LEGO reveals original plans for 2023 modular building – and why it scrapped them

The LEGO Group has revealed its original plans for next year’s modular building before 10312 Jazz Club – and why it was forced to abandon them.

Unveiled earlier today, 10312 Jazz Club will become the 18th set in the Modular Buildings Collection when it launches on January 1. Combining a dark red and bright blue jazz club with a cool yellow pizzeria and tailor, the 2,899-piece set – designed by Anderson Grubb – is a colourful mix of styles, which you can check out lined up next to the rest of the currently-available collection by clicking here.

10312 Jazz Club wasn’t always planned to be the next modular building after 10278 Police Station and 10297 Boutique Hotel, however: in fact, the LEGO design team had plans for an entirely different set, which they ultimately had to scrap thanks to a rival product from another theme.

According to Ashnflash, the LEGO Group was originally intending to launch a newspaper press this year, bringing together and addressing references from previous sets (such as the newspaper stand in 10278 Police Station). The YouTuber theorises that such a model would have incorporated a delivery garage, printing press and editor-in-chief’s office.

It was never meant to be, however, because 76178 Daily Bugle is still available on shelves – and would have been a direct competitor to any modular newspaper office, not least because the LEGO Marvel skyscraper is designed to fit in with (and connect to) the LEGO modular buildings. The design team therefore abandoned their plans for a modular printing press – for now, anyway.

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Once 76178 Daily Bugle finally retires, there’s always a chance that (even if two or three years later) the LEGO Group will choose to revisit those plans. And there’s at least a nod to the cancelled set in January’s 71037 Series 24, which includes a Newspaper Kid minifigure.

For the time being, we’ve also got 10312 Jazz Club to look forward to in the new year. The latest modular building launches on January 1, 2023 for £199.99 / $229.99 / €229.99.

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