The LEGO Group and Disney Announce Licensing Agreement

[The Brain]

Unfortunately, Megbloks already has the Pirates of the Carribean license. So we won't be seeing that from TLG. Besides, they already have a Pirates line, and they wouldn't pay more money to make another brand specific Pirates theme.

But this brings up an interesting point--if Pirates of the Carribean is Disney, and Megabloks is producing sets from this line, is Disney going to be partners with two rival companies, benefitting from the profits of both groups, or will they terminate their partnership with Megbloks and focus instead on TLC?

[GIR3691]

Do they still make those? POTC 3 was almost two years ago, and though I haven't really checked for them ever, I have seen those MEGA sets on clearance long ago and don't see much traffic relating to them at online retailers. The license may have expired or will soon, since the property is so out of the mainstream media. Not to say that LEGO will do a POTC theme, because I really doubt they would at this point. As said before, TLG has its own Pirates line, and the POTC license is two years past its last theatrical release.

[Flynn]

Well, they are coming out with a POTC 4, so who knows. Personally, I would just rather they keep up with their current Pirate line, as that would leave open so many possibilities for sets rather than just restricting themselves to the POTC liscense.

[Old Republic]

Um, dude...Pirates of the Caribbean is a Disney property. LEGO getting the disney construction toy license would mean that Megabloks would no longer be producing construction toys based on Disney properties. Also, in two years, we may not have a pirates line at all. Does the Brain not see that he is being obstinant and annoying people or does he know and it's OK for him to do so?

[Flynn]

Does Old Republic not see that he is harassing another member for no apparent reason, or does he know and it's OK for him to do so?

Seriously, don't be so harsh on him. Although you are right about Mega Bloks not still having the liscense, it was just an honest mistake. And, in two years, we may very well still have a Pirate line, remember, the old line ran for about 5-7 years, I think.

[The Brain]

Umm...just out of curiousity: why did my comments annoy you so much? Even if TLG has the chance to make PotC sets, they wouldn't for the same reason they'd never bother to make a LotR line while they have Castle sets--they already have a perfectly self-sufficient generic line that they don't need a license for. And if by "people" you mean "me", then say it.

Edit: thanks Flynn for backup.

[rocksteady]

Lego's agreement with Disney = one step closer to a Lego + Pirates of the Carrabien Sets...well possibly

[onions]

i really doubt LEGO and a licensor would agree to making sets based on past movies. The thing with movie-based toys is that the best time to release toys is when the movie is released, not x number of years later. It won't be relevant then. Releasing toys at the same time as the movie has the highest chance for profitability since the excitement of the movie will make kids want to go out, buy some junk, and replay scenes with their friends in their bedroom/backyard/car ride home. Only toys aimed at the collector market would consider releasing toys based on past movies/licenses. Look at the disney deal, all the sets LEGO would release are based on the future movies. Yes they are releasing toys based on TS1 and 2, but that's only because there's a TS3 coming out; it's like marketing for the next movie. I doubt they'd make potc sets unless there's another movie coming out.

i also doubt that there would ever be a BTTF set. it's not relevant anymore. but that's for another topic.

[Puddleglum]

The current Pirates line is great, in my opinion. Other than a few custom minifigs, I don't really think hypothetical POTC sets would be much different, anyways.

[MrCRskater]

It seems to me that a POTC line from LEGO is highly unlikely. As others pointed out, they already have a Pirates theme, and it's likely that that line will run for a while. If they released a POTC line that ran concurrently with their own Pirates line, they would essentially be competing with themselves and one of the two lines would ultimately fail.

With the Pirates line, they do have greater flexibility in terms of what they'd like to produce (A little jail? Sure. A shark attack? Go for it. A treasure cave? Of course.). With a POTC line, they're tied to a very tight story line and are also at the mercy of the licenser's wishes regarding the subject matter for given sets. I think the current Pirate line is also filling a niche in the market that a lot of other lines are not; it's one of the few lines that offers a true playset for under $20. The licensed themes especially focus on larger sets, which are great fun but not as immediately available to little Jimmy with the $1.50 allowance. Maybe I'm full of it, but LEGO needs those small playsets in their arsenal, IMO.

[gfxguy]

I guess I'm the only one who thinks Toy Story and Lego shouldn't intersect. I'd throw up if that happens.

Nope... I'm right there with you. It all seems pretty backwards to me...

Let's start by going off topic for a minute. Harry Potter. Now, the "official" reason for not renewing the HP license was that the movies got too "dark."

I call BS. There's plenty of dark stuff that happens in Star Wars and Indiana Jones. I mean, they even made a LEGO set based on the flying wing... the part where the mechanic gets chopped to bits by the propeller and blood gets splattered everywhere.

