Wizarding World 2023 - Rumors & Discussion

[krimimimi]

I went back and checked what I answered last year, and was intrigued to see there were a few changes in my ranking. (Your answers were either above or below that, if you want to go back and check.) Overall, as the number of Harry Potter sets I own increases, I'm coming to value compact size / storage more than I had previously. Sets like the new '23 Room of Requirement that store the extra bits and bobs on the set itself while folding together will be forcing other sets out of the ranking next year. 

 

1 The 2018 nanoscale Hogwarts Castle has kept the pole position. A year on it's still displayed on our dining table despite the huge footprint, so it clearly deserves it. (+/- 0)

2 The 2018 Great Hall remains at second place. It was the perfect way to re-launch the series. A minor quibble remains with the basilisk, they should have made it better or ditched it in favour of better fittings in the tower. (+/- 0)

3 '20 Diagon Alley D2C. I still hate some of the colour choices, and some of the too obvious cost cutting measures in the QQS oversize, but I love the details as a whole, the building techniques, and it packs away nicely, so with shifted priorities, it's gone up two notches. (+ 2)

4 '22 Shrieking Shack. I didn't need another Whomping Willow this soon, and they take up quite a bit of space. Without it and at the lower price point (or paired with some other Hogsmeade build instead), the set would have been in third place, but it was an improvement on the one from '18, which it's knocked from the ranking, so... I do wish there were better ways to attach the loose bits, though. (NEW)

5 I was thrilled to see both the '22 Hospital Wing and library with their vastly improved exteriors, but the I prefer the Hospital Wing's compactness and better ability to fit with the '21+ modular system. Having started down the modular path, too many of the builds seem not to have committed to it, thwarting its promise in the process while sacrificing the advantages of the 2018+ system. (NEW)

6 The '21 Hogwarts Moment: Potions set has reclaimed its slot and knocked the DADA set off the list. The DADA set still has the better footprint, but Potions is the one I've bought multiples of, keep close, and use in MOCs; DADA doesn't come close to sparking the same joy. (Side note: the lego artists are true champs.) (+ 1 )

7 The lego Advent Calendars just make me happy. Even when they lean too heavily into the nanoscale builds and I whinge, it's such a pleasure to combine several of my favourite things as they have, and as long as they make them, I'll be buying them. The ‘20 Yule Ball AC was the best yet, although the 2019 one was also quite good. (new to the list)

8 '20 Forbidden Forest: Umbridge's Encounter w/ Grawp is no longer on permanent display, but rotates with some of the others. It remains an excellent set, however, and I really like the Grawp maxifig and the centaurs, which helps nudge out Harry and Luna and the Thestrals from the list, even though they're currently still on display. (+ 1)

9 '21 Polyjuice Potion Mistake may be the only set to really embrace the modular format and it did it so well. I think I've bought over a dozen of them to MOC now, so it's definitely earned its place on this list. (new to the list)

10 '19 Hagrid’s Hut is still on our coffee table, but I no longer know where the pumpkin patch is, and no matter how pretty and well done it is, it isn't small. I suspect it will be replaced by the Second Task next year. (- 6)

11 '22 Grand Staircase gave rise to much squeeing, and again: I love their artists and the attention to canonic detail. (NEW)

12 '21 Hogsmeade has slipped slightly in the ranking mostly because of little bits that are floating around the house... somewhere, and the less substantial builds for the shops. It's still part of the Christmas Village, though, and one of the things I'd very much like to see more of. (- 4)

13 '20 Astronomy Tower has replaced the Clock Tower in the list because it displays nicely behind the nanoscale castle while acting as my minifig stand. 

14 '19 Knight Bus. I'm not usually a fan of the vehicles, but both this and the Express were brilliantly rendered. This wins out as it takes up much less room and thus is on display more often. 

