Will LEGO Reboot Western?
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- čas přidán 16. 12. 2022
- Western is one of LEGO's most iconic themes. While the theme only lasted two short years in the mid-1990s (with a reissuing of 3 sets in 2020), it is universally loved by LEGO fans across the globe, especially by millennials, who grew up with the Western waves LEGO released. Today, we'll talk about the future of LEGO Western - will LEGO reboot Western with a brand new wave of sets? What stands in the way?
#lego #legowestern - Zábava
I think the only possible way to get a western reboot is if there's another licensed line like the Lone Ranger or possible a lone creator set
Thanks for your input Tiberius. Yeah, in many ways, I think the ship has sailed in terms of us receiving a Western wave. Would you like to see Western return, at least in some capacity?
I propose a Licensed "Django unchained" set. That seems right up lego's alley, shared values and so on.
@@thomasfevre9515a little too graphic, racist and such for lego at least today’s lego. Love the movie though.
Rdr Lego collab??!!
Honestly, now that Lego is starting to do more mature themes the way I can see a new Western line coming out is if a new big show or movie that takes place in a western setting comes out
For sure! Perhaps we'll get a Western inspired build under Icons. Thanks for watching!
Well it was an extremely short lived theme in an extremely unsuccessful era with mindboggling amounts of Historical baggage, and provable massive drop off in popularity of the theme itself, with at most two popular sets.
im dying for a fort legoredo remake honestly
Such an iconic playset,
I remember being surprised when the western theme came out because Lego had wanted to stay away from more modern military content. I think it was awesome that they did it though. For the military link alone, I could see why they may never touch it again. I very much appreciate what Cobi is doing tho. I can see them creating sets around a western theme.
While I respect Cobi for making cheap Lego like sets, I just can’t get behind them with how the sets look more like models than legos, or that the Minifigs don’t look quite right.
@@keegantripp1245 Earlier Cobi minifigs looked more like Lego minifigs, except for having angular noses. Later, someone must have decided the minifig design was too close to Lego's own, which I believe still is patented, so it was changed.
@@keegantripp1245LEGO is fighting against any other Brick-Minifigure.
@@GaiusJuliusCaesar_SPQR I get that, but if there was a consolation, I'd wish that the cobi sets were compatible with lego minifigs. Lego pretty much owns the market so why bother making a brand minifig when most will assiociate with Lego? Just make the kits and no minifig.
I think the most realistic route they'll take is to release a creator Fort Legoredo or maybe a smaller set like the Forestman's Hideout - these would be cool but not great for the fans
I agree. But hey, anything would be better than another 10 years without any LEGO Western sets.
I can understand why Lego didn't do a saloon Western set at the time, but no train robbery? Seemed like a major missed opportunity! One way I think Western can comeback is as a hybrid theme, like Nexo-Knights. Imagine if they brought back a western theme, crossed with Dinosaurs! Cowboys riding and wrangling in an alternate timeline where prehistoric beasts never died out. It would also be a good way to get more use out of the already popular dino molds, without having to do a licensed Jurassic World/Park set
Yeah, looking back I'm surprised they never released a Western train. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Chuck. A dino western theme would certainly be interesting!
They kind of did a hybrid Western theme with the first LEGO Movie. If I recall, Bad Cop had an army of robotic Sheriff's deputies.
At the time the Western theme was produced, LEGO kept their trains in their own world, so they really didn't cross into other themes. Today, however, they could probably get away with releasing a nineteenth-century train as an 18+ direct-to-consumer set. One can always dream...
@@adamn.4615 There has been Western-style trains released before, though. Notably in the pre-minifig era and in the Toy Story sets...
Gay. They should just grow balls. And you don't need a franchise to do any sets. In fact, one would think unlicensed sets would do fine as they likely should cost less, making them more accessible. If the sets were good, people would buy them... in fact, the most logical thing to do would be to do a western remake theme alongside a dinosaur theme that features people that could be construed as natives, due to "primitive" attire... it's common sense...
I need this reboot. Western sets are my favorites..
They're awesome - would you like to see me rank all the sets in an upcoming video?
