's systems after customers have spent time buying an existing system. It was frustrating in 2021... Some people (including myself) still haven't gotten the last few sets from that 2021-2023 modular line yet, but there's already a reboot in the pipeline. All I'm saying is, there's a lot they could tackle with this theme that they seem to be avoiding.

Well in the end most people won´t have room for 3 Hogwart´s (or 5 actually if we count the two microscale ones) anyways. So you might have to decide what to keep/buy and what not unless you have some storage room anyways. However I understand it will be hard to resist to buy the new hogwarts again especially since I am sure they will include cool new stuff again (actually the portraits already would be some) and surely we will also get a minifigure we haven´t had before.

That beeing said, I still think it was a very smart move to release the Owlery and the Boathouse as the first two sets along with Hagrits Hut - the Modular Hogwarts we have right now had neither of those so you can easily buy and include them there even if you are not planning to start another hogwarts.

17 hours ago, Alas_Earwax said:

Honestly, I'd rather have individual Diagon Alley stores released at an afforable price than a new Hogwart's.  Overall, we're still missing key locations, like Malfoy Manor, shell cottage, an accurate full quidditch pitch (which I'd happily pay out for), Durmstrang ship (I could genuinely go on here).

With the Weasley Store released, and also given how it was named, I would be surprised if they wouldn´t make more that kind. Also, would be surprised if we wouldn´t get one big Set each year for a while, which they could make some of those locations. And actually, although it seems unlikely we will get that anytime soon, maybe we will also get a Ministry of Magic in a proper size - but for now we will see if we will get the Burrow this year. 

A Durmstrang ship does also seem likely to get soon to me, since it seems to be quite recommended among fans - however I wonder which price-range that one would have. They could make a playset, which would likely not please adults that much or they could make a bigger one but that would be likely in the price range between 200 and 250€

17 hours ago, Alas_Earwax said:

It's no big deal, I'm planning on swapping all of the green roof sets to grey, so they'll fit in (I hope). But it's frustrating that we're already promised a 'new' hogwarts, when the last system is still on shelves. This is the only Lego theme I'm really interested in, so I really do hope they'll continue with their sets. But there's been so many repeats lately, I fear we're going to be walking familiar ground once again in 2024.

While there were a lot repeats, naturally, for the sets depicting the same castle, they were quite different though. In the end when you look at other themes such as castle you always have repeats there also. You have castles, ambushes, siege - but then you also got sets that are just standing out. Howevery Castle of course is still more open in what they can show, since the castle can look however they like to have it. I guess what I want to say is even if there are often repeats, that kinda makes the sets standing out and beeing unique more interesting in the end.

16 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

While it's irritating for most people here, I suspect it suits the majority of buyers for these sets perfectly, who are likely children and teens who are into it for a year or three before fading, or, at the very least, when they get into it, they want to get a complete collection as quickly as possible, and LEGO won't want to disappoint them with sets locked behind the retirement barrier.

Agreed.

16 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

I think the 2018-2020 sets are still the best and I'm pleased to have most of them. I have 76389 to use as the base for the 2018 Great Hall (through the excellent MOC on Rebrickable) and I think one other more recent set. They just didn't interest me that much, but I have no doubt they were flying off the shelves in vulgar numbers. Seeing people put all of them together into a single Hogwarts is very impressive though. Selfishly (and only semi-jokingly) I hope the next batch aren't as good as the 2018-2020 versions, so I don't feel compelled to get more of them! 

So far the sets we got look quite good, so I wouldn´t get my hopes to high there. Personally I hope for a lot nice details in the sets as Lego is already advertising it to be the most detailed Hogwarts yet.

[Seaber]

11 hours ago, Black Falcon said:

 

A Durmstrang ship does also seem likely to get soon to me, since it seems to be quite recommended among fans - however I wonder which price-range that one would have. They could make a playset, which would likely not please adults that much or they could make a bigger one but that would be likely in the price range between 200 and 250€

There are currently three 'similar' Lego ships/boats - 3 in 1 Viking, 3 in 1 Pirate and Thor Goat Boat. There is also a tiny ship in the EL Dorado fortress set. 

At least one - the Viking Boat - is retiring at the end of the year which means there won't be such a bumper crop of ships, so hopefully the Durmstang Ship can come next. 

[MaxHeadroom]

On 12/17/2023 at 6:21 AM, Black Falcon said:

from an Adult perspective, that would be pretty boring IMO. I mean there are still many adults out there collecting them, and bringing the same set out over and over again, even with smaller changes, wouldn´t be very intersting.