15 The '21 Harry and Hermione ultra-maxifigs. Something new I never would have MOCced. It was nice to have. (I could use more hair designs now... lol)

Edited January 4, 2023 by krimimimi

[Bugbot20082]

It’s not relay what you asked for but for a bonus ranking I would put down the following as best in each category I can think of:

Best Castle Module: Astronomy Tower

Best Advent Calendar: 2020 (Yule Ball)

Best House/building: As a build and display item I say The Burrow (I had Hagrid’s hut 1st on my #15 list but that’s boosted by my fondness of Buckbeak and the figures and how much I have played/modded it)

Best Forbidden Forest Set: Grawp, Umbridge and the Centaurs 

Best Vehicle: Beauxbatons Flying Carriage

Best D2C: Micro Hogwarts Castle 

Best non-Minifigure system scale set (flapping models, giant figs etc): Hogwarts Icons D2C (already gave a medal to micro Hogwarts)

Best Moments Book: Potions Lesson

Best Miscalanious set (includes Chess board, magical Trunk, sorting spinner, Dragen & Lake tasks): Rise of Voldemort

Least favoured set: Sirius Rescue Courtyard

Edited January 5, 2023 by Bugbot20082

[Decat]

Here are mine:

1.The Burrow (2020)

2. Hagrid's Hut (2019)

3. Diagon Alley (2020)

4. Astronomy Tower (2020)

5. Clock Tower (2019)

6. Great Hall (2018)

7. Microscale Hogwarts (2018)

8. Hogwarts Icons (2021)

9. Hogsmeade Village (2021)

10. Grimmauld Place (2022)

11. Newt's Case (2018)

12. Dumbledore's Office (2022)

13. First Flying Lesson (2021)

14. Thestral Carriage (2022)

15. Transfiguration Moments Book (2021)

 

 

 

 

[Tommy9]

I thought I would also rank the waves/ years of Lego Harry Potter (since the reboot)

1. 2020 wave. Best D2C, best Hogwarts modular (Astronomy tower, but the ROR is pretty good for the price), a better CMF series, The Burrow is incredible, so was Privet Drive (Just wish we got Aunt Marge). Grawp encounter had great figs and a nice build for Grawp. Hedwig was an original idea and the Yule-Ball advent calendar is the best so far. 

2. 2022 wave. I liked the new moments more than the original 4. Dumbledore's office is the best modular of the new system, with The Hospital wing being a close second. Grimmauld Place and Shrieking Shack were great doll house displays. Decent D2C and advent calendar. Only one disappointment, Sirius' escape. 

3. 2018 wave. Great way to revive the theme. The Great Hall and Womping Willow are excellent. Really great display piece in the D2C. I really liked the platform 9 and 3/4 that came with the Express. Good CMF, but many wasted spots. I liked the Fantastic beasts sets, but wasn't in love with either. The Quiditch set was fine, but nothing special. Aragog's lair was fine too. A solid wave, perfect starting point, but not as great as I remembered.

4. 2021 wave. Good to get a January wave. The moments were fun, but I liked the 2022 moments more. Art set was fine. The new system was okay when used well, but the exteriors were severely downgraded to what we were used to. I really liked the interiors and figs of the Chamber of Secrets and the Polyjuice Potion mistake. Both have great interiors, but Fluffy encounter was pretty poor overall. The flying lesson was fine. Hogsmead was excellent. Not a big fan of the chess set because the pieces roll around and the advent calendar wasn't great. Fawkes was too similar to Hedwig. I still think the maxifigs look ugly and they are one of the few sets I have which are not on display. I liked the Golden figs, but not the frog cards. The icons set is okay, but my least favourite D2C.

5. 2019 wave. It's by no means bad. But not enough highlights. I love the Beauxbaton's carriage. The Rise of Voldermort is also great. The Night bus is good too. Clocktower is my least favourite Hogwarts modular of the old wave. The hospital wing, Moody classroom and Dumbledore's office a much better in their 2022 editions. The bottom floor is empty. I like the prefect bathroom and the new prints for the figs.  I really dislike the look of the Hungarian Horntail. It also breaks too easily. Expecto Patronum has a flimsy build, but a good new mold. I like the introduction of the advent calendar, but it is improved on in the coming years. NO D2C and a boring GWP. Good by standards of other themes, but compared to the other Harry Potter waves.

