I almost didn’t make it to Comic Con this year. It all really came down to the wire due to a multitude of reasons but things worked out and I am super grateful for everyone who made it possible.
Like last year, I didn’t know what to expect. I certainly wasn’t expecting a full recreation of a Blockbuster Video store (I bet neither was Funko). But it was great. Parodied as “Brickbuster Video”, LEGO put in a ton of details.
They gave away laminated membership cards.
There were VHS boxes of your favorite movies, all LEGO-fied.
There was a list of coming attractions too.
But this is still Comic Con and with that come the usual photo ops like Sonic the Hedgehog. There was something about playing the video game to get a code to unlock a free LEGO skin for the upcoming Sonic Adventures game.
Another corner had Captain America. According to the press release, this statue will change everyday.
And in another corner, the coolest corner in the booth, was Star Wars. The cool thing about this though is that the speeder bike is made up of two separate builds on different planes.
The forced perspecitive makes it look like one large build. But in fact they are two separate builds.
You stand in a specific spot to take the picture:
And the subject stands in between and pretends to be chased by Imperial Scouts.
Honestly, it’s one of the coolest photo ops that LEGO has ever built.
Other parts of the booth included display cases that showed some existing and upcoming product. In the background you can see a wall that has some grey, blank video cases. Visitors were encouraged to build their own VHS cover mosaic and put it on the wall.
One of the outside walls had movie posters, again, LEGO-fied and looking spiffy.
There is a free minifig build event that features a unique minifig torso: Be Kind Rewind. I couldn’t get a picture of the actual fig but the back wall of the booth had an artist’s rendition, pictured below. Guests will have to register via QR code found at the booth for an appointment to build a minifig. Adults are allowed to bring two children with them to an appoint. The minifig is free and is happening all weekend.
There are some other things going on that I’ll have to post another day. It’s late and I’m tired.
The entire press release is posted below:
The LEGO Group Opens LEGO® Brickbuster Video at San Diego Comic-Con
Booth #2829 gives attendees a nostalgic, playful LEGO® experience from July 20 – July 23
San Diego, California, July 19, 2023 (9:00 PM PST) – As 2023 San Diego Comic-Con kicks off, the LEGO Group, in collaboration with DISH and Blockbuster Video®, unveils LEGO® Brickbuster Video, an unforgettable experience marrying the worlds of entertainment, nostalgia and play for all. Fans can expect an action-packed agenda of playful experiences, photo opportunities, product reveals, branded panels, and show-only opportunities from Thursday through Sunday.
“We always aim to provide an unforgettable fan experience at San Diego Comic-Con. There was a time where you could find your favorite movies, video games, and TV shows all under one magical roof at the local Blockbuster, so we knew the retro video store could help unify all the exciting LEGO play worlds we offer,” said Maddie Boushie, senior brand manager at the LEGO Group. “Our LEGO Brickbuster Video experience houses beloved entertainment and video gaming properties together with new LEGO building sets and hands-on building activities, offering fans a chance to unlock their imaginations and inspire their next playful adventure.”
Explore LEGO Brickbuster Video at Comic-Con
Fans will be eager to enter the creative universe that is LEGO Brickbuster Video and explore all the brick-built details. Activities include:
• An immersive retro video store experience, including beloved properties, interactive fun and gaming kiosks
• More than 50 LEGO building sets displayed: NEW LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog™, NEW LEGO DreamZzz™, LEGO Ninjago®, LEGO Star Wars™, LEGO MARVEL and LEGO Super Mario™, plus a few other cameos
• Hands-on family LEGO building opportunity to build custom creations for the iconic “New Releases” wall
• Con-wide scavenger hunt featuring familiar clamshell VHS cases for fans to find and return, with prizes redeemable via the “Brick Drop” at the LEGO Brickbuster Video info desk
• LEGO Store pop-up with opportunities to purchase select LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog, LEGO MARVEL, LEGO Star Wars, and LEGO Super Mario sets before their street date, plus a variety of other fan favorite LEGO sets
• Surprise giveaways including LEGO Brickbuster Video Membership Cards and exclusive pins
• Free Build Your Own Minifigure experience with a limited-edition LEGO Brickbuster Video themed torso. Guests (18+) are required to register to gain access using a digital queue system. Registered guests may bring up to two children to participate in the experience
• Daily signings featuring the cast of LEGO DREAMZzz™ (Thursday 12 p.m.), LEGO Masters judge Amy Corbett and Season 3 winner Stacey Roy (Friday 12 p.m.), and the LEGO Ninjago cast (Saturday 1:30 p.m.)