GOOD. They should be boring to adults who own the previous versions because that’s would be the point. They shouldn’t be the target audience. Sometimes remakes are naturally different from earlier versions because of substantial changes in LEGO’s techniques (Hagrid’s hut 2010-2019) or in substantial changes in the in-universe design (Hagrid’s hut 2019-2023) but many sets are often remade purely to keep sets accessible to kids and keep the boxes interesting and refreshed for retailers. 
 

Sometimes LEGO will throw in a new side build or minifigure in a lazy effort to tempt collectors into buying a remake they don’t need. What we’ve gotten with Hogwarts is a total redesign of the whole system to temp collectors into buying the remakes. We’ve literally just seen what the effects of change for the sake of being different gets us with the 2021-2023 system. It was unfocused and they clearly lost the supposed interest in the interiors early on. Some of the later sets (especially the Battle of Hogwarts and Sirius’ Escape) feel forced into the style out of tired obligation. Not to mention they seemingly didn’t plan the theme out and cannibalized it by introducing multiple other competing interior focused lines which used up all the classrooms and common rooms leaving the proper sets with less interesting interiors to make sets around and forcing it to focus on the exterior (to the detriment of the sets) to differentiate itself. That’s not mentioning it ending the previous system before it needed to. Surely it would be better to let a castle system survive for 4-5 years and just release similar versions of the sets that need rereleases. I would feel no real sympathy for the adults with infinite money and space who would be disappointed in a remake set not having anything interesting for them or having a real reason for them to buy it. 
 

If a set’s worth actually redesigning then they should go for it (Hagrid’s hut 2024) and if it’s not then just make the minor updates and leave it at that (Flying car 2024). Not every remake needs to appeal to collectors who own the previous versions. 

[Black Falcon]

12 hours ago, Seaber said:

There are currently three 'similar' Lego ships/boats - 3 in 1 Viking, 3 in 1 Pirate and Thor Goat Boat. There is also a tiny ship in the EL Dorado fortress set. 

At least one - the Viking Boat - is retiring at the end of the year which means there won't be such a bumper crop of ships, so hopefully the Durmstang Ship can come next. 

I don´t think it matters in any way how many boats in other themes exist, when it comes to whether they would do the durmstrang ship or not. However with how they are starting now, and likely would make more sets for the first films now, I would guess we will see it in 2025.

9 hours ago, MaxHeadroom said:

Sometimes LEGO will throw in a new side build or minifigure in a lazy effort to tempt collectors into buying a remake they don’t need. What we’ve gotten with Hogwarts is a total redesign of the whole system to temp collectors into buying the remakes. We’ve literally just seen what the effects of change for the sake of being different gets us with the 2021-2023 system. It was unfocused and they clearly lost the supposed interest in the interiors early on. Some of the later sets (especially the Battle of Hogwarts and Sirius’ Escape) feel forced into the style out of tired obligation. Not to mention they seemingly didn’t plan the theme out and cannibalized it by introducing multiple other competing interior focused lines which used up all the classrooms and common rooms leaving the proper sets with less interesting interiors to make sets around and forcing it to focus on the exterior (to the detriment of the sets) to differentiate itself.

Given how unpleased you are with the second Hogwarts Line (if we are only counting the ones after they brought the theme back), you should be actually happy to get a new system and that one disappearing from the shelfes over time. However, you should keep in mind that tastes are different and what you consider a bad design, might be a good one for someone else. Honestly, when I saw the first pictures of the Chamber of Secrets when it was released, for me that was a big downgrade compared to the other one. However there were people that liked it a lot - and I have to admit, when the pictures of the full Hogwarts using most of the sets of that line showed up, I was actually surprised how good it looked.

That beeing said, with one same hogwarts system always staying around, some people would never get what they liked since we were stuck with the same version with only minor changes. Like it is now, more people get the chance to buy a hogwarts they really like.

9 hours ago, MaxHeadroom said:

If a set’s worth actually redesigning then they should go for it (Hagrid’s hut 2024) and if it’s not then just make the minor updates and leave it at that (Flying car 2024). Not every remake needs to appeal to collectors who own the previous versions. 

Who decides what needs a redesign and what not? I actually like that they made that ford to a small set of its own instead of adding it to an other set like they did before. That way everyone that already had one can easily skip it and it is easy to obtain for those who want - and actually a great present for a low price.

