2010 (and beyond?) Indiana Jones LEGO: the latest word

For a while we've been wondering if the wonderful current assortment is to be the last hurrah for LEGO Indy; recent info concerning LEGO's releases next year in just about all its themes except Indy did seem to indicate we're not going to get any more at all next year, and it looks as though that's the case, but apparently it's not actually being cancelled, just going on "hiatus" (this is the time to cross your fingers! ). This recent post over at Eurobricks from a forum member who recently spoke to some LEGO reps sheds some light:

[quote name='Omicron' date='Aug 24 2009, 09:36 PM' post='567256']
Talked to TLG officials at Brickfair, and this is the official word as of now:

Indiana Jones will not return next year as it will be on hiatus. That means no sets next year, but there is a possibility for a return in 2011, but that is no guarantee. Reason for the hiatus is because of Prince of Persia, and it is expected that the PoP theme will last at least a year.

Of course everything is tentative, but that is the word right now.

-Omi

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[/QUOTE]

There had apparently already been speculation the Prince of Persia line might supplant the Indy one, given (a small handful of) apparent similarities between the two themes, and this seems to bear out the suspicion; LEGO typically doesn't have two themes going simultaneously with a lot of overlap. That said, I think there's a real chance they'd bring Indy back; they've had brief hiatuses before in licensed themes that they then brought back, so there's room for hope, especially given the reports on how well the Indy line sells - I doubt Prince of Persia will sell as well (ironically, some of the sales will undoubtedly come from Indy fans who'll want some of the Prince of Persia elements for use in the LEGO Indyverse). I'm therefore cautiously optimistic.

But that said, that's the latest word: no new Indy sets for next year. At least now we know (and if nothing else, at least trying to keep up with all the sets I want won't be quite as punishing on my wallet).

Whoops, forgot the link.

I have been wodering too, but found that lego may make one last giant set for 2010. I saw this on a forum but am not sure if it is real and can't find it since

saw that a while back. I should've posted it . Oh well, kudos to you

Hans said:

I have been wodering too, but found that lego may make one last giant set for 2010. I saw this on a forum but am not sure if it is real and can't find it since

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people fake things like that all the time. I doubt there will be any more sets until after 2010.

We'll see I guess.. It would be a shame if it's over already, but Prince of Persia around the bend to fill up some of the Indy-gaps will soften the pain a little I guess

I wouldn't be too surprised to find Indy again in '11 though. It's done so well they would be crazy not to make more sets

Trennas said:

We'll see I guess.. It would be a shame if it's over already, but Prince of Persia around the bend to fill up some of the Indy-gaps will soften the pain a little I guess

I wouldn't be too surprised to find Indy again in '11 though. It's done so well they would be crazy not to make more sets

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I know indy is like a brother to star wars. It would've been nice for '10 to be the last year for indy b/c tha's the last year for star wars. But Indy probably will come back in 2011. And I can't wait. I'm still craving a lego club obi wan. No I NEED a club obi wan. Plus what can they do for POP? I'm not buying any POP just get back indy. So there lego. Until you bring back legon indy You've lost a valuable (or not so valuable) customer. So there.

Oh, I doubt Prince of Persia will have anything like the success Indiana Jones does in LEGO form; I imagine the theme will run its course in less than a year. I do plan to get some of the PoP sets, myself, but largely because of their applicability to Indiana Jones.

The major question is whether or not they will indeed bring back Indy afterward. It certainly seems possible, but it's very much a big question mark.

Well, that pretty much kills LEGO Indy then. I take that to mean that if there's an Indy 5, then they'll bring it back, but otherwise, it's dead. Too bad, because I thought they were great and they seemed to have a lot of fan support.

Well, never say never. Harry Potter went on hiatus for a while and then came back, so there is a real precedent for LEGO putting a licensed theme aside temporarily, then bringing it back at a time it thinks more opportune. I certainly doubt Prince of Persia will have the sales potential of Indy, and I think it's entirely possible LEGO will want to return to the reportedly quite profitable IJ theme once they've gotten what they can from PoP. No guarantees, of course, but you never know.

:: crosses fingers ::

This is certainly sad news, but given the recent burst of new Indy 5 rumors, I'm thinking we may yet get some new Lego merchandise, even if it does take a (hopefully) short hiatus. On the plus side though, that means I'll definitely be able to afford all the current sets, since I'll be able to give my wallet a nice break after I pick up the last couple that I need.

Ha! See you tomorrow, Indiana Jones!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you Lego enthusiasts!

vf wing said:

Keeping my fingers crossed for you Lego enthusiasts!

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please help us raveners, your our only hope. Ha Ha I couldn't resist.

How mighty fine you look with cinnamon bun hair, lao

Trennas said:

How mighty fine you look with cinnamon bun hair, lao

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I could try that, my hair is long enough.

