We’ve had a Space CMF Series, could we ever get a Castle one?

[Black Falcon]

1 hour ago, williejm said:

4. Plague Doctor 

I am not sure if Lego would do this in the first place, but I wouldn´t say that it fits in a castle Series anyways.

[Lyichir]

1 hour ago, williejm said:

11. Castle costume fan (utilising the Brick body piece in yellow, and/or a new ‘turret’ headpiece as an homage to the OG yellow castle)

 

Oh, this is a fun idea—a great homage to the start of it all, and a great way to bring just one actual "castle" into a minifigure series that understandably couldn't include a castle itself.

[hikouki]

6 hours ago, williejm said:

So here’s my attempt at a Castle CMF line up. For me it’d be some way between the eclectic-ness of the Space CMF, and a full-on one of Castle add-on characters 

1. Princess with new harp 

2. Peasant with new ram

3. Sorceress

4. Plague Doctor 

5. Herald with new long trumpet

6. Blacksmith 

7. Alchemist

8. Elf child with new unicorn foal (thanks @Lion King)

9. Beefeater with raven 

10. Jester

11. Castle costume fan (utilising the Brick body piece in yellow, and/or a new ‘turret’ headpiece as an homage to the OG yellow castle)

12. Knight costume kid (reusing the wearable horse pieces from the Series 18 ‘cowboy costume’ kid)

 

3,4, and 7 - Lego has previously released so many witches and wizards. Ditto 10. Lego would have to really differentiate these ones from previous similar characters.

I like the idea of 9 and 11!

4 hours ago, Lyichir said:

Oh, this is a fun idea—a great homage to the start of it all, and a great way to bring just one actual "castle" into a minifigure series that understandably couldn't include a castle itself.

Ah, yes! We have not had a yellow one!

[Karalora]

Apart from Harry Potter characters, minifigure "witches" are all Halloween caricatures and "wizards" are storybook stereotypes. It wouldn't be hard at all to come up with new design concepts that differentiate a "sorceress" and an "alchemist" from that baseline. (Why you included the plague doctor in this list I don't know--that's a very distinctive image already!)

[MAB]

18 hours ago, Lyichir said:

If they do a Castle series I fully expect it to opt for variety over "traditionalism" like the Space one did. I remember when the Space series was revealed there was a lot of complaining about it using slots for things like the Retro Space Heroine, Robot Butler, Alien Tourist, and Flying Saucer Costume instead of <insert classic faction XYZ>. I hope castle fans would be prepared for slots to be occupied not just by classic factions or historical subject matter but also more unusual subject matter that may be castle-related but not explicitly the same sorts of genres/subject matter that classic themes had—examples off the top of my head would be things like a sparkly fairytale character or a modern kid dressed in cardboard knight armor or other sorts of offbeat takes on the theme that push it in different directions and appeal to different sorts of audiences instead of all hewing to the narrow pre-established concepts of what "Lego castle" means.

I agree. And it wouldn't surprise me if a Castle series was not really any more useful to a Classic Castle type collector than a normal CMF series because of the variety in such tangential figures.

.

[williejm]

44 minutes ago, MAB said:

I agree. And it wouldn't surprise me if a Castle series was not really any more useful to a Classic Castle type collector than a normal CMF series because of the variety in such tangential figures.

Ach we can all use a Zombie Skateboard Knight somehow 

9 hours ago, hikouki said:

3,4, and 7 - Lego has previously released so many witches and wizards. Ditto 10. Lego would have to really differentiate these ones from previous similar characters.

Re the Jester - when did they last produce a jester? We forget that current kids might not have a lengthy hoard of previous CMFs to rely on, so revisiting archetypes every few years makes marketing sense. 
Regardless, four specific ways a jester could be different are 1) new colour way, 2) gender swap, 3) new desirable accessory, and 4) new moulded hat piece and/or collar piece

1 hour ago, Karalora said:

Apart from Harry Potter characters, minifigure "witches" are all Halloween caricatures and "wizards" are storybook stereotypes. It wouldn't be hard at all to come up with new design concepts that differentiate a "sorceress" and an "alchemist" from that baseline. (Why you included the plague doctor in this list I don't know--that's a very distinctive image already!)

Also depends what we are talking about in terms of previous figures - to me we should presume CMFs are adding to the CMF roster, and so that’s the back catalogue that matters (one which has only two classic witches and two wizards, historically)

[Karalora]

16 minutes ago, williejm said:

Also depends what we are talking about in terms of previous figures - to me we should presume CMFs are adding to the CMF roster, and so that’s the back catalogue that matters (one which has only two classic witches and two wizards, historically)

I think people tend to consider themed CMFs (licensed or unlicensed) as adjuncts to the theme more than as CMFs. We might also consider the BAM station minifigs in this calculation, which often amount to CMF mini-waves and have added a handful of witches and wizards to the collection.