[TheInvisibleMan]

This may well already have been answered but do we know what the contents of the next poly bag will be (set 30651)?

[Accio Lego]

3 hours ago, TheInvisibleMan said:

This may well already have been answered but do we know what the contents of the next poly bag will be (set 30651)?

No. Typically we don’t get much info on polybags until someone actually gets their hands on one (the few times I remember seeing a description of a polybag floating around it pretty much immediately preceded pictures dropping). Polybags also don’t typically get regular listings like sets do, so I’m guessing often very little in the way of anything written up on them before they’re already stocked in stores. For now we know it has 55 pieces and nothing else. 

[BrickBob Studpants]

Personally, I think Ron might be featured this time after two Harrys, Hermione, and Dumbledore  As for the build, maybe a remake of the 2010/2011 potion class one? The other one has already been remade, after all

[Accio Lego]

1 hour ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

Personally, I think Ron might be featured this time after two Harrys, Hermione, and Dumbledore  As for the build, maybe a remake of the 2010/2011 potion class one? The other one has already been remade, after all

While a fun concept, the piece count makes it unlikely this year’s polybag will be something minifigure scale. 55 pieces is on the high side, not as many as last year’s customizable micro castle, but considerably more than any of the previous bags featuring larger molded and printed pieces in addition to a minifigure. We’re probably looking at another microbuild of a building, vehicle, or creature. 

[karrit]

I'd love an updated remake of the potions polybag.  That was the first and for quite a long time only Harry Potter set I owned.  Got a bunch of them on clearance in Target after the holidays that year.  I'm a sucker for sets containing transparent bricks so I love the ones with potion bottle builds.  A Hall of Prophecy build with a shelf full could be interesting.

[JVM]

I really wish LEGO would give us another 'foundational' set with gray instead of tan arches and bricks. I think a Potions classroom or (unlikely given the Banners) Slytherin common room would be perfect. It just feels weird in my modular display to put regular Hogwarts rooms on the same level as the Chamber of Secrets and Devil's Snare! The banners look lovely but I am disappointed we aren't seeing common rooms in the modular format.

[Tommy9]

1 hour ago, JVM said:

I really wish LEGO would give us another 'foundational' set with gray instead of tan arches and bricks. I think a Potions classroom or (unlikely given the Banners) Slytherin common room would be perfect. It just feels weird in my modular display to put regular Hogwarts rooms on the same level as the Chamber of Secrets and Devil's Snare! The banners look lovely but I am disappointed we aren't seeing common rooms in the modular format.

I would really like this too. I hope they end up finishing the rest of the forbidden corridor as that too could have stone walls. A small set with the winged keys, maybe a small chess set or way to connect the 2021 chess set and then a mirror of Erised. It would also be nice to get another Quirrell as we haven't seen him since 2018. 

[BacktoBricks]

2 hours ago, JVM said:

I really wish LEGO would give us another 'foundational' set with gray instead of tan arches and bricks. I think a Potions classroom or (unlikely given the Banners) Slytherin common room would be perfect. It just feels weird in my modular display to put regular Hogwarts rooms on the same level as the Chamber of Secrets and Devil's Snare! The banners look lovely but I am disappointed we aren't seeing common rooms in the modular format.

So do I; I feel exactly the same way about the castle layout. 🤣 I think the Slytherin Common room is basically ruled out because of the banners like you say, but a potions classroom would work or a winged keys or final challenge module like @Tommy9 says. I had the original final challenge and always wanted the Fluffy Corridor and Winged key sets, so getting that trio again would be extremely nostalgic.