Great video Richie!! Very professional and concise! I hope we do at least get a creator western remake set. But yeah can't wait for your next video! Really glad you're back!!!
Thanks for the support Machinex. It means more than you know.
@@OurToyWorld np man!! Keep up the great work!
Great video as always!
Thanks for the support, Tree! What classic theme do you want to see receive a rebooted line?
@@OurToyWorld Pirates
I feel western could work these day, you just have to focus on cowboys, bandits, and the western frontier living, trains as well.
I'm not sure how well it would do as it'd probably be best to avoid Native Americans and the US Army. But I feel you can at least get away with a set with western settlers and Natives celebrating or something, or a cowboy saving a native from a bandit. It's no doubt a difficult subject, but I feel with some effort you can do something fun.
I'd love a Cowboy and Robbers theme. Give us some sets, LEGO! Thanks for sharing your thoughts Sovierika
They did make a western set in the bricklink line.
Yeah, but that's not the same as a LEGO set I can easily buy at the LEGO Store or Target, Walmart, etc. It's something, but it's not what fans want or deserve.
I actually bought the entire wave as a kid lol
In my opinion, it has lot to do with the fact that violence is central to the western genre and Lego is hesitant to promote to much of that. I dont really see the thing with natives being a problem because you can easily have western without indians.
The return of the king
Haha, thanks for the support Glubus!
I wish i could time travel into the future and find out if there will be a lego western reboot.
At that point, may as well travel back into the past and pickup all the old Western sets- and Lone Ranger sets too, while you're at it.
I had the train from lone ranger and my brother had some silver mine or something
They should do in a firefly 18 + set. And maybe they should consider doing something like deadlands reloaded.
Yoooooo Lord Richadon is baccccck
For now (just kidding I swear I'm sticking around this time)
I just want a new Legoredo. Had one as a kid. Ended up in the abyss of the bin :¨(
I doubt it. With the current situation going on today (like the culture wars) they wouldn’t want to risk their stupid ESG score. Now if they had the Bricks to do it they should have actually done it back in 2019 with the success of RDR2. While not actually partnering with R* to make sets, children and adults would have caused a serious shortage of sets due to how everyone had fallen in love with the RDR2 story and Western world. The game showed that people still love westerns and kids would want the sets, so it should have been a serious discussion amongst the Lego leaders about whether or not to reboot their Western Line.
But they didn’t take the very easy route of making the sets and cashing in on the RDR2 craze.
So in truthfulness they probably won’t ever do it unless they get members who really want it or they see that natives wouldn’t mind there being such sets.
It’s why they don’t do military sets, they fear that it promotes violence or militarism even though companies like Hasbro made Gi Joe for decades and had been a successful business.
The possibility for a controversy is a non-issue imo, since people would be very happy with a bunch of bank robbers and cowboys. Lego doesn't have any need to include Native American stereotypes or soldiers at all. The Red Dead Redemption games may be the most beloved modern takes on the Old West, and they were pretty tightly focused on the cat and mouse game between the freewheeling outlaws and the government officials that are hard at work catching them.
The real issue is Lego's current strategy which seems to be exactly what you said, limiting their classic theme homages to few exclusive 18+ sets with high price points. Now that being said, I would not be saying no to a 300 € set with medium size builds of a saloon, a train station, a general store, a sheriff's office and some stables.
Nice
Thanks for watching Smear!
Hey, just for fun. You’re using my heart LEGO image from my website in your video. Little Bins for Little Hands. My son built that about 8 years ago with me. No worries but it’s considered intellectual property.
I think a weird west theme would be fun. Hidden Side didn't sell super well I understand but you could do a lot with that idea in the old west.
I like this …
I like them to bring back a cowboys and native Americans sets including western towns
Western was one of my faverite lego themes! The lone rangers failed because the movie Didn't do that well
I don't even think the subject of Manifest Destiny is even holding them back necessarily. They also fell into the trope of homogenizing all the Native American cultures into one thing, which is pretty disrespectful. Well then you're only left with Cowboys and Bandits and the Union Soldiers, which as you mentioned never actually shared sets with any of the Native Americans, but it would certainly feel weird if they weren't included in the line. The key would be to find specific tribes to specific regions and be respectful of those cultures, although then are you perhaps running into cultural appropriation for the sake of profit? Given the cancel culture of today with social media, is it worth the hit on LEGO's part? I'm not saying Western will never return, but it's pretty murky territory.
