Page 33 - Star Wars Insider #187

LEGO STAR WARS

ew York Toy
N Fair, February
1999. Three
months before
the cinematic
release of Star Wars: The
Phantom Menace, a synergy
between two of the world’s
biggest and much-loved
properties was announced.
Lucasfilm and Danish toy
manufacturer LEGO unveil d
the first wave of 1
Wars sets. It was t et
start of a hugely su cessfu
commercial partne ship that
is still going strong day as
LEGO Star Wars cele rates
years of brick-based ent
in a galaxy far, far a y.
01
LEGO—today the w ld’s
biggest toy company—c tra
its origins as far back as 5
when the Billund Wood king The company moved away ATTENTION
and Carpenter’s Shop ope in from wooden products when
Denmark. The shop was b Christiansen purchased a plastic TO DETAIL
by Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1916, moulding machine in 1947,

and it was he who coined the and the first ‘Automatic Binding One popular type of set in LEGO’s
company's new name: LEGO—a Bricks’ were produced two years expansive Star Wars range are the
Danish word translating as ‘play later. Renamed ‘LEGO Bricks’ immensely detailed playsets that depict
well’—in 1934. in 1953, in 1999 the company locations and scenes from the Star
launched its initial collection of Wars galaxy.One such set is 2018’s
Star Wars sets. Betrayal at Cloud City (Set 75222),
“Star Wars was LEGO’s fi rst which includes a cameo appearance
02
major brand license,” explains from Star Wars:The Empire Strikes Back
Chris Malloy, managing editor (1980) droid bounty-hunter,IG-88.
of brothersbrick.com and co- “[In the movie] you can barely see
author of Dorling Kindersley’s him leaning up against the wall,”shares
Ultimate LEGO Star Wars Becraft,“but [in the set] there’s
y
Encyclopedia. “They’d had other an unofficial story about
licenses before with a handful how IG-88 eended up in
g
03 of companies, but none of them the recycling section of
w
had been commonly available Cloud City with C-3P0.
sets, and none of them had a Those little ttouches really
full range. Star Wars was LEGO's bring interessting details

first foray into an intellectual for hardcore
property that was based on a Star Wars annd

film or television show.” LEGO fans.”

Wave 1

The first wave of LEGO Star Wars
01 The LEGO Death Star set 75159 was released to coincide with the
released in 2016.
launch of The Phantom Menace
02 The first wave of LEGO Star Wars sets comprised 13 boxed sets; eight
included Luke's landspeeder. were devoted to the new fi lm,
including the Sith Interceptor
03 LEGO Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul
face off in the Lightsaber Duel set. and Gungan Sub, while

STAR WARS INSIDER / 33