Browncoats Drive New Firefly Lego Set Toward Production - UPDATED

[Nuke_em_05]

Awesome set. Too bad it didn't make it.

Surprise surprise Lego said No....

LEGO produces toys for children. Therefore all LEGO products, regardless of age target, must be content-appropriate for this core audience. With this in mind we have decided that as cool as the Serenity model is, the Firefly TV show and Serenity film contain content that is not appropriate for our core target audience of children ages 6-11. While we know this news will disappoint those who supported the project, we will not be producing this as a LEGO product.

Clearly these people did not watch Star Wars. Or Pirates of the Caribbean. Or Batman. Or the Indiana Jones movies. Or Lord of the Rings.

All PG or PG-13.

Spoiler: Click to view IMDB Parental Guide to Firefly:

Sex & Nudity

Several mild sex scenes with bare shoulders and whatnot. There's one brief rough sex scene where a man thrusts into a woman held up against a wall.

A woman washes her back while she's naked, and a man walks in on her.

A women is seen in frozen and naked. Her genitals, breasts, and butt are obscured.

A young woman seduces several men and even appears to seduce a woman.

The crew visits a whore house with many sexual activities going on.

A man threatens to rape a woman.

A man waits in the desert naked (nothing's shown).

One of the main characters is a prostitute.

Violence & Gore

One relatively intense torture scene. A man is tortured to death but brought quickly brought back to life to be further tortured.

A couple people are stabbed.

Lots of spaceships fights, nothing too intense.

Many Western-style gunfights. Not very graphic, some blood.

Profanity

Mild profanity. Swearing in Chinese.

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking

Men are often seen in bars drinking, often drunk.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/parentalguide

You know, also defending a whore house; cannibalistic reavers, etc. Yeah, it wasn't terrible, but definitely not "kid friendly".

 

[Chasmodius]

That is an excellently worded "no." I am really happy to see that the LEGO team goes to such care to be polite and politic when discussing and explaining their process and decisions. It makes sense, it's concise, and yet it's also fair and thoughtful. Great job, LEGO!

"It's too mature" says the company that produced a Halo Lego set.

I thought that was MEGA-BLOCKS? Even so, as noted elsewhere, "maturity" in business/entertainment-speak has more to do with sex and nudity than it does with violence.
Alien genocide? Sure.
Hearts getting pulled out of chests? Well okay, just so long as the kids can't re-create that scene.
Almost as salacious as the Bible? Not a chance!
(sorry, this discussion just got me thinking of The Brick Testament [http://www.thebricktestament.com/], which is way NSFW... except that they're LEGO mini-figs, so maybe it's SFW? Who knows!)

 

[Nouw]

Lord of the Rings is kid-friendly but Serenity/Firefly isn't? Seems fair.

"It's too mature" says the company that produced a Halo Lego set.

That's another company, the name escapes me but it's known as a cheap lego-knock off.

 

[junkmanuk]

Could have called the response to this given the outcome of the Shaun of the Dead set:

http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/7451

"all LEGO products, regardless of age target, must be content appropriate for our core audience. With this in mind we have decided that ? good though the model is ? the film Shaun of the Dead contains content that is not appropriate for our core target audience of children ages 6-11."

 

[Bombastuss]

How do these people have energy to cling on for... what's it been, ten years now?

The show isn't any less awesome than it was ten years ago. I think because it was so good and felt like it should have had several seasons people are especially hungry for content. Its like if Star Trek TNG only had had one season.

Only it wouldn't have been the same because the first season of TNG is kind of bad... The rest is awesome be the first is just... Not very good at all.

 

[Subatomic]

How do these people have energy to cling on for... what's it been, ten years now?

The show isn't any less awesome than it was ten years ago. I think because it was so good and felt like it should have had several seasons people are especially hungry for content. Its like if Star Trek TNG only had had one season.

Only it wouldn't have been the same because the first season of TNG is kind of bad... The rest is awesome be the first is just... Not very good at all.

Rule of thumb: if Riker doesn't have a beard, it's probably terrible. TNG only got consistently good after season 2. Firefly had a great first season with so much potential for more, it's a real shame it was cut short.