I never saw Lone Ranger, it's not even on Disney+, which is surprising, so I'm curious how well Native American culture was portrayed in that movie, and I harbor no ill will toward LEGO for making sets to tie into a movie before even knowing all the full details, but when it comes to their own in house brand, I'm not so sure. There have been a few collectible minifigures over the years, but one minifigure here or there is not enough to make a stink about, people want full on sets, and you can't have teepees, totem poles, and arid backdrops with the minifigures they produced that were definitely stereotypes, and pretend like there's not an issue there when there were hundreds of different tribes across the whole of the continent with unique and distinct traits.
The only thing I can think of that would make sense is to make an entire line specific to Native American culture and make it more of an educational experience with maps inside the instructions showcasing the region and even some bio about the tribe/tribes being portrayed, all of course with permission from the respective leaders and authorities, perhaps with even a cut of the profits being shared with them so as to quell any ill will that may be felt toward LEGO in such a move from anyone that feels it still oversteps the line. It's a lot of hurdles to jump just to make some toys, but you know, it's not the 1950s and 60s, or even the 90s when kids from the 50s and 60s were designing sets and tapped into their fond childhood memories; there's a lot of demand for proper and respectful representation in a world that is constantly connected to the Internet and watching every move any company and business makes.
Thank you for sharing, MCLegoboy. I think you're absolutely right: the risk is not worth the reward, because who knows, Western could suffer the same fate as most unlicensed themes: an inevitable cancellation after anywhere from 1-3 waves.
It's anecdotal but I talked with few native folk (although not strictly from USA) and I don't think they inherently dislike inclusion of indigenous people, it's more about how it's done. Also it would help if Lego, by making the sets, would donate to indigenous communities and causes, because they are often times underfunded.
When it comes to recent Lego representation of indigenous people I feel like the jaguar warrior was a great representation of the Nahua, it's not 1:1 historically accurate but it does reflect the thing it's depicting pretty well
Imagine is LEGO had balls. Then we'd have a western themes where natives fought each other, and sometimes on the side of the calvery, and sometimes on the side of colonists, and sometimes were just a bystander in town. 🤷 Almost like, you know, reality?
Like when the Comanche tried to exterminate the Apache and the Apache had to seek protection from the Spaniards?
Except Lego doesn't aim at representing history. It's a fucking children's toy
The last five years have seen the release of Hidden Side, Monkie Kid and Dreamzzz, so clearly non-licensed themes still do happening...
Yes... but it's not the same. All three properties you mentioned were packaged with either a TV show, or an app (not one released on the side, but a central piece of the theme). LEGO nowadays only wants to release themes that have the potential to become evergreen lines - and I don't think Western is in that category. Check out my video here for more of my thoughts on the future of unlicensed themes - czcams.com/video/DlLU16RZRZU/video.html
i hope they bring it back
Who knows, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a Fort Legoredo remake in the next few years!
@@OurToyWorldwell, they did the 2019 Saloon, maybe they're planning more? Hopefully...
Lego red dead redemption would do very well
It could work if there were good and bad guy white guys and good and bad native Indian factions. I doubt they’ll bother though
I want w w back
With LEGO being a European company, which usually at the time only created sets with worldwide relevance, it is a little surprising that they even made a theme around such a uniquely American setting. The "Old West" imagery is common enough in entertainment that people in much of the world are likely familiar with it, so I am a little curious to see how well this theme sold across the globe.
In answer to the question, I don't expect to see an entire Western theme anytime in the foreseeable future. If anything, they may do something one-off: a Creator set, a larger direct-to-consumer set, or a nostalgia-heavy gift with purchase.
Western novels & movies have always been popular in Europe: a lot of the early settlers in the Old West were European farmers in search of land, and even to this day a lot of the tourists you'll see at the National Parks out west are European. I was pretty surprised to learn this, but in view of that it's not surprising.