[Alas_Earwax]

15 hours ago, MaxHeadroom said:

Sometimes LEGO will throw in a new side build or minifigure in a lazy effort to tempt collectors into buying a remake they don’t need. What we’ve gotten with Hogwarts is a total redesign of the whole system to temp collectors into buying the remakes. We’ve literally just seen what the effects of change for the sake of being different gets us with the 2021-2023 system. It was unfocused and they clearly lost the supposed interest in the interiors early on. Some of the later sets (especially the Battle of Hogwarts and Sirius’ Escape) feel forced into the style out of tired obligation. Not to mention they seemingly didn’t plan the theme out and cannibalized it by introducing multiple other competing interior focused lines which used up all the classrooms and common rooms leaving the proper sets with less interesting interiors to make sets around and forcing it to focus on the exterior (to the detriment of the sets) to differentiate itself. That’s not mentioning it ending the previous system before it needed to. Surely it would be better to let a castle system survive for 4-5 years and just release similar versions of the sets that need rereleases. I would feel no real sympathy for the adults with infinite money and space who would be disappointed in a remake set not having anything interesting for them or having a real reason for them to buy it. 
 

Respectfully, just because you personally weren't fond of the 2021-2023 Hogwarts system doesn't mean it wasn't a success or that it wasn't focused. They covered a LOT more in this particular system than any other. Take a good look around social media, there's far more buzz around people combining all of the modular buildings together than there ever was connecting the 2018-2020 system. The 2021-2023 sets were mainly focused on interior, which for me was always a better option when it came to collecting the two systems. 2018+ had very small interiors with barely any room to move around or display figures. They sacrificed interior for exterior, which is the biggest flaw of the that particular system. Granted, the biggest flaw of 2021+ was possibly the focus on interiors, but I think connected together, it looks incredible. Even from the outside. It also gave people a chance to create a Hogwarts that suited their needs. They could basically build and display it however they wanted. Which to me was always a more fun option. But saying the line was unfocused is a bit silly, seen as the end product of all the combined sets is fantastic.

[Seaber]

21 hours ago, Black Falcon said:

I don´t think it matters in any way how many boats in other themes exist, when it comes to whether they would do the durmstrang ship or not. However with how they are starting now, and likely would make more sets for the first films now, I would guess we will see it in 2025.

I'm pretty sure it does. 

Also, the Owlery is from the same film as the Durmstrang ship. 

[Black Falcon]

3 hours ago, Seaber said:

I'm pretty sure it does. 

As long as they have different themes, it won´t. They even made one for Thor although we already got a viking ship already. Then we have ships in city, the pirate ship - and actually next year there will be more ships added too. Anyways, if they would care for the number of ships in total we already would have to many now.

[Seaber]

2 hours ago, Black Falcon said:

As long as they have different themes, it won´t. They even made one for Thor although we already got a viking ship already. Then we have ships in city, the pirate ship - and actually next year there will be more ships added too. Anyways, if they would care for the number of ships in total we already would have to many now.

The ships in the City theme are very different to the list of 'similar' ships I explicitly mentioned. And yes, there are too many boats right now, but as at least one is EOL. 

[BrickBob Studpants]

On 12/18/2023 at 9:15 PM, Black Falcon said:

They could make a playset, which would likely not please adults that much or they could make a bigger one but that would be likely in the price range between 200 and 250€

I certainly hope not. The ship has neither enough significance nor screentime to justify a large-scale set like that  A 100€ playset would be more than enough in my eyes

[MaxHeadroom]

On 12/19/2023 at 2:59 PM, Black Falcon said:

you should be actually happy to get a new system and that one disappearing from the shelfes over time. However, you should keep in mind that tastes are different and what you consider a bad design, might be a good one for someone else.

Yes I’m happy to see the new reboot as it’s clearly what the designers/lego have been wanting to do for the last year or two. I was sad to see the 2018+ version go because it was still going strong in 2020 and it felt like it was only a few rooms away from being complete (Hufflepuff/Slytherin dorms + library). Meanwhile the 2021+ castle is missing so many key features (common rooms outside of a GWP, potions class, greenhouses) that when combined with Lego only bothering to make one notable interior last year with the ROR, I can’t say I’m surprised or particularly sad to see it go. I just wish three years wasn’t a rule because when Lego is doing a good job with a Hogwarts line, I’d prefer to see them stick with it for just a year or two longer. 
 

As for design tastes if the blocky exteriors with endless accent colors and window designs are your thing then more power to you. Same for all the fans of the interiors during the later waves who love empty hallways, little sinks, and whatever’s on the inside of the Battle of Hogwarts (LEGO couldn’t even be bothered photographing those interiors for the product images). Personally I think Lego should’ve stuck to what this line could’ve done differently compared to the 2018+ and now 2023+ systems, good large interiors and underground modules. Instead they tried to please everyone and as a result comprised the best parts and from what I’ve seen still disappointed a lot of the fans who preferred exteriors. 