New ‘movie standee-style’ life-size LEGO® brick models
LEGO Brickbuster Video features several step-in photo opps with a brand-new style of life-size LEGO builds that resemble classic cardboard standees used to promote new films in movie theater lobbies. Figures include a new Captain America Minifigure that changes daily and standees featuring the LEGO Star Wars™ Endor Speed Chase scene, inspired by the LEGO diorama building set. Design Manager Pete Donner will be available to discuss how he created these photo moments in a Q&A session on Friday 5:30 – 6 p.m. Additionally, a 4.5ft tall 3D LEGO sculpture of Sonic the Hedgehog™ debuts at the show.Explore the Galaxy with new LEGO Star Wars sets
Three new sets joining the LEGO Star Wars collection will be displayed. Tied to the upcoming Star Wars series Star Wars: Ahsoka, the LEGO Group adds the Ahsoka Tano’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle building set, and the New Republic E-Wing™ and vs. Shin Hati’s Starfighter™ building sets. Additionally, a brick-built display model of everyone’s favorite Wookiee, Chewbacca™, gives adults a one-of-a-kind build and display opportunity. Fans can pre-order these ahead of their release date of September 1st by visiting LEGO.com.
Panel events
LEGO Group will host two panels. On Thursday from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.: I had a DreamZzz last night about Ninjago, Room: 6BCF and on Friday 4 – 5 p.m.: LEGO® Masters: Behind the Brick, Room: 25ABC.More Information
For more information on LEGO Group activities at San Diego Comic-Con contact press@america.lego.com.
Media Kit can be accessed here.
###Notes to Editor
About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words Leg Godt, which mean “Play Well”.
Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 130 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com.
Fans can visit lego.com for more information on LEGO products.Product Information
• LEGO® Star Wars
• 12 products on display and available for early purchase including LEGO® Star Wars™ Yavin 4 Rebel Base (75365), LEGO® Star Wars™ 332nd Ahsoka’s Clone Trooper Battle Pack (75359) and LEGO® Star Wars™ Yoda’s Jedi Starfighter™, among others.
• Three new additions to the LEGO® Star Wars™ building set range will be displayed at the LEGO booth. Two sets are connected to the upcoming Star Wars series Star Wars: Ahsoka – Ahsoka Tano’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle, and New Republic E-Wing™ vs. Shin Hati’s Starfighter™ – plus a brick-built display model of everyone’s favorite Wookiee, Chewbacca™. Fans can pre-order these ahead of their release date of September 1st by visiting LEGO.com.
• LEGO® Marvel
• 10 products on display and available for pre-order including LEGO® Marvel Captain America’s Shield (76262), LEGO® Marvel Spider-Man Final Battle (76261) and more.
• LEGO® Sonic the Hedgehog™
• 5 products display and available for pre-order, including the LEGO® Sonic the Hedgehog ™ Sonic’s Speed Sphere Challenge (76990), LEGO® Sonic the Hedgehog™ Tails’ Workshop and Tornado Plane (76991) and LEGO® Sonic the Hedgehog™ Amy’s Animal Rescue Island (76992) and more.
• A life-sized brick-built model of Sonic himself available for fans to pose with and take photos.
• Also at the LEGO Booth, the brand will be premiering a new LEGO Sonic video game for Comic-Con attendees. LEGO SONIC and LEGO EGGMAN will be making an appearance in a new LEGO level within this new game, SONIC SUPERSTAR
• LEGO® DREAMZzz™
• 5 products on display for the LEGO Group’s newest theme of products centered around imagination and dreams. Attendees can also attend an accompanying screening of the new LEGO DREAMZzz television series, hosted by IMdb, or take part of a mystery mural building on weekend days of the convention.
• LEGO® NINJAGO®
• 10 Products on display and available for purchase for the beloved NINJAGO theme
• LEGO® Super Mario™
• 5 products on display and available for pre-order including LEGO® Super Mario™ Donkey Kong’s Tree House Expansion Set (71424) and LEGO® Super Mario™ Dixie Kong’s Jungle Jam Expansion Set (71421).
• A graphic backdrop of the LEGO Super Mario universe for photo opportunities.
