A Question about Liscensed Figures

[Flynn]

I just have a quick question that's been nagging me for a while. When LEGO designers design a new minifigure for a liscensed theme, do they ever consider reusing facial designs? Ex, if LEGO made a Ghostbusters line, would they use the Harry Potter face for Egon, just without the scar, or would they create an entirely new face deisgn for the character?

I understand that less important characters like the soldiers in the Indy line re-use heads constantly, as we've seen Victor Krum, Bruce Wayne, and J. Jameson all dressed up in Nazi garb, but has any of the more important characters re-used older facial designs?

[GIR3691]

I would guess for primary characters they just design a new face.

[Skafte]

Here is a head used for two characters from different themes. Not main characters, both a bit evil, though:


Malfoy (HP) Belloq (IJ)

[Darth Yoda]

Well, the vader's apprentice head is being used in the new Endor set...

[Jedd the Jedi]

I think that Lego would go as standardised and as economical as possible. Bruce Wayne's face has appeared multiple times on everyone from Nazi (oops, I mean German) soldiers to Satipo himself. I'm still pretty happy that Lego has decided to make a new Indiana Jones face, though.

[speaknspell]

For the most part, the designers will bow to the wishes of the IP (intellectual property) owners (i.e. Lucas, Nick, etc.). There are some characters that have a very specific look such as Indy and have to get a new face, but even some important secondary characters such as Belloq, Wedge, and others will get more generic faces becuase they don't have nearly as unique a look.

So it seems mostly main characters such as our heroes who will be reused over and over again will get unique faces. Secondary and one use characters are where replacement faces are used, though this isn't always true either. again, its all about what the owner of the property wants and will approve.

Steve

[Mr.legoman123]

Henry Jones Sr. had the sme basic face printing as Indy only with age wrinkles, glasses and a beard

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=2970427

[Kevin Koala]

LEGO has been re-using heads but with a little twist. ( press link on post above ) You will see that they are all the same except: Satipo's head has black eyes brows and Indy has brown and a beard. And Henry Jones has the same head like Satipo except it has wrinkles, glasses, ect.