[Black Falcon]

I wouldn´t say 3 years is a rule. More like that is how long it takes for them to release one full hogwarts - with the new, more detailed system, it could aswell be 4 years - but then I don´t think it would be much more because then to many of the first sets would be retired already so integral parts of the castle won´t be avaiable anymore. 

The greenhouses you mentioned were actually my guess for the next sets. Well we got boathouse, owlery and hargrits hut now, which are all sets you can basically include to both the old and the new system - so the greenhouses, which you can add to both too, are still my guess for the some wave. 

[MaxHeadroom]

On 12/19/2023 at 7:49 PM, Alas_Earwax said:

Respectfully, just because you personally weren't fond of the 2021-2023 Hogwarts system doesn't mean it wasn't a success or that it wasn't focused. They covered a LOT more in this particular system than any other. Take a good look around social media, there's far more buzz around people combining all of the modular buildings together than there ever was connecting the 2018-2020 system. The 2021-2023 sets were mainly focused on interior

When it comes to social media posts combining the sets, I’ve also seen plenty of people combining them and also had fun combining them myself. With that said I’ve also seen plenty of people not really know what to do with them once they’re combined and I don’t often spot them in AFOL collections like I did the 2018-20 castles. Theyre fun to put together but the need to have all the sets look different on the shelves and try to make the rectangles interesting leads to a lack of unity in the exteriors which doesn’t make the castle appealing to display once you’ve had fun putting the modules together. It’s also wrong to say I wasn’t fond of it just because I called out its flaws. I was very fond of the 2021 line when it occasionally focused on what it did best. Polyjuice Potion Mistake is probably my fourth favorite Hogwarts set of the 2018+ reboot and it’s definitely the best Hogwarts set under $50 ever made. I also love the interiors of a number of other sets.

 

I don’t think calling the line unfocused is really much of an opinion though as these sets just weren’t very focused on an objective. You’ve said they focused on interior but did they really or is that just the marketing line we were told when it started? Look at what we got in terms of significant rooms each year excluding GWP:

2021- 4 sets, initial USD retail $210: Girls’ bathroom, Fluffy’s room, Devil’s snare room, trophy room, Astronomy classroom, Lockhart’s office, Lockhart’s classroom, CoS slide, main CoS room, and the Great Hall

2022- 3 sets, initial USD retail messy because of price increases but around $180: Hospital wing, Sirius’ prison, the library, two Dumbledore’s office rooms, and a spiral staircase room if we’re being generous

2023- 2 sets, USD retail $130: Room of Requirement 

It’s pretty clear to see LEGO lost interest in interiors.  If you think the rooms I excluded are all worthwhile interiors and that it’s all just my opinion, check out the marketing. In 2021 PPM’s interior was displayed on the front of the box and the Chamber of Secrets’ interior is the main product image for that set on Lego’s website. Interiors would never be at the front of marketing again and in 2023 they literally didn’t use a single photograph of the Battle of Hogwarts’ interior on the box or in the product images. Interiors were so important to the 2021-23 line that they literally did not photograph the interiors of the second largest set in the system. Doesn’t seem very focused to me. 

[Seaber]

2 hours ago, MaxHeadroom said:

As for design tastes if the blocky exteriors with endless accent colors and window designs are your thing then more power to you. 

The blocky corridors worked well for the connecting various towers together, but with the inconsistent window design and use of sand green looked out of place. 

I personally liked the sets, but 2018-20 did look better. The Boathouse and Owlery look more similar to that style, luckily. 

[BrickBob Studpants]

And the new book-exclusive character is…

*drumroll* 

…2nd task Cedric  The torso is neat (as is the arm printing), but this feels like a wasted spot a bit, especially coming after the excellent Rita minifig. MEH.

[BacktoBricks]

4 hours ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

And the new book-exclusive character is…

*drumroll* 

…2nd task Cedric  The torso is neat (as is the arm printing), but this feels like a wasted spot a bit, especially coming after the excellent Rita minifig. MEH.

The arm printing is nice and great to add to the Second Taak set, but he really should have dual moulded legs. I would have taken that over the printed arm to be honest. He was wearing shorts in this scene and whilst Harry could be forgiven as he used mid legs there is no excuse here but cheapness. The same went for Krum in the Second Task set. They are excellent minifigures torso up, but they could be better. Especially as these books as they are not exactly cheap. That being said I don't where else we'd get this minifigure now so I don't think he's really wasted a spot. The line up will never feel complete without Fleur though.

[mark1991t]

A picture of the Sorting Hat is on instagram. It has an exclusive Harry minifig with new faceprint with his eyes closed.