 

[Draconalis]

Update: Lego has chosen to decline the Serenity playset with the following explanation:


LEGO produces toys for children. Therefore all LEGO products, regardless of age target, must be content-appropriate for this core audience. With this in mind we have decided that as cool as the Serenity model is, the Firefly TV show and Serenity film contain content that is not appropriate for our core target audience of children ages 6-11. While we know this news will disappoint those who supported the project, we will not be producing this as a LEGO product.

Firefly is out of the question, but Star Wars isn't?

Star Wars features several limbs being graphically removed, blatant murder and an incestuous relationship, among other things, and that's okay for ages 6-11?

I call bullshit.

 

[Nimzabaat]

Update: http://legocuusoo.posterous.com/brand-standards-what-makes-an-appropriate-leg

"Understand that we will not produce products that are related to these topics:

Politics and political symbols
Religious references including symbols, buildings, or people
Sex, drugs, or smoking
Alcohol in any present day situation
Swearing
Death, killing, blood, terrorism, or torture
First-person shooter video games
Warfare or war vehicles in any situation post-WWII to present
Racism, bullying, or cruelty to real life animals"

So... How's that star wars brand looking. I'll bet it does not have ANY of those things right...?

Aside from the slicing hands off, slicing people in half, shooting people, having several sexual themes and so on that is...

The so on being; openly promoting terrorism, incest, creating a new religion, Nazi themed uniforms...

 

[meatshield]

So HALO lego sets are okay, and firefly is not.

 

[maninahat]

Oh for goodness sake, its quite simple. Firefly is clearly not marketed at children, and has a limited audience beyond its cult status. It simply would not sell anywhere near as well as lego based on family blockbuster movies like Indiana Jones or Lord of the Rings. So sure, you can find plenty of child unfriendly stuff in Star Wars or even Harry Potter, but they are films that are still watched by millions of kids and has a very broad appeal. Firefly, with its complex adult themes, lack of simplistic story, and limited audience, is far less child friendly and far less economically viable. It isn't just about plucking out hearts.

 

[DaRigger420]

EDIT: Oh, yeah, forgot that a central concepts in the Firefly/Serenity Universe is a cannibalistic race of savages and a despotic central government. Probably not family friendly...

Yeah, like Lego hasn't used a despotic central govenrment in a game before. Ever hear of a franchise called Star Wars? Maybe they haven't used a group that disembowls and consumes people.... no, wait, isnt that what the Thugiee Cult in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom did to their victems?

Face it, they just dont want to go through a battle with the copyright holder and can't wrap their heads around the fact that, while a "children's toy" company, ADULTS do most of the buying of their products.

Browncoats have done the impossible before, we can do so again.

Lego, make the effort and bring this line of products into being!

 

[Draconalis]

Oh for goodness sake, its quite simple. Firefly is clearly not marketed at children, and has a limited audience beyond its cult status. It simply would not sell anywhere near as well as lego based on family blockbuster movies like Indiana Jones or Lord of the Rings. So sure, you can find plenty of child unfriendly stuff in Star Wars or even Harry Potter, but they are films that are still watched by millions of kids and has a very broad appeal. Firefly, with its complex adult themes, lack of simplistic story, and limited audience, is far less child friendly and far less economically viable. It isn't just about plucking out hearts.

I understand this completely. I just don't like when they use bullshit reasons.

If it's about the money, say it's about the money. Don't pussy foot around the issue.

 

[maninahat]

Oh for goodness sake, its quite simple. Firefly is clearly not marketed at children, and has a limited audience beyond its cult status. It simply would not sell anywhere near as well as lego based on family blockbuster movies like Indiana Jones or Lord of the Rings. So sure, you can find plenty of child unfriendly stuff in Star Wars or even Harry Potter, but they are films that are still watched by millions of kids and has a very broad appeal. Firefly, with its complex adult themes, lack of simplistic story, and limited audience, is far less child friendly and far less economically viable. It isn't just about plucking out hearts.

I understand this completely. I just don't like when they use bullshit reasons.

If it's about the money, say it's about the money. Don't pussy foot around the issue.