[Bugbot20082]

It’s probably been asked before but hypothetically if the theme had only 1 or 2 years left in it what would be your Top 5 things (locations, scenes, figures, accessories or new moulds etc) which you think needs to be made to ‘complete’ the theme for you?

Edited January 6, 2023 by Bugbot20082

[Murdoch17]

17 minutes ago, Bugbot20082 said:

Question for you guys, hypothetically if the theme had only 1 or 2 years left in it what would be your Top 6 things (locations, scenes, figures, accessories or new moulds etc) which you think needs to be made to ‘complete’ the theme for you?

a proper, runnable-on-track (and realistic looking) Hogwarts Express, Hogsmeade station and maybe a few more Hogsmeade buildings, like the Hogshead, for example.

That's all that comes to mind for me. (that I would find useful for me)

Edited January 6, 2023 by Murdoch17

[BacktoBricks]

 

19 minutes ago, Bugbot20082 said:

Question for you guys, hypothetically if the theme had only 1 or 2 years left in it what would be your Top 6 things (locations, scenes, figures, accessories or new moulds etc) which you think needs to be made to ‘complete’ the theme for you?

Five things spring straight to mind when I think of completing:

Gringotts

Borgin and Burkes

Karkaroff

Narcissa Malfoy

Fang (new mould)

 

So after that my sixth spot would be something more obscure like Shell Cottage, the Lovegood's house or the Quidditch World cup, basically something that was so down the list and obscure for a set before that we never thought they were a possibility, but now they don't seem totally undoable because of all the great sets we've got.

 

[BrickBob Studpants]

20 minutes ago, Bugbot20082 said:

Question for you guys, hypothetically if the theme had only 1 or 2 years left in it what would be your Top 6 things (locations, scenes, figures, accessories or new moulds etc) which you think needs to be made to ‘complete’ the theme for you?

Interesting question!

I consider the theme “complete” after these have been realised as sets:

• Gringotts with Goblins, disguised Ron, an improved Bellatrix (basically the Burrow one with a printed dress and the CMF head), and the Ukrainian Ironbelly. Preferably with some PS elements too, like the Philosopher’s Stone, portrayed by a trans-red version of the gold nugget piece
• A set based on the Battle of the Seven Potters with Thestrals, Hagrid’s bike, and masked Death Eaters
• Battle of Hogwarts set with Narcissa Malfoy and DH variants of some characters (Fred & George, Ron, Prof Sprout, etc.)
• A set based on the Battle at the Departement of Mysteries with Lucius (new face print), masked Death Eathers, and perhaps Gambledore to represent the duel as well
• Troll on the loose remake with the Troll and another Quirrell
• Remake of Hagrid’s Hut plus a section of the Forbidden Forest with coat-less Hagrid, Fang, Norberta, and a unicorn

Edited January 6, 2023 by BrickBob Studpants

[thenudeorganist]

46 minutes ago, Bugbot20082 said:

It’s probably been asked before but hypothetically if the theme had only 1 or 2 years left in it what would be your Top 5 things (locations, scenes, figures, accessories or new moulds etc) which you think needs to be made to ‘complete’ the theme for you?

1. Gringott's 2. OotP death eater 3. Narcissa 4. Durmstrang Ship (with Karkaroff) 5. Fang

After those, perhaps The Leaky Cauldron, Borgin&Burges, and a remake of the Troll in the bathroom-set.

Edited January 6, 2023 by thenudeorganist

[RODDY]

2 hours ago, Bugbot20082 said:

It’s probably been asked before but hypothetically if the theme had only 1 or 2 years left in it what would be your Top 5 things (locations, scenes, figures, accessories or new moulds etc) which you think needs to be made to ‘complete’ the theme for you?

1) Gringotts 

2) First Year Detention with new fang and unicorn mold

3) Inferi Cave 

4) Durmstrang Ship

5) Lovegood Home (With a similar feature as the Temple of Airjitzu where you can reenact the Tale of the Three Brothers) 

Bonus: MORE LOCKHART VARIANTS NEED GOLD AND BLUE AND GREEN AND RED LOCKHARTS!!!! And Narcissa of course. 

