Re-introducing LEGO Harry Potter – the sets up close

Harry Potter is back! Brick Fanatics was invited to take a look at the new LEGO sets up close, taking the opportunity to note some details that are more apparent with the set in hand

Thursday, June 28 saw a special preview event give journalists the opportunity to get a first look at the new LEGO Harry Potter range. The theme is back after a seven year hiatus, so fans of the boy wizard are eager for the new products to launch so that they can get building. Sets based on the original stories are already available to buy from shop.LEGO.com in the USA, with the rest of the world due to get them on August 1.

At the Picturehouse Central cinema in London, a section of the venue had been decorated with a distinctly Harry Potter vibe. All of the 2018 LEGO Harry Potter sets were on display, with the exception on the freshly announced Collectible Minifigures and still unannounced D2C Hogwarts set. Although clearly just intended as a bonus rather than the biggest reveal, 30407 Harry’s Journey to Hogwarts was available to take away.

The ten sets – including the three BrickHeadz – had all been revealed already in official images, but with LEGO Senior Designer Marcos Bessa on hand to present them, it was impossible not to get enraptured seeing them up close. So although much of what fans need to know about these sets is visible from the previously shared pictures, being able to handle them in person gave the opportunity to identify some fun details…

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75955 Hogwarts Express – Remus Lupin
One reason that collectors will want to buy the iconic train is due to the inclusion of Remus Lupin and the Dementor. Fans will be able to recreate the scene from Prisoner of Azkaban in which Dementors board the Hogwarts Express looking for Sirius Black, but you may have to provide your own chocolate (or borrow some from Friends). If the Womping Willow set is also added into the collection, then Remus Lupin can be used for his werewolf transformation from The Prisoner of Azkaban, allowing Peter Pettigrew as Scabbers to escape.

75955 Hogwarts Express – Poster
The Sirius Black wanted poster has already become a popular souvenir at many Harry Potter attractions, and fans can see the actual moving poster at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park locations. Here it is represented in LEGO form. The wanted poster can be seen on the wall behind the Hogwarts Express and will delight the many Sirius fans out there.

75955 Hogwarts Express – Newspaper
As well as the wanted poster, there is a newspaper brick printed with “The Boy Who Lived” headline. The next newspaper fans need is “The Boy Who Lies?” to be able to recreate the run that occurs later in the series of books and films. Where is Rita Skeeter when you need her?

75956 Quidditch Match– Fire!
Who can forget the scene in which Hermione sets fire to Snape’s robes in Philosopher’s Stone, unintentionally putting Quirrell off his curse? Now fans can set fire to Snape themselves using this fun play feature, located in the Slytherin stand in this gimmick packed set.

75950 Aragog’s Lair – Spiders!
It may be a small point, but there are two different colours of spiders included in 75950 Aragog’s Lair as well as the big guy himself. This is the kind of nice little touch that elevates a set to the next level, as there is a nice aesthetic to having two different shades of creepy crawly bothering our heroes.

75954 Hogwarts Great Hall – Mirror of Erised
There are two versions of the Mirror of Erised for fans to use. One shows the tragic image of Harry with his parents, James and Lilly, which he saw when he looked into the mirror that shows the beholder their heart’s desire. The other version of the mirror shows Ron winning the Quidditch cup –which actually comes true later in series. Weasley is our King!

75953 Hogwarts Whomping Willow – Turn it around
The outside of the Hogwarts Whomping Willow set is attractive, and making the tree move with the car tangled inside is great fun. There is plenty more playability when you turn the set around, with the Gryffindor dormitories and potion rooms. While Potterheads may question the geography of this castle – there is no way Gryffindors and Slytherins could have had dormitories that close to each other without (literal) sparks flying – this can provide the setting to recreate the impossibly hard potions class as well as giving a place for Harry and Ron to sleep. Although those who buy the Collectible Minifigures as well may wonder where Neville and Dean are going to sleep.

75953 Hogwarts Whomping Willow and 75954 Hogwarts Great Hall
As fans saw when the images emerged of the new LEGO Harry Potter sets, the Hogwarts Whomping Willow set and Hogwarts Great Hall set can be combined to create a bigger and more playable Hogwarts. As Hogwarts is the main setting of Harry Potter, and the school every fan dreams of attending, this is a fantastic way of making a larger version of the school that one set can achieve. Let’s hope for a further batch of sets next year that can further extend the castle.

With all of the chocolatey treats available and wand making to become distracted by, it is surprising just how much attention Brick Fanatics managed to keep on the LEGO sets themselves. The venue was excellent, decked out with Harry Potter themed props that made it the perfect setting to get up close and personal with the new range – now it is just a case of patiently waiting to be able to enjoy the sets at home…

The LEGO Harry Potter sets will be available from August 1 at shop.LEGO.com. Two further sets based on Fantastic Beasts will be released on August 1.

Author Profile

Graham
Graham was the BrickFanatics.com Editor up until November 2020. He has plenty of experience working on LEGO related projects. He has contributed to various websites and publications on topics including niche hobbies, the toy industry and education.

Follw Graham on Twitter @grahamh100.

Graham

Graham was the BrickFanatics.com Editor up until November 2020. He has plenty of experience working on LEGO related projects. He has contributed to various websites and publications on topics including niche hobbies, the toy industry and education. Follw Graham on Twitter @grahamh100.

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