When it comes to business decisions, its always about the money. That goes without saying. All I'm saying that their "child friendly" excuses make sense in regard to the business model they've got going. If children aren't likely to buy their stuff, they can't afford to sell it to a wide market. That's why they only take on stuff with a well established, broad appeal to lots of children.

 

[Space Jawa]

So HALO lego sets are okay, and firefly is not.

To re-iterrate:

I thought that was MEGA-BLOCKS?

Yeah, Mega-Blocks sounds about right. I knew it wasn't Lego, I just wasn't sure what Lego substitute it was instead. I recognize it's an easy mistake to make, what with Mega-Blocks essentially being Legos with a different logo, but please, people, stop with the 'Halo Lego' argument because it's an argument made off of incorrect information. I wouldn't doubt that Lego would nix the idea of Halo Legos too, if it came to it.

And having seen the other films that people are complaining about and then looking over the list of questionable content in Firefly, I'm not having a hard time understanding why Lego wouldn't get behind a Lego set set in one while making them for the other.

 

[Trishbot]

I'm waiting for Lego Kombat myself.

 

[targren]

This coming from the same company that green-lit Star Wars (multiple decapitations and dismemberment), Batman (rape and murder abounds), etc. Bogus excuse.

Fox probably wanted too much for licensing, and it's easier for them to play the "protect teh children!!11!" card than to admit they're too cheap.

 

[Chiyo18]

people who love something will always want more of it. Firefly was a fantastic series, despite fox completely screwing it over, what with airing only 11 out of 14 episodes, and out of order.

any show that has great characters, settings, plots, atmosphere will always have people supporting it, regardless of how much time passes from the time it's cancelled.

just look at Magnum P.I.. ABC had already planned on canceling the series, but a HUGE amount of support from fans, and a lot of angry letters, got the show back on the air for one last season.

 

[RoBi3.0]

Surprise surprise Lego said No....

LEGO produces toys for children. Therefore all LEGO products, regardless of age target, must be content-appropriate for this core audience. With this in mind we have decided that as cool as the Serenity model is, the Firefly TV show and Serenity film contain content that is not appropriate for our core target audience of children ages 6-11. While we know this news will disappoint those who supported the project, we will not be producing this as a LEGO product.

Clearly these people did not watch Star Wars. Or Pirates of the Caribbean. Or Batman. Or the Indiana Jones movies. Or Lord of the Rings.

Or Halo a video that can't even be purchased by kids between 6-11 years old. I get why Lego wouldn't want to produce a set based on Firefly for "profit" reasons, but for fucks sake say that don't go. Derp! doesn't fit our goal for 6-11 year old targeted toys, cause they apparently only follow that rule when there is no money to be made.

Edit: apparently Maga blocks does the Halo sets, that is what I get for Zerging to the end of a thread.

I wonder if Mega Blocks wants to make a little bit of cash?

 

[XDravond]

Heh what so bad about having a small infestation of murderous zombie like savages, whoring and wild west murdering combined with the "core audience of 6-11"?
I believe they just didn't want to get involved in the IP talks that is Firefly...

Politics and political symbols: Star wars LotR and I have and old fort with American civil war theme...
Religious references including symbols, buildings, or people: Star wars, LotR, Indiana J
Sex, drugs, or smoking: SW, Batman
Alcohol in any present day situation: I'm sure there's some drinking in IJ and Batman, and definitely in Pirates of Caribbean
Swearing: Seen latest trailer for batman, looks awesome...
Death, killing, blood, terrorism, or torture: What part did "the dark knight" miss here? Also Ninjago and their "super hero" line..
First-person shooter video games: so third person is Ok? also Halo, Batman, IJ, SW, PoC
Warfare or war vehicles in any situation post-WWII to present: Ehm Batman, SW, Halo... an how come pre WWII is fine? I'm sure dying from a knife is about as fun as from an A-bomb...
Racism, bullying, or cruelty to real life animals: Have they even looked at their current stuff on sale? Made a quick check and started laughing. They have fracking Hippies and rock star figures on sale! sex drugs and rockn'roll..?



And Lego is so far from being "only" a toy for young kids, it's more of a addiction that grows on "older" kids.... ;-)

TLR Lego is unsurprisingly full of Sh!t...