@@wrathofachilles There's been a lot of European-produced Western pop culture produced as well, such as German Karl May's Winnetou novels, Italian Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Western movies, and French Charlier and Giraud's Blueberry comics, etc...
Cool lisp
Thanks lol
Itll come back eventually. These licensed themes are a fad, and the big 3 licenses they produce rn are honestly on the way out.
Star wars has been downward spiralling since the sequel trilogy started. While side films and shows have some promise, theyre fatiguing the average customer in just how much there is.
Marvels been less and less relevant, as the mcu is just, going down in quality; though if you ask me there was no quality there to begin with.
Harry potters become a battleground and will remain such as long as j.k. rowling has a voice and profits off the franchise. Given that, lego is likely only making harry potter kits out of contractual obligation, as they have a squeaky clean brand image to maintain. Plus harry potter hasnt been relevant in a decade, and fantastic beasts was an absolute flop.
These are legos biggest 3 licenses. Theres also batman but batmans barely got anything as of late. Besides these three and a half licenses, licensed lego is only ever a flash in the pan; a single wave with a new movie. Overall, movies have been losing their luster, especially after the pandemic killed going to the theater for many
While licensed themes will never go away, we *are* id argue approaching a great time for lego to very possibly start taking up original properties again.
Especially with the success of the 90th anniversary classic remakes, original legos the strongest its been in probably a decade.
Everyone else: “LEGI Western is a controversial theme and might not be rebooted.”
Me, an intellectual: *[Proceeds to propose LEGO American Civil War in its place.]*
Nothing controversial about that, it's a clearly morally unambiguous conflict
As much as I love the western theme, I honestly don’t ever see it returning. Western came out during a time where millennials had parents and grand parents still watching re-runs of old shows and movies like Gunsmoke, Lone Ranger, John Wayne movies, and Clint Eastwood with his movies, etcetera. 90’s was still very simple times where we didn’t have easy access to internet or anything. All we had was playing with toys or outside with our imaginations, and the ole classic Cowboys and robbers/Indians were very much apart of those memories. The older we got, the more educated we became of the true bloody history of what settlers did to the natives. With that, came less talk of those times, and the western romance faded into Hollywood history altogether. Western is simply too simple. There’s no real adventure of looking for long lost treasures or fighting mythical creatures or any of that. We had Big Foot 😂( which that doesn’t sound to bad to add that nod if Lego decided to release one last homage to the Western ) the Natives had the Wendigo! But, no; there’s really nothing going for Western anymore. The only real adventure to have is the space frontier, or go back to Pirates or Knights, dragons, wizards and witches
Everything you say is spot-on, but I'll add that the Western Genre was already well past its prime in the 90s, but you still had Boomer parents who'd grown up on Howdy Doody and the Lone Ranger who wanted to share Western-themed toys with their kids, and Lego Western was a good way to do this. Millennial parents don't have as many ties to Western entertainment, and also over time society has adopted a much more nuanced view of the period, and is much less likely to glamorize and glorify it. It's really too bad, but I hope that someday when Zoomer parents who were introduced to the Western genre through Red Dead Redemption have kids of their own, Lego might try reviving Western again. There were some really great sets.
I think another reason they could be hesitant to release western is because lately they've been trying to stop production Lego guns (outside of star wars) and more violent themes as such the wild west is also called 'wild' for a reason.
I don’t think lego will do any themes with guns if it can be avoided. Can’t do western without lots of guns.
Fair. Look out for another western video, soon.
They will never reboot western in modern society today, unfortunately.
90s were built different somehow the idea to put the US army in with indians was greenlit at lego and everyone was cool with it.
The interesting thing is that Native Americans don't appear alongside the US cavalry, "local law enforcment", or the bandits. I mean, I get why, but it kinda killed the world building that was taking place with this theme. Seeing the bandits take on the Sheriff, Zack, and the US Cavalry was awesome.. and then the Native Americans appeared in nearly all of the sets the next year doing their own thing, more or less. I'll have a video out soon about the Wasted potential of this theme.
If Lego includes Native Americans, it’s racist, if they don’t, it’s ignorant. Can’t really win there, which is a bummer cause I really do want western to return.
