Why LEGO Avatar FAILED (2022-2024)...

In this video I discuss what happened with the LEGO Avatar theme, and why it seemingly has been discontinued after just 2 years. With the new movies set to be released over the next 10 years, why has LEGO halted on continuing to make sets, when these movies absolutely dominate at the box office, with the first movie being the highest grossing movie of all time.

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[rodrign]

I would’ve actually bought some sets if they all weren’t like $50 each 😭

[legometaworld]

I don’t think it failed so much as the next sets won’t come until the new film does. Like Jurassic World, at first.

[GrantGraff]

The reason Avatar the Last Airbender didn't get more sets was because Lego made a deal with Nickelodeon to try out two themes to see which one would sell more. It was between Avatar and SpongeBob. You could probably guess which one sold more.

[polarboy]

Avatar is a strange franchise from a pop culture perspective, both films were presented as this big cultural event from a technological aspect. They were something so new and groundbreaking that you would be missing out not seeing them. But as much as people were caught up in the visual technology side very few people connected with the movies on an emotional level. Very few people would choose avatar as their favourite movie, most people would struggle to name characters from the franchise even though they saw the movie. So the poor lego sales are pretty much what happened with all avatar merchandise.

[sebchambers]

My biggest issue, which I’m sure is common, is the fact that all the sets are ludicrously over priced. I’m a massive avatar fan, and the focus on the navi over the RDA and the high prices meant I only picked up the smallest £20 set.

[galaguy]

Dude...the third movie was deleyed wich is why they havent made sets yet 😭

[funnyhappyharry]

Issue with this theme is simple. It had absolutely zero direction. You had sets which evoked a doll house method- especially the larger ones. Then sets which focused more on the human military and combat features. Problem is it never committed to either. You either had "Cute flight" Cute home" Tree with cute colors" or "MECH KILLA THE MEGAMISTER" with nothing in between.

Not to get into gender stereotypes but you're trying to appeal to both a feminine, and male audience at the same time. This never has and never will work for lego.

Now imagine for a moment instead of "Cute flight" you had the sets focused purely "Blue space monkeys" vs "RDA military" Where every set while yes gives you the elements to make something more dollhouse- focuses primarily on combat.

"RDA" base section and a "Pandora" tree section with every set

And also why add a whale but no harpoon vessel?

Additionally why do a cute flight when it could be flying lizard vs gunship

These are just more marketable.

I sure as hell aint paying 150 for a pink tree

[nezaniatoimya]

Because it's a promotional theme like so many before it.
Lone ranger
Indiana jones
Hobbit/LOTR
Cars
Toy story
Etc.

[NickonPlanetRipple]

With so many remaining animals to still choose from for future sets, I would've supported a whole extended line of... basically just that. The human military vehicles were all right, but not as compelling for me as a speculative biology/spec evo nut.

[louisbogli]

As a gigantic Avatar fan, I really did enjoy this license in Lego form. They really did capture the essence of both movies while providing playful sets who look great on display. But I understand why people didn’t cared about it : all Avatar’s merchandise generally sells poorly. The saddest failure was the line produced by McFarlane Toys who provided AMAZING action figures (I’m still mourning the absence of a massive Thanator figure)

[paladin]

i bought the first wave sets on clearance not because of the theme but because the terrains are awsome for dinosaur display

[CryosisOfficial]

They didn't do enough with the theme to justify the existence of the sets they did make, IMO. They were missing certain main characters and didn't provide enough RDA/human stuff, limiting what you could actually do with the sets both in terms of play and display. Interestingly, the regular Avatar action figure line suffered a similar issue. It just felt disorganized, unfocused, and most importantly: unfinished/incomplete.

Seems like they just wanted a bunch of merchandise out for the new movie without putting much thought into it. If I was in charge of curating the set line up, I'd have scrapped the sets based on the first movie and focused entirely on the new movie coming out. Provide more characters (the rest of Blue Team for example), human soldiers, vehicles (the Skimwing should have come with a small-medium boat build based on the scene near the finale), and just overall more playability between sets. They don't need to be gimmick ridden, just be more conducive to an environment that allows people to recreate scenes from the movie and inspire creativity.

Then we could be having sets based on the first movie being released now to fill in the gap between Avatar 2 and the upcoming Avatar 3. It's a theme that had a lot of potential but suffered under mismanagement.

[benmalsky]

I think it’s way too early to say if the Lego Avatar theme is “dead” or not. I heavily believe that when Fire & Ash comes out, they will do sets again.

[gabmoreno]

I think what they should’ve done is direct it towards adults especially with the human ships and shuttles used in the films
As well releasing a set of the tree of the first avatar film would be interesting

[StormX]

I personally love the Lego Avatar theme. The sets are so colorful and have such unique builds. I like the creature builds and scifi military vehicles The Navi minifigures are great, I love how they have their own molded pieces.

[MetalRuless]

Avatar should had been targeted at adults with 18+ sets

Why didn’t they not make that big plane that colonel uses in first movie ?

[benmalsky]

I’m very sure Avatar is one of those themes that will go on, just with gaps between movies. Fire & Ash is sure to get sets, from description at D23 Expo sounds like it would be perfect for Lego sets.

[RayLilySeries]

Excellent wave of LEGO sets. Underrated! Overpriced as hell but the beautiful thing about always being an Avatar believer and a Cameron bro when everyone else was out here doubting, that meant the sets immediately went to clearance so the Navi bros (myself) grabbed these for cheap right as the second movie crossed it's first Billy at the box office. What a theme. 💗

[sooshee]

i love lego avatar please make more i need them

[HopeReviews]

I enjoyed both of these movies and was pleasantly surprised when we got Lego Movie sets for them.