LEGO Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens news

I'm not going to lie, I had no idea about this until this was posted so of course I am going to go out and attempt to get a look at them.
Now correct me if I am wrong, but since they do not have the confidentiality mark on it, doesn't it mean that it is more or less fair game? I am still able to find the images of the leaked images of the instruction booklet that was leaked awhile back for one of the other sets, so what makes this different?

It probably don't have the confidentiality mark on it because it was illegally leaked. This leak can hurt the partnership between Lego and Star Wars/Disney because it reveals some characters ahead of the time.

Wow, you deleted my first comment? I didn't put any links to them in there, just a few comments.

My guess is this "embargo" stems more from Disney/Lucasfilm than it does LEGO themselves. Either way, Brickset has a clear relationship with LEGO that they would obviously prefer not to damage by posting early pics. I dont blame Brickset at all.... Just look at all the "free" sets (for review) they'd be jeopardizing. Sometimes it's just fun to be surprised too.

I understand why sites don't want to be in the legal crosshairs by posting them, but you can't put the genie back in the bottle.

To be honest, as soon as you mentioned they had leaked on other sites I just googled it and found all the sites had already shared them everywhere :L

Either way the leaks are 'ok' though nothing majorly new at the moment judging from set perspective

Death Star retired? *faints*

I checked a few U.S. "big box" stores this morning online and they still had the Death Star at MSRP. Amazon was already marked up $100 from a re-seller. Since it's been around 7 years, I would imagine just about anyone who really wanted one has it.

@SimonJohnson

There have been rumours that there will be a new version to replace it released in 2016... at least that's what TheBrickFan has been told...

@Clone: Doesn't matter if they can't control everything. That doesn't mean they should do nothing, especially considering that they're probably under pressure from Lucasfilm to help prevent leaks connected with the new movie. They'll minimize the damage where they can (i.e. the sites that they have an ongoing relationship with) and then move forward from there.

I'm glad Brickset is being so forthright about this and that the commenters aren't criticizing Brickset for complying with the LEGO Group's wishes. I'm sure there will be that sort of silly criticism as time goes on, but for now Brickset seems to be honoring their relationship with the LEGO Group, and fortunately most users have been understanding of that.

Where are people seeing that the Death Star was discontinued?! I used to get annoyed when it stuck around, but I grew fond of it being in the catalog every time.... *wipes away single tear*

DS not discontinued, sold out.

Will there be a UCS? Is that an allowable question?

^ I don't know asides from the Echo Base that has been rumored.

Wait, there were only two sets leaked, right? That's all I could find. That means there should still be four sets we haven't seen. There was the Kylo Ren ship 2 months ago, and now there are, er......"these two".

We have seen the official Lego pieces for Rey's speeder so we could call that a partial reveal I suppose...

I didn't even know a leak had happened until I saw the home page post! I wasn't very interested in the leaked previous (I'm going to say unnamed) ship very much but I'm more than willing to wait until some nice shiny TLG official pics surface of that and everything else. It's only a little more than a month away now. I still need the Death Star Duel first!

Going for a trip with the family to Disney Paris in October so the sets will hopefully be in the official Lego store there. I do question why the sets had to be released 'so' early in comparison to the film though.

Many Bothans died to bring us this information...

Yahoo carrying the story now. I guess the Lego/Disney restrictions don't apply.

I searched the sets. Looks interesting.

Searched them up, wasn't impressed too well.

Had to go look also, I'm digging em

hmmm, so maybe you shouldn't have mentioned it then Huw

@copperwonder96
Great reaction! :D

Also I really like the new sets, and maybe now I'll be able to get them, unlike the last versions. :)

I've seen the pics, did they (TLG) just copy the 2010 Millennium Falcon design but add a rectangular dish instead?

Brickset is an online RLUG, it must comply with TLG requests or lose its status.

Where are people getting this information that the Death Star is sold out? I can still find it for sale on LEGO.com.

I (like everyone else I assume :)) have searched up the images. Thankfully not appealing to me so I probably won't have to buy them.

I don' t know, all this censorship thing stinks. In the end you're posting news, you're doing journalism, and journalists shouldn't retain news just becouse the subjects ask them to. Moreover, just posting this article resulted in a lot of people coming to know about the leaks (me included), and a simple search in not-as-censorable places was a matter of minutes. So shouldn't you also have censored this article? And anything mentioning articles mentioning the leaks? And so on? I know they send you free sets and everything, but this doesn't mean you should give in to all their request.

Also: if the images leaked, it's their problem, a fault in their secrecy protocols etc. And somebody elses put the images online, it's not you that put them online. Simply linking them and writing an article seems fair

^Agree, it does appear a little sycophantic. I don't have a problem with not posting the images on the front pages, but deleting links is a bit excessive. Would Brickset delete links to an article that was critical of Lego if it asked? Where does it end?

Disappointed by the upcoming batmobile, I wasn't keeping my hopes up for TFA sets to be any better. Having said that i must say that seeing the new leaks have been a real feast for the eyes.

I have to disagree with you @nicola80 and @kleiovous.
This is about building relationships and trust. Trust can be destroyed in seconds. The last thing a site like Brickset needs is to alienate TLG over a few pictures which will be released officially in a matter of weeks.
If journalists comply with simple requests they will build a good rapport with the 'subject' and their readers will also appreciate that what they read is based on fact. It is no different to royal families asking for privacy with regard to babies and toddlers.
Adhering to a reasonable request will have its rewards in the long term.

Lol. Star Wars was already crazy about secrecy. Then it got bought out by Disney. That's like joining the support group for crazy.

Much better to stay out of it, grab popcorn and watch the crazies crazy.

