Could Disney delays affect LEGO Marvel, Star Wars and Avatar sets?
The WGA strikes affecting various TV and film studios have sparked delays for Marvel, Star Wars, and Avatar films – but what could this mean for any related sets?
Just yesterday, Disney confirmed that a number of films were delayed, as well as major ones for the Avatar franchise, with the final film in the series not coming until 2031, 22 years after the first film premiered. Believed to be affected by the ongoing writers’ strikes in the United States, the delays for these major franchises primarily affect movie releases.
The LEGO Group has released waves of sets relating to many major releases from these franchises, including two waves released alongside to the latest Avatar film. Major delays in the past, such as with the two-year wait for Minions: The Rise of Gru, have affected LEGO releases in the past. In the case of the LEGO Minions sets, one model from the wave actually retired before the film made it into cinemas.
With LEGO sets usually designed to accompany films, picking out particular scenes or characters, we can only imagine that retiring 75549 Unstoppable Bike Chase six months before the film would eventually release can’t have put a lot towards its sales or fan’s enjoyment of the build.
Unlike with The Rise of Gru, however, which was delayed due to the pandemic, the LEGO Group has a lot more warning about the expected movie delays. Even with the LEGO Group’s long lead times for sets, there could still be enough time for certain themes to delay their set releases to better align with movie schedules.
Of course, studios like Disney routinely keep secrets close to their chests when it comes to high-profile releases. Indeed, this means that it’s not unusual for the LEGO Group to continue to be inspired by major titles even after they’ve aired. In the case of LEGO Avatar, with the final film premiering in 2031, that could feasibly be a decade between the theme’s return and sets attached to the last film – if the theme can endure for that long.
There lies the main concern for fans of LEGO Avatar at least. While it seems likely that major themes like LEGO Marvel and Star Wars will endure, buoyed by TV shows and long-term support from fans, the long gaps in between Avatar films could potentially lead to the entire theme being scrapped. Of course, this is pure speculation but with such long waits in between movies, it’s a real concern that could come to pass.
[bdproduct search=’lego’ sort=’discount’ numberOfRecord=’4′ brand=” sliderMinValues=’0′ sliderMaxValues=’750′]
Ultimately, we’d hope that all the themes can stand the test of time and we’ll see related sets that are released at the same time or at least close to the release of their respective films. It remains to be seen what sets will come – and when – but we can only cross our fingers that other releases in between now and the delays will also provide inspiration for some exciting sets in the meantime.
Support the work that Brick Fanatics does by buying your LEGO sets using our affiliate links. Thank you!
