The new book, LEGO Star Wars: The Force of Creativity, celebrates 25 years of the long-running collaboration – find out what’s inside this deluxe, hardback coffee table book…
As the author of LEGO Star Wars: The Force of Creativity, I’m excited to share more about what’s inside this special book. It is presented in a beautiful box with an exclusive Time Capsule and will be exclusively available at LEGO.com. You can pre-order a copy from May 1 and it will be published on July 20.
Here’s what you will find within its 312 pages…
FOREWORD
‘Can’t fight the Empire without the right style,’ minifigure Lando Calrissian tells Chewbacca in LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures. And you can’t start a book like this without a very special foreword – Billy Dee Williams brings his wonderful perspective on play, creativity and imagination to open the book on the perfect note.
PROLOGUE: A TOYETIC GALAXY
Before delving deep into how LEGO Star Wars models and minifigures are created, we need to discuss the fundamentals of Star Wars design – and the best person to do that is Lucasfilm Senior Vice President and Executive Design Director Doug Chiang. In conversation with LEGO Star Wars Design Director Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, the visionary artist explains how he and the Lucasfilm team create a visually consistent galaxy. Through their discussion, you’ll find the interesting points of similarity and difference between movie and toy design.
CHAPTER 1: BEGINNINGS
In 1999, Star Wars was returning to cinemas with the release of The Phantom Menace. For the first time ever, the LEGO Group would offer products based on an external property. This chapter reveals what the new partners were looking for and how that deal came about. The focus then switches to the design team in Billund, who had to speed up their process to get the first year of products ready in time.
Get you LEGO Star Wars 25 fix sooner! There’s also a celebratory issue of Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine, coming on April 26. It contains exclusive LEGO Star Wars interviews, reviews, build instructions and much more. To get your copy first, take out a subscription!
CHAPTER 2: MAKING MODELS
Chapter 2 explores how the magic happens. The LEGO Star Wars design team walks us through the process of model design, from the first meeting where they plan an assortment to the final review where a model is approved for release. You’ll also learn how the design aesthetic has evolved and how digital design tools complement the physical bricks.
CHAPTER 3: JEDI, SITH, DROIDS, AND MORE
The characters bring LEGO Star Wars models to life. Find out how the design team has evolved the look of minifigures over 25 years to make the characters look more consistent than ever. This chapter isn’t just about how minifigures are decorated – we also look at how the unique aliens are carefully sculpted to capture Star Wars characters in an authentically LEGO System way.
CHAPTER 4: VIDEO GAMES
In 2005, LEGO Star Wars got a big shot of action-adventure from a video game that… well, changed the game. The TT Games team explains how they captured the thrill of Star Wars with minifigure characters and brick-built environments. From the origins of Free Play mode to the Kaminoan dance animation, they share stories from a uniquely creative place and time.
Upgrade your LEGO hobby! If you take out a subscription to Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine, you’ll get each issue first and at a discount, plus other perks including a free digital subscription and the chance to win LEGO prizes every month.
CHAPTER 5: ULTIMATE COLLECTOR SERIES
Look back at (almost) 25 years of Ultimate Collector Series sets, going right back to the first two models. This chapter covers the origins of the concept and the evolution of the sets through the years, spotlighting key sets that brought something new or particularly ambitious to the collection.
CHAPTER 6: GETTING ANIMATED
From LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Brick to LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation, find out how each animated special expanded the scope of this very special area of the galaxy far, far away. Star Wars royalty Anthony Daniels even makes an appearance to explain what makes portraying C-3PO as a LEGO minifigure unique.
CHAPTER 7: ALWAYS INNOVATING
Through the years there have been some incredibly fun mini collections of LEGO Star Wars sets – Technic droids, buildable action figures, Planets, Microfighters, sculptural characters… this chapter looks at many of the key innovative sets that have mixed things up through years and made sure that fans always discover something fresh and unexpected in LEGO Star Wars.
CHAPTER 8: BUILDING EXPERIENCES
While LEGO Star Wars is of course focused on what you build at home, there are many opportunities to engage with the bricks out in the world, with special events and exhibitions showcasing impressive, massive models that push the System to the limits. This chapter focuses on those awe-inspiring builds, including the sprawling Star Wars Miniland, massive 8-foot long Venator and life-size X-wing Starfighter that debuted in Times Square.
CHAPTER 9: CREATIVE GALAXY
Once the talented LEGO employees have worked their magic and fans take the models home, something special happens. The bricks are now in the hands of the most creative people of all and can become something completely new. A series of fan builds showcase the amazing models that the community can create with a hint of inspiration from a galaxy far, far away.
APPENDIX
A listing of every LEGO Star Wars ever released, for reference. It includes magazine gifts, polybags and convention exclusives.