A few months back, Marvel Entertainment announced their licensing partners for product lines based on the Avengers: Age of Ultron movie that will be coming out next year and LEGO is included as one of the companies. This is a guest post by Joe Hammond on possible sets that could be released by LEGO. We are not claiming that these sets are true by any stretch of the imagination but these are just ideas of what could be coming out.

Avengers: Age of Ultron comes out May 1st, 2015 and we are all excited for the possible LEGO sets that will be tied to the movie’s release (recently confirmed by LEGO). With an expanding cast of characters and many new uniforms it looks to be another amazing opportunity for LEGO to expand upon their Marvel sets and minifigs. In this article, I will summarize the information we have for the sequel (including released pictures and concept art) and compare it to the set compositions from the first Avengers movie to take the first crack at possible Age of Ultron LEGO sets.

First, a few things about the released LEGO Marvel Sets we have received so far. LEGO has been producing sets since April 2012. This is an amazing opportunity for fans of Marvel and LEGO to combine two of their favorite loves while Marvel popularity is at an all time high with their movies and cartoons on Disney television. However, it seems from the outside that LEGO’s diversified portfolio and desire to maintain a robust number of non-licensed sets each year (so they don’t have to share profits with Disney, Marvel, DC, or other groups) has hindered the number of LEGO Marvel sets we get each year. Just look at what we got in support of Marvel’s Phase 2 movie line-up. Three sets for Iron Man 3 (and only one of them – 76007 Malibu Mansion Attack, is any good), and three for Guardians of the Galaxy (opening 1 August; love all the sets), but nothing for Thor: The Dark World or Captain America: The Winter Soldier (no Stealth Suit Cap or Winter Soldier minifigs!). It just seems like there are too many sets from multiple themes for Marvel sets to get their fair share. Yes, there were two sets loosely tied to the new Avengers Assemble Disney Cartoon and four sets tied to the Ultimate Spider-Man Cartoon, but it seems disjointed (six Spider-Man sets and only one version of Spider-Man). Where’s Peter Parker and Agent Coulson?

2012 LEGO Avengers Set Recap

In 2012, we got four sets tied to the movie, as well as three polybags. Out of these sets we got Iron-Man (Mark 6 and Mark 7), Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye, and Black Widow as well as a Quinjet, SHIELD fighter, and a SHIELD truck (I am not going to acknowledge Cap’s motorcycle – it’s too generic). We also got three different bad guys (Loki in three sets, Chitauri Alien Foot Soldier, and Chitauri Alien General). So if we go back and do the math we got four bad guys (I am not counting three Lokis as multiple bad guys) to fight six different good guys. One of the main problems with our LEGO Marvel sets is there aren’t enough henchmen to serve as fodder for our heroes to bash through to get to the big bad guy in time for his ominous monologue about taking over the world. We need AIM, Hydra, and other henchmen for our heroes to demolish. The last two Avengers cartoon sets helped with an AIM robot and a HYDRA Henchman (what a great name), but we need more. C’mon LEGO, you can do better. To sum up, four sets:

• 6865: Captain America’s Avenging Cycle ($13; 72 pieces with three minifigs)

• 6867: Loki’s Cosmic Cube Escape ($20; 181 pieces with three minifigs)

• 6868: Hulk’s Helicarrier Breakout ($50; 389 pieces with three minifigs and a bigfig)

• 6869: Quinjet Aerial Battle ($70; 735 pieces with five minifigs)

And we also got three polybags (with two minifigs we already got and a mini Quinjet). So let’s see what we can come up with for Avengers 2: Age of Ultron.

The characters and plot (we know of so far – possible spoilers)

Looking at who we have confirmed for the movie we have a much larger number of characters to fit into four sets. If you don’t know who some of these characters are just click on the link to their Marvel Character page at Marvel.com. Just remember, the movies can and sometimes have a different version. The Avengers still consist of Tony Stark (who will be sporting new armor in the Mark 43 Suit, and Mark 44, (the Hulkbuster Suit – gotta be a Bigfig), Captain America (seen in a new costume), Thor, Hulk , Hawkeye (in a great new costume that looks closer to the comics version), and Black Widow. We also know that Ultron will be the main villain in the movie with some sort of Ultron Drone/robot army to fight the Avengers. Also confirmed in the movie is Baron von Strucker, who was seen at the end of The Winter Soldier in a Hydra base with the Scarlet Witch and her twin brother, Quicksilver. I hope that we can get a movie version of a Hydra Henchman and some Ultron Drones for our cannon fodder. It has also been confirmed that the Vision will be in the movie as well, but it is unknown whose side he will be on. In the comics, the Vision was created by Ultron to fight the Avengers, but ends up changing sides and becoming an Avenger (and the Scarlet Witch’s husband. Don’t ask, it’s complicated).

As for the plot, we know that Baron von Strucker (HYDRA) has a secret base where he has the twins, and Loki’s scepter from the first movie. We also know that Ultron is created and he decides to take over the world. From some of the film set pictures it looks like Ultron will have an army of drones to battle the Avengers as well (there are a bunch of set photos of guys in motion capture suits running around). We have also seen pictures of Avengers Tower and possible Avengers staff members (replacing SHIELD in Avengers 2).

Set 1: HYDRA Sentry Outpost ($13.00, 3 minifigs, around 80 pieces)

This set includes Captain America and two HYDRA Henchmen. It will include a turret of some sort with flick fire missiles for the Hydra Henchman similar to the turret cannon in the Knowhere Escape Mission set.