Update

Crack that whip said:

Well, never say never. Harry Potter went on hiatus for a while and then came back, so there is a real precedent for LEGO putting a licensed theme aside temporarily, then bringing it back at a time it thinks more opportune. I certainly doubt Prince of Persia will have the sales potential of Indy, and I think it's entirely possible LEGO will want to return to the reportedly quite profitable IJ theme once they've gotten what they can from PoP. No guarantees, of course, but you never know.

:: crosses fingers ::

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Just a quick heads-up, for everyone who feared the "hiatus" was merely PR-speak for "cancellation, never to return"...

FWIW, as I mentioned earlier, LEGO did indeed bring back Harry Potter, another licensed theme, after a break for a while. To be more specific, they released this many sets in these years (aside from minifig keychains and the like):

2001 - 11
2002 - 11
2003 - 2
2004 - 11
2005 - 4
2006 - (none)
2007 - 1

As you see, they kept the line at full steam for a few years - not releasing many new sets in 2003, but of course many sets from the first two years were still available then - and then dwindled dramatically after 2004. After 2005, it was two years before they released any more sets at all, and even then they released just one (though it was a large one - one of the versions of Hogwarts). The whole theme was on hiatus for 2006, though, and ultimately came back next year.

It was recently revealed that later this year, a good three years after releasing just that one set, the whole theme is about to make its strongest showing in six years - they're going to release six regular sets, plus one of the new LEGO boardgame sets (and as some of you may know, there's also a new LEGO Harry Potter videogame in the works for this year as well). Clearly, they very much are indeed willing to return to a theme if it's popular enough - reason for hope, for us LEGO Indy fans.

Of course, it helps make a case for bringing back a licensed theme from hiatus if there's some timely marketing "hook" for doing so, such as a new movie. LEGO Indy is going on hiatus to make way for LEGO Prince of Persia, which is perceived as overlapping Indy territory, and of course PoP's the one that actually has a new movie this year (the first in a planned series, no doubt). While it might do well, though, I somehow doubt it'll have the kind of enduring appeal of a Star Wars, an Indiana Jones or even a Harry Potter, and I don't really expect it to last more than a year - which would clear the slate in 2011 for Indy. The Indy franchise still doesn't have a new movie due out in 2011, of course - but it does have a major anniversary, as it'll be 30 years (!!!) since the release of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Will LEGO take advantage of the opportunity? There's no guarantee of anything yet, but it does seem within the realm of possibility, and I think the revelation of LEGO Harry Potter's return makes it seem all the more plausible Indy's hiatus really is just a hiatus and not a cancellation, and that LEGO Indy will be back to whip more bricks in '11...

Here's some pics of the various 2010 LEGO sets:
http://krisabel.ctv.ca/post/A-Previ...010-From-Board-Games-To-Prince-Of-Persia.aspx
Sadly, no Indy. And it looks like the Pirates line is on hiatus as well. My guess is they're redesigning it for Pirates of the Caribbean 4 since they now have Disney products (Toy Story and Prince of Persia).

I do like the new LEGO board games. Build the board out of LEGOs, then play the game.

Speaking of Disney LEGOs, wouldn't it be neat if they designed sets based on Disneyland attractions? Maybe Temple of the Forbidden Eye?

Goonie said:

Here's some pics of the various 2010 LEGO sets:
http://krisabel.ctv.ca/post/A-Previ...010-From-Board-Games-To-Prince-Of-Persia.aspx
Sadly, no Indy. And it looks like the Pirates line is on hiatus as well. My guess is they're redesigning it for Pirates of the Caribbean 4 since they now have Disney products (Toy Story and Prince of Persia).

I do like the new LEGO board games. Build the board out of LEGOs, then play the game.

Speaking of Disney LEGOs, wouldn't it be neat if they designed sets based on Disneyland attractions? Maybe Temple of the Forbidden Eye?

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The Pirates line is indeed going on hiatus this year (with the fantastic new 10210 Imperial Flagship being the last Pirates-related set for the time being). From what I've read, the whole current Pirates line was apparently intended from the get-go as kind of a brief, commemorative return of the old Pirates theme, rather than an ongoing one. As I understand it, LEGO considers itself to have three "core" original themes that it'll always keep, with only brief hiatuses at most, regardless of whatever else it might be making, and those themes are City, Castle, and Space. Sometimes they go away for brief periods, sometimes they get renamed (like Town / City), sometimes they go through various phases or sub-themes of the overall (like how Space has at various times been just Space, Blacktron, Futuron, Life on Mars, Mars Mission, Space Police, etc.), but those are the three cores. Many LEGO fans think Pirates should be a fourth "core" theme, given the same status as the other three (I tend to agree), but apparently it's not, though I'd still bet it'll return again some day (whether they do a Pirates of the Caribbean license or not).

The board games have actually been out in Europe for a while already; I was under the impression for a while that LEGO wasn't going to release them in the US, but it looks like we'll get them after all.

And yeah, it'd be neat if when the Indy theme returns they do sets based on theme park attractions along with the movies, but even more than Disney stuff I want to see them do sets based on the Young Indy TV series, personally. As long as we're dreaming, let's hope for both (and that we ourselves can afford everything they throw at us)!