LEGO Puts Star Wars and Marvel in the Same Box for the First Time, and Lets Fans Build the Crossover

At New York Comic Con this weekend, the LEGO Group opened its first fan challenge that puts Star Wars and Marvel in the same build. Fans can head to LEGO Ideas and remix characters, vehicles, and scenes from both universes, then submit their designs for a public vote. Kevin Smith, the director and longtime Marvel Comics writer, helped unveil the challenge on a convention panel, which is about as close to an official blessing as a brick crossover gets.

The timeline moves slower than the hype suggests: voting does not open until December 15, and LEGO will not name its grand-prize picks until sometime in 2027, around the fiftieth anniversary of Star Wars. The challenge also sets up Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles, the first official crossover comic between the two Disney-owned universes, which launches in January. Fede Begher, LEGO's senior vice president and head of product group, called the challenge "a milestone for LEGO Ideas and our fan community," which is corporate speak for please keep building our merchandise roadmap for free.

It is a smart trade either way. LEGO gets a year of fan-made marketing content and a crowdsourced read on which ideas are worth producing, all before it spends a dollar on tooling. Fans get the thing they have wanted since Disney bought both franchises: permission, finally, to put a lightsaber in Iron Man's hand and call it official.

Source: PR Newswire

Kyle Duford, Founder & Editor, BRNDWIRE. More from Kyle →