@hewhocaves: LOL

@Huw: Well put. I remember when the Bionicle leaks emerged last year BZPower got a lot of similar criticism, coupled with the insinuation that if they DIDN'T allow discussion on leaks they'd likely lose activity to other sites that did, and the site might collapse entirely. Obviously, that didn't happen — since Bionicle came back, the site's been thriving.

Seeing as Brickset is already a massive and successful site, it's not like they'd have anything to gain by compromising their principles and their relationship with the LEGO Group just to report on news that will probably be available from more legitimate sources in a matter of weeks.

Seriously though, why are they keeping under wraps sets coming out in a MONTH AND A HALF??

So Lego is now censoring numbers as well? Seventy five, one hundred and two.

I saw the sets elsewhere yesterday. Not impressed. Some of the figures are neat looking, but the sets themselves won't need to be purchased. Saves some money, which has been difficult for me with all of these great sets coming out.

@PicnicBasketSam This baffles me, as well. I can't see any reason why they didn't reveal these sets in an official manner at SDCC. That would've prevented these leaks from occurring, no? Like you said, they're released in a MONTH AND A HALF. It's insane that we haven't gotten official images yet.

If anyone has any insight as to why TLG is being so secretive about this, it'd be much appreciated. I assumed they would've ramped up their marketing for these sets by now.

I now have three questions for LEGO, Brickset, or whoever can answer them.
1: When will this embargo be lifted, so we can freely talk about sets circling around the Internet?
2: Why was my comment with the vaguest description of one of the sets' color schemes censored?
3: Are they seriously not going to officially reveal the line until the day of release?! It was ridiculous enough last year with the Hobbit sets, where someone legitimately bought them from TRU ahead of time and posted pictures online, and LEGO censored the hell out of him rather than get the sets off of TRU shelves.

The irony in this article and the feedback is enjoyable.
It is actually really fun to read 45 comments dicussing a topic, without actually discussing the topic we are discouraged to discuss.

Anyhow, on the subject at hand: I don't see what all the fuss is about. LEGO and Disney do not want these set images released before the date they have set. Period. If you have seen the images consider yourself as being one of lucky few. It is their product, who are we to dispute the release date?

(I am Dutch, so my English may not be perfect, my apologies )

Part of me is always rankled by these kinds of prior restraint issues, but then again, it's a fair trade off. In return for simply waiting a couple months to freely discuss these sets, we get the benefits that result from Brickset's continued good relationship with LEGO. My life won't be ruined by not seeing these sets *now*.

I also agree that it's something of a futile gesture now that these images are out in the wild, but at least LEGO can't blame Brickset for not doing its part.

^kmvk83....your written English is better than most English people's ;).....and well said! Don't see what all the fuss is about.
If TLG and Disney want to keep their products under wrap until a release date when all new SWtFA merchandise goes on sale then they have every right to do so.
Huw has also done the right thing by stating what Bricket's stance on this matter is so get over it everyone!

I saw the pictures. I wish I hadn't. If you still haven't seen them, enjoy the anticipation and count yourself lucky.

@MeckoGecko I don't see much difference between seeing these now, and in 6 weeks when it is intended. the only difference is the when. seeing the pictures filled me with that childhood excitement of Christmas morning! and if I had seen official images 6 weeks from now first I can confidently say that my reaction will be much the same. Now, for me, in 6 weeks I'll see better images with the added bonus of seeing the other sets I haven't seen yet.

I love Star Wars and LEGO and I'm looking forward to the new Ep 7 sets but I won't be buying any until I've seen the movie in December... I thought this was an AFOL site? Can't folk wait? Or, like pre-pubescent kids, you can't possibly wait and have to have everything right now? Meh

In the efforts to stop from leaked images being seen it caused us to go out and see these leaked images.

Well I suppose it is quite logical to go through all those efforts from containing the leak and preventing it. Even now these images are 'out in the wild'.
If they would not, sites and fans would go actively search or trie to find an inside guy (or girl) to get these images.
To not discourage is practically the same as encourage (I teach adolescents, so I have enough experience to say this is true). Ofcourse it is not suppose to work this way, but well we are only human. "You didn't say I wasn't allowed to do that! So I could!"
With all the money involved in such big brands, I can imagine this is precisely what they do not want to happen. Going 'live' within all different branches affiliated with this movie:LEGO, Hasbro, TV-adds, cinema-trailer, interviews on TV, posters at the busstop (we have those in Holland anyway), McDonald's toys, and all other kinds of merchandise is to plunge everyone around the world at the same time in Star Wars. Where ever you look you see Star Wars VII. That will work best if it all happens at the same time.

So I can understand TLC and Disney's point of view. Still I like to see any leaked pictures anytime, anyplace, anywhere but I can fully understand why they don't want that to happen.

I own all the previous LEGO Falcon sets. I'm not buying any rubbishy Abrams Falcon set with a rectangular dish and wrinkly Han Solo. All my Falcon sets are the *real* Falcon.

^Even the chibi one, :P?

In the Return of the Jedi Lando makes the Falcon lose the original dish, a rectangular one like we have seen in the trailer is actually really a great solution. Makes the Falcon fit through tighter spaces.
If you're having trouble with a different shaped dish, I think the complete movie will be a chalenge to watch. I gather we can expect a lot more changes.

I cant believe Disney is laying this much pressure on LEGO to keep the images till the release date. There's really no point now, since pretty much everyone has seen them already.

The price per piece on those sets are awful. Those royalties are just huge.

^^I would think store employees will see them on 9/2 or 9/3, then put them out on open of business on 9/4.

^It also depends on the color, molds, and the design on the pieces.

Even though Lego is initiating this, there are still pictures of some of the sets and figures hoping up on Google images ( I know because I was curious and decided to try and see if there were et images.

I am only interested in one of them, the other does not interest me.