[MAB]

23 minutes ago, Karalora said:

I think people tend to consider themed CMFs (licensed or unlicensed) as adjuncts to the theme more than as CMFs. We might also consider the BAM station minifigs in this calculation, which often amount to CMF mini-waves and have added a handful of witches and wizards to the collection.

Not me, for unlicensed series. To me, series 14 was a CMF series more than something to go with Monster Fighters or any other theme, Series 18 was a CMF series more than a celebration of 40 years of minifigures and series 26 was a CMF series rather than something to go with the Space theme. I no longer display CMFs as a complete collection, but if I did those themed series would be with the other CMFs and not displayed separately with MF or Space. Whereas Ninjago Movie, Batman Movie, LEGO Movie, they were true themes and the CMFs are part of those themes. Similarly Harry Potter CMFs are not really CMFs but part of the HP theme, and so on with Marvel and DC. If anything, the skin colour distinguishes the licenses CMF as different to the unlicensed CMFs. To me, Seires 26 is a numbered theme and not part of Space, even though there was a link to Space. Same with series 14.

So for Witches, I'd count series 2 and 14, but not DND or the Scarlet Witch and for Wizards, I'd count both series 12 and 13. So I'd say there have been 2 classic witches and 2 wizards.

I also wouldn't count BAM, as they are not CMF, and nso ot part of any series so would not display with the CMF series if you display them that way.

 

 

[hikouki]

4 hours ago, williejm said:

...

Re the Jester - when did they last produce a jester? We forget that current kids might not have a lengthy hoard of previous CMFs to rely on, so revisiting archetypes every few years makes marketing sense. 
Regardless, four specific ways a jester could be different are 1) new colour way, 2) gender swap, 3) new desirable accessory, and 4) new moulded hat piece and/or collar piece

...

Well, I do not disagree with that. However, I feel that the CMF should feature more 'novel' types. Perhaps they could include a jester or two in an actual set.

[Lion King]

It’s interesting that w haven’t seen any minifigure that are relating to medical category in CMF. We got Nurse and Suregeon in the older CMF series, I believe. I don’t mind having a medieval plague dcotor, although i can underand COViD-19 had a negative impact on our society. We have seen plague doctor’s mask in the remake of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (2017) and I didn’t think it had negative impact on us? Venetian minifigure might be perfect with that plague mask. 

Anyways, i still want to see sorceress or enchantress!

[cynw32618]

There’s some great suggestions in here! One thing I always wanted would be one of those little kids you see who always carry something on a giant cushion, like a medieval ring bearer - If there was a stud on the centre of the cushion, you could then use it in different environment, for carrying lots of funny / ridiculous items as well!

[hikouki]

Come to think of it, we are talking about medieval figures, and we are in the 21st century... how about some period in between? Like the Renaissance? But that might be a topic for another thread...

[Black Falcon]

1 hour ago, hikouki said:

Come to think of it, we are talking about medieval figures, and we are in the 21st century... how about some period in between? Like the Renaissance? But that might be a topic for another thread...

Well they did the rococo Lady not that long ago, so I don´t see why they couldn´t do something similar. 

[MAB]

11 hours ago, hikouki said:

Come to think of it, we are talking about medieval figures, and we are in the 21st century... how about some period in between? Like the Renaissance? But that might be a topic for another thread...

I guess part of the problem is that they need to be somewhat generic without being country or era specific and have 'action' (such as implied warfare). Castle is fairly generic in that it is sort of European but not more specific to a place or time. I also don't think it is meant to be historic (as in realistic / accurate). The more specific the subject, the less freedom they have. 

[SpacePolice89]

13 hours ago, Black Falcon said:

Well they did the rococo Lady not that long ago, so I don´t see why they couldn´t do something similar. 

The rococo style was popular in the 18th century (about 1730-1760) so that makes the Rococo Lady exist in roughly the same time period as Pirates. Many of the pirates and soldiers from that theme uses tricorne hats which were also widely used in the 18th century and early 19th century. A Pirates CMF series would be fantastic with representation from different centuries, Armada (16th and 17th centuries), Imperial Soldiers and Guards (18th and early 19th century) and of course pirates and islanders which are suitable for all those centuries.

 

15 hours ago, hikouki said:

Come to think of it, we are talking about medieval figures, and we are in the 21st century... how about some period in between? Like the Renaissance? But that might be a topic for another thread...

As I mentioned above the Pirates theme is positioned between the medieval period and more modern times.  Most of the Pirates line minifig clothing and hats seems to be based on stuff from the 18th and very early 19th century (bicorne, tricorne and shako hats for example). The uniforms and ships also suggest that time period. Although the armada subtheme seems to be inspired by earlier Spanish stuff from the 16th and 17th centuries like morion helmets. The "golden age of piracy" period is between 1650-1730 and there was a resurgence of piracy in the Americas and Caribbean in the early 1800s up until about 1830. So the the Pirates theme seems to be taking place during those years. That makes the Highwayman CMF to also exist in the same time period as Pirates and the Rococo Lady. It doesn't matter that all these styles are mixed a little bit because fantasy and imagination is what Lego is all about.  