But yeah I think these are the five sets that I see myself buying before I hang it up for HP. Don’t have anymore room for more Hogwarts add ons so I stopped buying those and every other major location has been pretty much done and I’m not buying remakes or items. 

 

Edited January 6, 2023 by RODDY

[Rolyat24]

9 hours ago, JVM said:

I really wish LEGO would give us another 'foundational' set with gray instead of tan arches and bricks. I think a Potions classroom or (unlikely given the Banners) Slytherin common room would be perfect. It just feels weird in my modular display to put regular Hogwarts rooms on the same level as the Chamber of Secrets and Devil's Snare! The banners look lovely but I am disappointed we aren't seeing common rooms in the modular format.

Is anyone planning on modding the banners to fit in the modular Hogwarts? I imagine it will be tricky with the lenticular cardboard and the height, but if achievable it would look very cool!

[NostalgicBricks]

Well, I never ever want the theme to end and I would be very disappointed if it did when I thought it was now evergreen. But I will say that if it does end, and I don't get a minifigure-scale D2C Hogwarts Castle (and no, I don't mean the entire thing) and a third CMF, I will feel very unsatisfied. 

Edited January 6, 2023 by NostalgicBricks

[evanevanevan]

A true Battle of Hogwarts set is absolutely necessary- a destroyed courtyard and towers with exploding functions would be brilliant! If the designers can figure out a way to make the final Expelliarmus/Avada Kedavra blast work with the new wand pieces, that would be the cherry on top.

[Bugbot20082]

There is a new wig in blonde in the friends theme which looks even more like Xenophelious than the Aquaman hair (The bubble tea street stall), Hope this is not a coincidence 🤞

3 hours ago, RODDY said:

1) Gringotts 

2) First Year Detention with new fang and unicorn mold

3) Inferi Cave 

4) Durmstrang Ship

5) Lovegood Home (With a similar feature as the Temple of Airjitzu where you can reenact the Tale of the Three Brothers) 

Bonus: MORE LOCKHART VARIANTS NEED GOLD AND BLUE AND GREEN AND RED LOCKHARTS!!!! And Narcissa of course. 

 

Agree with all of these 👍 this covers most of my wants  only I would swap the inferi cave for a department of mystery’s battle set with OotP Death Eaters 

[lifeinplastic]

I think as most sets are Hogwarts based, many people will try to put these together to create as big a castle as their finances and room size allows. However, as the majority of sets include one or more of Harry, Ron and Hermione, the Gryffindor uniforms far outweigh the others (particularly Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw). I’m therefore keen to get some of the banner sets for the other houses, though this could be expensive to populate a castle with a proportionate number of students per house. What I would like is a Hogwarts carriage set, which would be the same set but options for each house and should include variations of different skin tones for generic students. This would allow builders to expand their train without having to buy the front carriage every time and to boost representation of various houses.

[Tommy9]

8 hours ago, Bugbot20082 said:

It’s probably been asked before but hypothetically if the theme had only 1 or 2 years left in it what would be your Top 5 things (locations, scenes, figures, accessories or new moulds etc) which you think needs to be made to ‘complete’ the theme for you?

1. Malfoy Manner with better Bellatrix and new Narcissa 

2. Battle of Hogwarts with Bell towers, proper courtyard and destroyable wooden bridge

3. $400 Diagon Ally extension, Leaky Cauldron, Borgin and Burkes and large Gringotts with the Ironbelly on top

4. Inferi Cave, 2 Inferi + Harry, Dumbledore and a boat

5. Forbidden Corridor that can connect to the 2021 models 

6. Hogshead with Aberforth 

[BrickBob Studpants]

We didn’t know the price of the D2C set before, did we? According to jedijacpenguin, it‘s going to be 160$, making it the cheapest one so far  (In the reboot I mean, the cheapest one overall is still the 2011 DA)