With Doctor Who back on our TV screens, we take a closer look at the character’s involvement with LEGO and the major brand developments that are on the cards for the BBC Worldwide property.
LEGO Ideas is a pretty smart website. For one, it gives LEGO fans the chance to design the sets that they want to see and play with. Even better, if your idea gathers enough support from fellow fans, it could be in with a chance of actually becoming real.
Andrew Clark is one such lucky fan – he received the 10,000 votes required for his Doctor Who concept for LEGO to consider it for production. Now, a dedicated set is being lined up for a global launch on December 1.
“We know demand will be high as the Doctor Who fans have been so enthusiastic about the launch – this set will sell out and very quickly,” says Jason Easy, senior licensing manager at BBC Worldwide. “The set launches on December 1st with an initial limited number to sell through. However, more will be manufactured and delivered during Q1 2016.”
Retailer orders apparently out way the total number of sets being manufactured this side of Christmas, while a major PR campaign kicks off at the DW Festival in November, no doubt increasing demand even further.
Jason continues: “We’re very excited about the partnership and are hopeful that the first release will be the springboard for future sets.”
On top of this, The Doctor will also be a key character in LEGO Dimensions – the firm’s first venture into the ‘toys to life’ category, created by TT Games.
Mark Warburton, producer at TT Games, explains: “By utilising the latest technology (allowing us to have seven characters and/or vehicles at any time), amazing brands – Doctor Who, The Simpsons, DC Comics, Ghostbusters, Chima, Ninjago, The Lord of the Rings, Back to the Future, Jurassic World, Wizard of Oz, Portal, Scooby-Doo, Midway and The LEGO Movie – and ten years of TT Games LEGO experience, we have put together something that we hope will appeal to fans of all ages.
“The Doctor is one of the key characters in the whole game. When we decided that we wanted to do this huge mash up game (a long time and many grey hairs ago), it made sense that we include a character that most of us Brits have grown up with.
“So, as you play the game the Doctor will pop up to help you out, but if you also pick up the Doctor Who level pack, you can play as the great man/Gallifreyan himself.”
Mark continues: “You will be able to drop him into any level at any time and also play a brand new Doctor Who level and Adventure World. These areas are packed with nods to the whole history of the character from across all the series. And, of course, the Doctor needs his trusty TARDIS. You can use it to fly around the levels, travel in time or just hang out inside and see how it looks when filtered through a lens of LEGO.”
BBC Worldwide has had mixed success in the video games space over the years, so the involvement of Doctor Who in LEGO Dimensions sets a new benchmark.
“True, we’ve had some mixed success, however we have had some strong performers over the years with the Top Gear Stunt School franchise and our partnership with Forza Motorsport and Doctor Who Legacy,” comments Rikesh Desai, digital entertainment and games director at BBC Worldwide. “All our games releases provide us with insight, an understanding of what our fans expect and how the market evolves so quickly. With this is mind, it’s important we identify suitable partners that have a track record of delivering quality and are as passionate about our brands as we are.
“This is evident from our recent announcement with Warner Bros. and LEGO for LEGO Dimensions. For me, this sets the benchmark for future releases in terms of ambition in the way we bring content to our fans and how we continue to deliver innovation.”
The involvement of LEGO is adding yet another layer to the Doctor Who brand as a whole, and you can understand why there is such a high level of excitement surrounding the project from all quarters.
“We’re incredibly excited about both LEGO Dimensions and the LEGO set – the partnerships are a really strong addition to the Doctor Who brand,” enthuses Kirsty Mullan, head of Doctor Who brand at BBC Worldwide. “We’re really proud that both brands’ values align so closely – to drive creativity in children, of all ages.
“The fact that the set was inspired by a fan’s design really speaks to how core imagination is essential to both LEGO and Doctor Who. We’ve really enjoyed working with LEGO and Warner Bros. and hope that everyone loves what we’re bringing to the market.”
The last word though, has to go to the Time Lord himself, the Twelfth Doctor, Peter Capaldi: “I think it’s absolutely fantastic that Doctor Who sits alongside some of the most iconic film and TV shows ever made. It’s the only game where every family member will have their favourite characters – but Who knows, you may discover a new one.”