[Karalora]

16 hours ago, hikouki said:

Come to think of it, we are talking about medieval figures, and we are in the 21st century... how about some period in between? Like the Renaissance? But that might be a topic for another thread...

I've long thought it would be fun to have a Renaissance Faire, either as a standalone big set or a small theme, mixing modern minifigures with ones in period costume and leaning in to the anachronisms.

[williejm]

1 hour ago, Karalora said:

I've long thought it would be fun to have a Renaissance Faire, either as a standalone big set or a small theme, mixing modern minifigures with ones in period costume and leaning in to the anachronisms.

I like this. They’ve toyed a little with putting ‘historical’ figures into other sets, the caveman in the City museum a few years ago was a hoot! Have often thought that some carefully considered licensed themes would let the do this more … Night at the Museum sets anyone? 

[MAB]

1 hour ago, williejm said:

Night at the Museum sets anyone? 

Fun idea. You can get close with just CMFs. Cowboy and Roman, Pharaoh, Tribal Woman, the Hun, the pilot with a female head for Amelia Earhart (or go outside cmf), the janitor for Cecil, Roosevelt would need a tan suit from outside cmf but fairly easy, similarly for Larry, plus the chimp would need to stand in for a monkey. The Easter Island head would need to be brick built.

[williejm]

2 hours ago, MAB said:

Fun idea. You can get close with just CMFs. Cowboy and Roman, Pharaoh, Tribal Woman, the Hun, the pilot with a female head for Amelia Earhart (or go outside cmf), the janitor for Cecil, Roosevelt would need a tan suit from outside cmf but fairly easy, similarly for Larry, plus the chimp would need to stand in for a monkey. The Easter Island head would need to be brick built.

Sure the monkey could stand in for the monkey though ;)

[Yoggington]

I don't think it's really the way they should do a CMF, but I know what I want are variants of the existing factions - similar to the way the Black Falcons got a Falconer, or the new Wolfpack figure. These slightly varied legs or torsos then allow for variety in armies (of whatever size).

But as I mentioned, that doesn't need to be a CMF line.

[hikouki]

15 hours ago, SpacePolice89 said:

The rococo style was popular in the 18th century (about 1730-1760) so that makes the Rococo Lady exist in roughly the same time period as Pirates. Many of the pirates and soldiers from that theme uses tricorne hats which were also widely used in the 18th century and early 19th century. A Pirates CMF series would be fantastic with representation from different centuries, Armada (16th and 17th centuries), Imperial Soldiers and Guards (18th and early 19th century) and of course pirates and islanders which are suitable for all those centuries.

 

As I mentioned above the Pirates theme is positioned between the medieval period and more modern times.  Most of the Pirates line minifig clothing and hats seems to be based on stuff from the 18th and very early 19th century (bicorne, tricorne and shako hats for example). The uniforms and ships also suggest that time period. Although the armada subtheme seems to be inspired by earlier Spanish stuff from the 16th and 17th centuries like morion helmets. The "golden age of piracy" period is between 1650-1730 and there was a resurgence of piracy in the Americas and Caribbean in the early 1800s up until about 1830. So the the Pirates theme seems to be taking place during those years. That makes the Highwayman CMF to also exist in the same time period as Pirates and the Rococo Lady. It doesn't matter that all these styles are mixed a little bit because fantasy and imagination is what Lego is all about.  

Yes, bring on the wigs and white face powder!

12 hours ago, williejm said:

I like this. They’ve toyed a little with putting ‘historical’ figures into other sets, the caveman in the City museum a few years ago was a hoot! Have often thought that some carefully considered licensed themes would let the do this more … Night at the Museum sets anyone? 

I would totally be in for that!

11 hours ago, MAB said:

Fun idea. You can get close with just CMFs. Cowboy and Roman, Pharaoh, Tribal Woman, the Hun, the pilot with a female head for Amelia Earhart (or go outside cmf), the janitor for Cecil, Roosevelt would need a tan suit from outside cmf but fairly easy, similarly for Larry, plus the chimp would need to stand in for a monkey. The Easter Island head would need to be brick built.

Yes, and it would give Lego an opportunity to fill in some missing figures from previous lines. Roman, pharaoh, etc.

[Lion King]

On 1/13/2025 at 4:26 PM, hikouki said:

Come to think of it, we are talking about medieval figures, and we are in the 21st century... how about some period in between? Like the Renaissance? But that might be a topic for another thread...

21st century would become ‘Neo Middle Age’ as time progress…. Sarcastically. 

But i do like the idea of Renaissance Faire set. CMF is little difficult for Renaissance Faire minifigure alone. A Faire Visitor with a smartphone and selfie? LOL