The REAL reason is that HP didn't sell well; that's the ONLY reason a company drops a line... because it's not selling well. Why didn't it sell well? As has been pointed out, LEGO buyers are mostly boys who want vehicles. They released (to the best of my recollection) three Hogwarts Express train sets (yet not a single "good" one, IMO)... there was only so much you could do.

So what're they going to do with Toy Story? Sure, there'll be "sets" to build for the characters as opposed to just minifigs... but then they probably won't be very playable.

Cars, on the other hand, has tons of vehicles and good locations (like the service station and both the dirt track and paved tracks they race on)... it makes a lot more sense for Cars to be standard LEGO and Toy Story to have some sort of Duplo sets, unless they are appealing to AFOLs, that is, which I don't think they are.

POTC would be a much better franchise, but it's already been ruined by Megablocks. I wouldn't mind seeing new LEGO sets for that, though, although like the Castle series is a substitute for Lord of the Rings, I think the Pirates sets are an adequate substitute for POTC.

Wall-E... Wall-E would be great for a MOC or two, I can't see how they could get a whole LEGO franchise up and going for it.

Now, you know what would be great? Chronicles of Narnia. Yes, it's still light on vehicles, but a lot of locations, castles, etc... and there's a new Narnia coming out next year, too... The Voyage of the Dawn Trader. Which means ships, at least.

[Jargon]

i really doubt LEGO and a licensor would agree to making sets based on past movies. The thing with movie-based toys is that the best time to release toys is when the movie is released, not x number of years later.

I agree with you on this point as a general principle, but thought I'd play the devil's advocate in this situation.

1. There will be a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
2. Indiana Jones pulled off releasing sets from three old movies along with sets from a fourth new one.

While I don't particularly want POTC sets, I don't think they should be ruled out.

- Aaron

[onions]

i really doubt LEGO and a licensor would agree to making sets based on past movies. The thing with movie-based toys is that the best time to release toys is when the movie is released, not x number of years later.

I agree with you on this point as a general principle, but thought I'd play the devil's advocate in this situation.

1. There will be a fourth Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
2. Indiana Jones pulled off releasing sets from three old movies along with sets from a fourth new one.

While I don't particularly want POTC sets, I don't think they should be ruled out.

- Aaron

That doesn't change things. I used TS1 and 2 as an example. Your Indy example is further proof of what could be possible if releasing sets based on older movies are used as marketing material for an upcoming movie; I didn't know there was a 4th Pirates movie coming out and I groan at the idea. At this point it's up to LEGO to decide if they want to pursue that property as a theme to replace their current pirates line. I doubt they'll do two competing lines with practically the same name.

[meeotch]

Would releasing POTC sets as a subtheme of Pirates (like how the orc battles is the subtheme of the moment for Castle) be any type of possiblity, so that Lego could in effort have both lines? Or is there too much of a storyline within the pirates theme for Jack Sparrow to make a cameo for a year?

[Daz Hoo]

I also think that the possibility of PotC sets shouldn't be ruled out. I think it will all depend on when this 4th movie comes out (if ever, at it is still a project at this point), because LEGO could, at this point, go either way on that project..

Let's say that the current Pirates line does good. LEGO could take advantage of that to introduce PotC sets to continue with a Pirate theme. But LEGO could also just pass it, given that they make more money with their own theme than with a licensed theme.

On the otherhand, let's say the current Pirates line does poorly or even just OK. LEGO could think that a PotC line could probably do better, or that Pirates just don't sell that well, whether it's a liscensed theme or not.

But like Ace mentioned, LEGO surely won't release anything from previous movies if a sequel isn't about to come out.

[lego-method]

The more the merrier...it doesn't matter if it's Wall-e, Cars, Back To The Future, POTC or Chronicles of Narnia ...I personally think all sets are wonderful. Hopefully Lego can work ways with all of them, anything can happen. Unless you work for Lego then say not so, but it's always good to hope for.

[Chewie]

I hope they make a Hannah Montana and Sonny with a chance license! Orrrr maybe a Wizards of Waverly Place or a J.O.N.A.S license!

[RocketClone]

we may very well still have a Pirate line, remember, the old line ran for about 5-7 years, I think.[/quote]


8 years actually.

[Draykov]

Would releasing POTC sets as a subtheme of Pirates (like how the orc battles is the subtheme of the moment for Castle) be any type of possiblity, so that Lego could in effort have both lines? Or is there too much of a storyline within the pirates theme for Jack Sparrow to make a cameo for a year?

Well, "Fantasy" or whatever the kids are calling it is still a subtheme within an original LEGO theme (castle). I kinda doubt a license property would want to be classified as some subtheme of a LEGO original line...generally, they are their own thing...e.g. Star Wars isn't space, Indy isn't Adventurers, Batman wasn't Studio. And though Speed Racer and Ferrari got lumped into the Racers category on Shop@Home, I don't believe they're considered to be subthemes of Racers...I think that was just more of a marketing tool for wheel-prone LEGO fans.