Why was 77014 The Temple of Doom cancelled?

Brickset.com

Earlier this year, rumours began to emerge that LEGO Indiana Jones would be returning in 2023, comprising four sets numbered between 77012 and 77015.

Images of the sets subsequently leaked and the new range has now been officially announced, with one significant omission, as 77014 The Temple of Doom has been cancelled. While LEGO product cancellations are surprisingly common, this example is unusual because this set was exhibited at Nuremberg Toy Fair and images have leaked online.

LEGO has provided a statement regarding the cancellation, but we are going to examine this unusual occurrence more closely.

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Source: https://brickset.com/article/92777

Bumblepants

I didn't think the set looked all that great anyway. only real loss is the Minifigures 

Brickchap

@Bumblepants I agree. I really hope Lego makes at least one set for ToD though.

It's a shame people have gone down the rabbit hole of left wing lunacy thinking up all kinds of nonsense claims, many of which are completely irrelevant to the Lego set.

As some people on the main page said, it's probable Lego may have more likely pulled the set for structural issues rather than any 'someone's offended' stuff. It looked a lot less professional than the other sets and was very disappointing (some might even say lazy) on Lego's part it only came with a round track. I mean, roller coaster tracks are perfect for a minecart scene and we have a lot more style of rail now than what was available in the original ToD set.

Here's hoping for a Shanghai Chase set and Short Round minifig! (and as I've commented previously that scene could be done without needing to include a Shanghai nightclub, or gangsters, if necessary)

Astrobricks

Personally, the most likely reasons I can see are the portrayal of a “real world” deity in a completely negative way, and the torture aspect of the scene.

gratefulnat

Maybe it's just me, but this was one of the most disappointing articles I have seen published on Brickset since I've been online as of 2007. No information offered other than the invitation to address a nothing burger topic. I can only interpret this article as click bait to invite divisive social media commentary. Why? For what other reason than to generate traffic, but which will only contain nothing other than unpleasant comments.

Maybe I am wrong @CapnRex101 @Huw , but this I found to be quite disheartening.

This comment on the site really states what I am trying to say:

rockethead26

Brickchap said:

...

It's a shame people have gone down the rabbit hole of left wing lunacy thinking up all kinds of nonsense claims, many of which are completely irrelevant to the Lego set.

...

Nice political shot at half the folks on this forum.

madforLEGO

Brickchap said:

......It's a shame people have gone down the rabbit hole of left wing lunacy thinking up all kinds of nonsense claims, many of which are completely irrelevant to the Lego set. ....

Says the poster that rants constantly in the Leaks thread... I think its safe to say one can leave out the 'left wing' or 'right wing' comment and just leave it at 'lunacy' as there are clearly extremists on both sides of the fence.

560Heliport

What cancellation? Nothing in Lego's statement says anything about #77014, except by omission. The other three sets are being released in April. If #77014 had been cancelled, I think Lego would say so. 

1265

It wouldn't surprise me that Lego cancelled the word "cancelled."

SumoLego

It would seem pointless to speculate until an actual, definitive answer is released by LEGO.

And, I don't see anyone spilling ink about a lack of a set from Indy 4.

We need a Jungle Cutter re-release!

Brickchap

@SumoLego Indy 4 sucked as a film, but personally I don't have any issue with Lego making sets. I really really want a Peril in Peru set. (technically the DC 3 didnt feature in the film or it was like in the background or something) so I guess that's unlikely.

Jungle Cutter would be popular. I always thought the set with the SEEP, tree, Soviet rubber dinghy was a good set. Was there a helicopter? When they are flying over all the fire ants? Or was it a plane? That could be a set. I'm trying to think off new takes Lego could do in existing sets, or new scenes (I previously suggested the scene from the start with a hot rod and American staff car and/or truck with the disguised Soviets)

Brickchap

Do we think there's any credibility to the claim that Indy 5 sets have been cancelled?

