The Spider-Man inspired LEGO Daily Bugle is the toymaker’s tallest LEGO Marvel set to date

The LEGO Group has welcomed the tallest LEGO Marvel set to date to its collection with the launch of the LEGO Daily Bugle set, an intricate brick-version of the newspaper building made famous through Marvel’s Spider-Man.

The new build – one that weighs in at 3,772 pieces to stand at 82cm tall – comes complete with the demanding editor J. Jonah Jameson and the office of Peter Parker. The set is a replica of the Daily Bugle offices which first featured in The Amazing Spider-Man comic series 50 years ago.

The office block remains a much-loved setting throughout the web-slinger’s various adventures today as the recognised workplace of not only Parker and Jameson, but also Ben Ulrich, Robbie Robertson, and Betty Brant. The walls of the office block echo the some 50 year history of Spider-Man, while long-time franchise fans will recognise it as the birth place of the now iconic phrase, ‘Get me pictures of Spider-Man.’

The LEGO Daily Bugle is incredibly detailed both inside and out, with three floors, the front street and the back alley. The whole set is also modular, meaning fans can remove walls and floors to get to the action within.

Within the building there are several famous settings from the various universes, including the ground floor entrance that can be destroyed to look like an explosion has taken place and the newsroom on the first floor complete with the usual office furniture of desks and computers.

Moving up to the second floor, the villainous Green Goblin can be seen smashing a window to get to Peter Parker’s office where his camera lies waiting for the next story. The top floor also features both Betty Brant and J. Jonah Jameson’s offices.

The detail doesn’t stop with the building, as the set includes a cast of 25 minifigures, featuring Spidey himself alongside his most famous friends and foes, such as Gwen Stacy, Venom, Mysterio, and Doctor Octopus.

The set also features new exclusive minifigures including Daredevil and Blade.

Mark John Stafford, LEGO set designer, commented: “I was seven years old when I was given my first Spider-Man comic and I have always had an image of creating a LEGO model of the Daily Bugle and having Spidey and his Amazing Friends in conflict with his various enemies.

“One of my favourite elements is the Green Goblin flying inside the building through the window. Being able to design a moment of frozen action like this in a LEGO set has always been a dream and I finally got to make it happen.”

The impressive building is a true challenge for LEGO builders and Spider-Man fans alike thanks to its large scale and intricacies. Whether it’s part of a wider collection or a standalone piece it’s a set worthy of display.

 LEGO Daily Bugle set is available for €299,99 / £274,99 / $299,99 from LEGO Stores and LEGO.com from 26th May for LEGO VIP members and 1st June, 2021 for all.

Disney content and licensing hit hard by Covid-19 but consumer products offer glimmer of hope

Content sales and licensing revenues at the Walt Disney Company have suffered big losses at the hands of the pandemic with dramatic decreases of 56 per cent and an operating income decrease of 78 per cent driven primarily by the closure of theatres, parks and experiences over the course of last year.

Lockdown restrictions and social distancing measures played a major role in significantly reduced theatrical distribution from the studio with many theatres across the globe either closed or operating at reduced capacity in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus.

As a result, Disney content sales, licensing and other revenues dropped by over half to $1.7 billion, while segment operating income decreased 76 per cent to $188 million.

Meanwhile, lower TV and SVOD distribution results were driven by the shift from Disney’s licensing of content to third parties to distribution via its own direct-to-consumer services like Disney+.

The studio has attributed the decrease in home entertainment results to lower unit sales, partially offset by lower marketing costs. The prior-year quarter reflected the performance of Toy Story 4, The Lion King and Aladdin compared to no significant titles in the current quarter.

The negative impact of Covid-19 continued to be felt across Disney’s Parks, Experience, and Products segment which saw Q1 2021 revenues plunge 53 per cent to £3.6 billion, with segment operating results dropping $2.6 billion to a loss of $119 million.

As a result of the pandemic, Disneyland Resort was closed and the company’s cruise business was suspended in the current quarter. Disneyland Paris closed on October 30, 2020 and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort closed on December 2, 2020. Walt Disney World Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort were open in the current quarter, but were operating at significantly reduced capacities.

Disney’s consumer products business has however offered the firm a glimmer of light, with operating income growth driven by an increase in games licensing revenue, reflected in the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

‘The most significant impact on operating income in the current quarter from COVID-19 was an estimated detriment of approximately $2.6 billion at the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment due to revenue lost as a result of the closures and reduced operating capacities,’ explained Disney in its Q1 2021 financial  statement.

‘The impacts of Covid-19 on our Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution segment were less significant. Lower revenues due to the deferral or cancellation of significant film releases as a result of theater closures were largely offset by the related reduction in film cost amortization, marketing and distribution costs.’

Bob Chapek, chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company, said: “We believe the strategic actions we’re taking to transform our Company will fuel our growth and enhance shareholder value, as demonstrated by the incredible strides we’ve made in our DTC business, reaching more than 146 million total paid subscriptions across our streaming services at the end of the quarter.

“We’re confident that, with our robust pipeline of exceptional, high-quality content and the upcoming launch of our new Star-branded international general entertainment offering, we are well-positioned to achieve even greater success going forward.”