I wish Lego wasn’t so woke smh.. I’m Mexican American with Native American blood in me (Chiricahua) and I love the western theme. Who doesn’t love the Wild West? Bring it back Lego.
The interesting thing about Western was that the American Indians included in this theme had their own separate sets - they weren't included with the cowboys/bandits or the US Army soldiers. I know I said that in the video, but still, it's important to note.
I think if they really wanted too, they could also collaborate with different tribes to create them in LEGO. idk. just an idea
@@OurToyWorld yeah they really should, they were such fun sets and it’s a good way to get kids into history.. because of my Lego western and Medieval sets I’ve become a life long Western and Medieval enthusiast..
You don't need to include Indians in a Western theme. You can create a Western theme by creating a saloon or a sheriffs building, or an old Western hotel. Or how about a Western theme with bandits, similar to Red Dead Redemption. A cowboy theme can be done no problem. Pirates were not exactly great people by today's standards, and there are plenty of those sets around.
Great take, thanks for watching
Play you can break Arthur Morgan that would be cool I t like Legos
i sincerely hope we get a western reboot- i am totally fine if they just focus on the bandit-cowboy dynamic and leave out anything associated with native americans.
it is a shame the lone ranger movie flopped (i personally liked it) as there may have been a scenario where lego would use the film’s reception to greenlight western again. it would only be logical since the theme introduced a plethora of new molds and a few years later the lego movie would introduce even more cowboy molds. most of these molds have either gone to waste or are very sparingly used. the only exception is the articulated horse.
i hope we do get a western theme again, just small to medium sets like before with broad appeal and simple conflicts. while i don’t like the idea of a creator western set as the need for it to be 3in1 might water down a cleaner and cohesive aesthetic- i’ll take it. i’ll jump on any opportunity for western. fig fab labs is teasing that they’re gonna make custom western figure parts design so no matter what i’m gonna jump to the chance for some cowboy action!
It's nice to meet a fellow fan of The Lone Ranger movie. I for one thought it'd be a hit. It gave off POTC vibes (in a good way, with the inclusion of Depp as Tonto and Verbinski as director). Thought nostalgia alone would carry it to success.. it didn't :( I wonder if we'll ever see anything Lone Ranger again, I mean Disney's hands are now full with Star Wars and the MCU wasn't the same MCU back then.
I like your sentiment and overall thoughts, Fuzzbuns, as I agree. Yeah, a 3 in 1 Creator set would be kinda meh, but if done right it could push LEGO to release an actual line, or at least make it known that demand for Western still exists. And yeah, I saw Fig Fab Labs announcement, might have to cop a few. Last but not least, are there any other LEGO topics or themes you'd like me to talk about next on the channel?
@@OurToyWorld personally i'd love to see more discussion about the prospect and futures of original ips. i know youtubers like nick on planet ripple touched on it with space themes but with the aforementioned dominance of disney, particularily with marvel and star wars, original themes seem really sparing. heck, even star wars can't even seem to get full set waves of a film/show with how much content there is now.
@@fuzzbuns84 Funny you mention that. I suggest you check out this video I made about a year ago - czcams.com/video/qWHSX1JSm1U/video.html
In it I talk about the future of original "story" themes, which is, *spoiler alert* not looking too good right now
Unfortunately I think there’s too much political correctness at stake with rereleasing a Wild West theme
I’d love to get more Native American figures and sets. I don’t care about the us soldiers from the western stuff.
Glad I got all the original western sets! They are one of my favorite themes. However, twitter wokes today would have a meltdown if Lego brought it back! Pirates pillaging and murdering are fine, castle and medieval wars are fine too, Vikings invading the English coast and murdering everyone in sight is cool as well because those were white people - the root of all evil according to the crazies. Everyone else is cause for uproar with these people.
Well jolly gee I do wonder why lego doesn't reboot a theme that flopped thrice, would be controversial and all similar toy lines by competitors flopped twenty years ago.
Nope, Lego is too woke.
Yes because being woke means not being racist
@@psi_mae The most woke people are the most racist.
@@HenritheHorse k
Don’t care
@@HenritheHorse also that is such a Brian dead take
@@HenritheHorse poor baby, did that thought hurt?