Just some bits and pieces today --
-- The movie script is out with the folks in Denmark for a final read. I am expecting that we will pretty much have an approval by the end of the week or so. The ending is set, hopefully the beginning is too -- surprisingly, there has been more debate about how to start it than how to end it!
-- It looks like the BrickMaster BIONICLE set will be out in the fall -- we are still looking into the possibility of getting it sold in non-BM countries. It will play a role in story, possibly a significant one, and should make its first appearance in either the Federation of Fear or Mutran Chronicles serials.
-- The CEO of LEGO Group, Jorgen Vig Knudstorp, wrote a wonderful post on our Intranet this week praising BIONICLE as "rocking and unique" and reaffirming the company's commitment to maintain the line's success. (If you haven't heard of Jorgen Vig, he has been running the company for a few years now and helped to turn it around from the few bad years we had early in the decade. I had the chance to meet him in person last year -- he's a really cool guy, very down to earth, and very open to talking with employees. He's very popular in the company.)
-- My events calendar is SLOWLY filling up. I am in talks to do a program at a local library, trying to get some local Barnes and Noble signings scheduled, and of course, Comic-Con rears its head again at the end of July.
-- 2009 sets are still in focus groups -- I think the last round of testing is the end of Feb. in North Carolina.
Greg
News And Notes
Posted by GregF on
Will the BM set be available for purchase to non-Brickmasters in BM countries? Or is that not an option for us unless we have the subscription?
-Niki
Will he be Miserix? (That's what I'm hoping...)
Really good job on the Mutran Chronicles, too. This is looking to be one of my favorite serials yet. The part where they flipped the Rahi was hilarious... I'm glad to see you injecting a bit of humor into the story. Some of my favorite memories of 2001 are the funny personalities the Matoran had.
And no, it won't be Miserix, it's a Rahi.
Greg
Especially the really old sets. 1990 & before.
And you wouldn't get angry if I said that the Rahi should be Krahka, right?
Because it should.
uk
Ah, got it. Thanks, Greg.
For some reason, I thought that England had access to Brickmaster as well... dunno where I got that idea... but yeah, nvm then.
-Niki
Thanks for the cool info, as always!
-CF
I second that notion!
Looks like we'll have a great beginning, as soon as they decide.
Whoo! Now this is what I'm buying Brickmaster for!
Just great.
Uh-oh, Will you be to busy to answer PMs regularly? Cause when you can't, the OGD gets really spammy.
Just out of curiosity, what would happen if the Carolina kids dislike the sets, but the other groups like them?
~CN
-Omi
F-X-
-Bb5
Uncle K -- By "bad years," I am referring to the years this decade where LEGO Company lost millions of dollars and was in danger of ending up, at best, a much smaller company if we were lucky. I am sure you are joking with your "who cares about sales" line -- we do. You can put out the best toys in the world, but if they don't sell, it doesn't matter -- you will just have the best toy designers on the unemployment line.
ChocoLvr - In this case, "local" refers to "I can walk to it." Anything that is going to require extended travel someone is going to have to pay for, and at this point, neither LEGO nor Scholastic is inclined to do that (except for Comic-Con). So I stick to things within driving distance of where I live.
Biobylon - LEGO doesn't have much say in this. The testers are chosen by the marketing research firm we employ. We specify how many boys of what age range and what level of enthusiasm for BIONICLE, but we do not actually pick them.
Greg