This set will also include a wall that can be connected (via Technic pins) to one of our future sets, the HYDRA Base Escape. There has been a recent picture of what looks like a HYDRA Henchman in a snow combat suit as well as a HYDRA cannon of some sort.

I have a few ideas for Captain America.

He has a new uniform in the movie and we need to include the straps that he uses to hold his shield. We also need to combine the chin strap from the Nova Corps Soldier with a blue version of the Flash’s mask / helmet. If you remove the lightning bolts it would look awesome on Captain America and we would have a definitive minifig. If we can get the helmet for one side of his face that is worth generic non-printed legs. I would also like for LEGO to continue the trend started in the X-Men Sentinel set and give Cap some hair when he has his mask off. He needs the Obi Wan Kenobi hair in yellow / blond. It is not made in that color at this time (believe me I’ve looked for MOCs). Cap and Tony just can’t have the same haircut. It just does not work.

Set 2: Hulkbuster Attack ($40.00, 2 minifigs, 2 big figs, around 360 pieces)

This set is similar in size to Malibu Mansion Attack (five minifigs and Dummy the robot) and gives us two big figs to fight! We get a new Hulk big fig and our most coveted big fig, the Mark 44 Hulkbuster! We have seen concept art (below) showing these two tangling.

My idea for the set also includes the Vision and Quicksilver, our two bad guys. However, since Vision is a creation of Ultron’s, and a technical marvel, he has hacked into the Hulkbuster Armor and instructed it to fight the Hulk. This set will include three breakable wall areas that can fall on our big figs duking it out. Quicksilver is included in the set to help get Vision close enough to the Hulkbuster set to hack into him (and there is no other great place to put him). It would be great if they could do something with an alternate face for Quicksilver that is blurred because he is running so fast. The second awesome thing that LEGO could do would be to make a compartment to put the Tony Stark from the Malibu Mansion set inside the Hulkbuster Armor. We have not seen a picture of the Vision yet, but rumor has it very similar but more realistically grounded version than the comic book (green, red, and yellow costume).

Set 3: Hydra Base Escape ($50.00, 4 minifigs, around 450 pieces)

This set is similar in size and scope to the Avengers: Hulk Lab Smash, Daily Bugle Showdown, or Hulk’s Helicarrier Breakout (for a scientist he really does not like labs!). This set includes Hawkeye in his new uniform (see below), the Scarlet Witch, Baron von Strucker, and a HYDRA Henchman. This set will include a small laboratory area with a control panel, screen, and chairs, two breakable prison rooms for the twins, and a table where Loki’s scepter is located (as all seen in the mid-credits scene after The Winter Soldier). This set can be connected to the wall / turret section from our first set, Sentry Outpost. You’re probably saying that doesn’t make sense with what we know about the movie. I would like to point you to two sets from the Iron Man 3 line, also known as the Mandarin’s Go-Kart and Aldrich Killian’s speed boat (never in the movie) along with the War Machine Armor (also never in the movie). For our minifigs starting with Hawkeye in his new costume – can we get a black quiver this time LEGO? Based off the costume pics I believe he will have leg printing to show how long his jacket goes (similar to Star Lord in the Starblaster Showdown set).

Baron von Strucker would wield Loki’s scepter (add a translucent blue rounded missile top, remove the dagger, and cut off one side of it for a better representation of the scepter, like this image here). He also has his monocle printed on his maniacal head.

The Henchmen carries a rifle and is there to get beat down by Hawkeye. Scarlet Witch will have a normal face and a crazed power wielding face with her eyes illuminated. I am not sure how they will depict her powers, but blue/purple lightning bolts like Storm may be the way to go. Leg printing to continue her skirt will be the best way to finish off here minifig.

Overall, this will be a great set, but may fall short without one of the main four Avengers in it. I am basing it off of the set pictures I have seen so far. You could expect Hawkeye and Cap to be swapped out if LEGO wants it to sell more.

Set 4: Ultron Showdown ($75.00, 5 minifigs, around 650 pieces)

Our last and most expensive set, Ultron Showdown, brings the rest of our Avengers into the fight with Ultron and his Ultron Sentries. This set includes the big Ultron (who could possibly be a big fig, but will probably just look like General Grievous’ cousin), two Ultron Sentries, Iron Man Mark 43, Black Widow, and Thor. This set consists of a factory production line where Ultron is creating more of his sentries in order to take over the world and remove it of human life (that’s his whole plan every time he shows up in the comics). It would include a conveyor belt with parts for more Ultron sentries moving along to be created, augmented with stickers showing the status of his robots. It would also include a control panel and a few areas that can be destroyed during the fighting. Iron Man and Thor distract Ultron while Black Widow uses her stealth skills to download a virus into the main computer and shutdown the production line of sentries.

For the minifigs, lets get Thor out of the way. I have no idea if he has a new costume or not. All we want is for LEGO to double print Mjolnir so it has a wooden handle and a steel/metal head on it. No more monochromatic hammers for something this iconic.

Lastly, Black Widow just needs to have the red hourglass on her belt and possibly her Widow Sting bracelets reflected on her minfig and she will be awesome. What else do we need? Why, a motorcycle of course! This time its Black Widow’s motorcycle which has been confirmed as being a Harley Davidson (although I would prefer the Skycycle that they use in the comics).

So there you have it, my take on four sets that I think would be amazing for LEGO to build for Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. Other ideas would include an attack on Avengers Tower (maybe the outside where Tony lands and removes his armor, or another laboratory to get destroyed (haven’t we had enough of those though). I have no idea on polybags, since I don’t know how LEGO decides, but I am all in favor of anything where we can get another Ultron Sentry or HYDRA Henchman. Let me know what you think in the comments.

– Joehead