NicksBricks

Hasbro hasn’t shown off any DoD toys/figures either with the exception of 2 figures that are targeted towards kids. Everything seems to be focused on Raiders and Last Crusade. 

Brickchap

@NicksBricks Hmmmm not looking good but also strange. Like if DoD in pre release reviews or whatever was doing terribly then maybe Lego (and other companies) would choose not to make toys of it. But to my knowledge these haven't happened yet. I also doubt it's because the new film is too violent/controversial. (certainly if the originals are accepted). Personally Raiders & Last Crusade are the only films I liked and there's lots of things I'd love to see Lego sets of from these films. Whether that would happen or not, I don't know. But yeah you'd think Lego would make sets for the new film, even if only a couple like they did with Ghostbusters (2016).

While we don't know what Lego is thinking regarding DoD, perhaps we could discuss whether we think lego will release more original Indy sets (by original I include all films prior to DoD) in the future, either later this year or in 2024?

From memory all Lego's IPs where they've made a whole theme for it have lasted for multiple waves, unless it's a one-off film. Harry Potter for example Lego brought back as a theme and remade many of the sets they'd done previously, as well as making new sets. Same way Jurassic World saw various sets for all the JW stuff, as well as sets based on the original Jurassic Park.

560Heliport

Maybe they're just doing a very good job of preventing any leaks. If that's the case, there's plenty of time to reveal sets for Indy 5. 

Mr_Cross

Brickchap said:

It's a shame people have gone down the rabbit hole of left wing lunacy thinking up all kinds of nonsense claims, many of which are completely irrelevant to the Lego set. 

I come here much less as a direct result of your incessant nonsense. I'm too tired to argue with you or try to educate you. I will point out the massive blatant hypocrisy in this statement though, because much of what I see you post is irrelevant or opinionated conspiracy based on flimsy 'I reckons'.

gelkster

Nice political shot at half the folks on this forum.

But

arathemis

Mr_Cross said:

Brickchap said:

It's a shame people have gone down the rabbit hole of left wing lunacy thinking up all kinds of nonsense claims, many of which are completely irrelevant to the Lego set. 

I come here much less as a direct result of your incessant nonsense. I'm too tired to argue with you or try to educate you. I will point out the massive blatant hypocrisy in this statement though, because much of what I see you post is irrelevant or opinionated conspiracy based on flimsy 'I reckons'.

I come almost as often as I used to, but skip a lot more comments, specially those of the guy above. I feel I get nothing out of reading them. 

gelkster

arathemis said:

...specially those of the guy above.

ALL the comments are above. 🤔🤷‍♂️

Lo1sJess

No reason not to come.  Just start a new discussion or thread if one is not to your liking,  plenty of lego related topics, off topics wide open and wide variety of people.

Speedman29

arathemis said:

Mr_Cross said:

I come here much less as a direct result of your incessant nonsense. I'm too tired to argue with you or try to educate you. I will point out the massive blatant hypocrisy in this statement though, because much of what I see you post is irrelevant or opinionated conspiracy based on flimsy 'I reckons'.

I come almost as often as I used to, but skip a lot more comments, specially those of the guy above. I feel I get nothing out of reading them. 

Same. I just don't have the energy to read another vast essay, probably slating yet another set, minifigure or theme for not being exactly what the ChapofBricks wants it to be. 
I'd start a new discussion, but it would doubtless soon be full of (to quote Mr Cross again) incessant nonsense.

SumoLego

I was making light of the fact that Disney has actively ignored Indy 4 since its release.  Nobody liked the actual jungle cutter, the set, nor is clamoring for a re-release.

Nonetheless, generally speaking, there is far too much ignorant declarative assumption, particularly on social issues.  Not everything is in furtherance of an agenda, and making presumptions only reveals one's priors.

More importantly, we don't know.  So declaring you do is unwise.

560Heliport

But I do know! I know that we don't know. :) 
So to speculate about the reason for something that's only speculation is downright silly. 

