Citations › Citation ID: 139

C139. BOOK: Daniel Konstanski, The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks: The Inside Story of a Design Icon (Unbound, 2022), p. 229-230.

once word got out that the LEGO Group had successfully turned two of the world’s biggest franchises into successful construction-toy lines, other potential partners came knocking. ... In every case, new frames were used primarily on developing the essential components for minifigures, accessories, animals, and any other iconic props that were part of the public consciousness around specific properties. These were taken in and given LEGO makeovers so that they were instantly recognisable as both LEGO elements and their subject matter. Batman’s cowl, Indiana Jones’ whip, the One Ring, Marge Simpson’s tall blue hair, Aang’s beloved flying lemur Momo, SpongeBob’s rectangular head, and, of course, numerous Jedi and Harry Potter characters – all leapt from concept drawings to sculpts, and finally onto production lines. ... Understandably, fans go wild over new novelty characters from beloved film properties, while LEGO designers are generally able to make most of the rest of the set from recoloured existing pieces. Special elements are locked to preserve novelty until such time as contracts expire, at which point all but the most iconic are released for wider use.

With licensed themes, most of the budget for new parts went to unique minifig parts and accessories, many of which became more widely available outside of the initial theme after the novelty wore off.