560Heliport

Indiana Jones UCS set: Jungle Cutter, 3126 pieces, Powered Up functions, $349.99.

(Sorry, couldn't resist making a ridiculous speculation of my own!)

Brickchap

@560Heliport LOL Why do I feel like Lego will actually release a giant UCS Indy's Fedora set (that no one asked for)?

@SumoLego That's interesting Disney has shunned Indy 4. Yeah I don't recall anyone asking for a jungle cutter, although if they did release one I wouldn't mind. (The Seep would be cool, and also captures a specific scene).

SprinkleOtter

SumoLego said:

I was making light of the fact that Disney has actively ignored Indy 4 since its release.  Nobody liked the actual jungle cutter, the set, nor is clamoring for a re-release.

Nonetheless, generally speaking, there is far too much ignorant declarative assumption, particularly on social issues.  Not everything is in furtherance of an agenda, and making presumptions only reveals one's priors.

More importantly, we don't know.  So declaring you do is unwise.

To be fair.... LEGO has also completely ignored the Sequels since their release. If something isn't popular, LEGO isn't going to give it the time of day!

Brickchap

@SprinkleOtter Interestingly Just2Good reports Disney's 'Lightyear' was a complete flop, although we got sets for that.

From memory I cant think of much Lego could make from Crystal Skull anyway aside from the sets they already made or the scene at the beginning as I've previously suggested. (lots of people have requested the Indy fridge scene but personally I'm not sure how Lego could make that a set. A polybag would work though)

The_Rancor

SprinkleOtter said:

SumoLego said:

I was making light of the fact that Disney has actively ignored Indy 4 since its release.  Nobody liked the actual jungle cutter, the set, nor is clamoring for a re-release.

Nonetheless, generally speaking, there is far too much ignorant declarative assumption, particularly on social issues.  Not everything is in furtherance of an agenda, and making presumptions only reveals one's priors.

More importantly, we don't know.  So declaring you do is unwise.

LEGO has also completely ignored the Sequels since their release.

…though not as much as Rogue One & Solo, which apparently completely vanished off the face of the Earth in their eyes since the 1 or 2 release slots closest to the film.

I suspect in Indy’s case for 5, they’re going to have to make reference to the Marion marriage (and maybe Mutt) from Crystal Skull narratively, though it’s 12 years ‘in-universe’ between the two films so anything could’ve happened in that time. As long as it’s explained better than Jane Foster’s absences between Thor 2 & Thor 4 then that’ll be fine.

As for the Temple of Doom set - I can live without it - I don’t get what the big deal is - just let it lie and enjoy the great sets we do have.

SumoLego

In fairness to Jane, they did break up and Thor was searching for Infinity Stones and being chased by fire dragons.  And Natalie Portman only signed a three-movie deal with Marvel/Disney.  That was short-sighted on the studio's part.

Lightyear really isn't a sequel - it was supposed to have kicked off a Cars-esque franchise where we would be getting movies and merchandise for the next two decades.  But thankfully, we all dodged a bullet!  (Or a giant foam ball, maybe?)

Disney/Pixar definitely did not expect the box office/popularity of the adjacent Toy Story franchise to be very poorly received.  Thus, we have sets that were made years in advance to support the movie.

I'm more curious that we didn't get the traditional single Ant-Man/Wasp set that normally accompanies the film release.  I would like a Kang.  And a Janet.

SumoLego

I suspect there will be little more than a cameo for any Indy 4 characters, particularly the kid from Holes and Transformers.  Disney tends not to like to make reference to industry-perceived flops.  But for reference, it made nearly $800M worldwide on an estimated $200M budget.  That's not really a flop by any stretch of the imagination.

Although, frankly, Solo made a lot of money and wasn't a terrible movie.  Any derivative SW property that had the task of following TLJ was going to be poorly received.  If Disney+ existed at the time, and Solo was an eight-part miniseries, we would have all be heaping praise on it.  ($500M worldwide on a $250M budget is less good, by comparison.)