Product Idea |

The Winchester - Shaun of the Dead

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Results of the LEGO Review for the Winchester – Shaun of the Dead

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The LEGO Jury has completed the review of the Winchester - Shaun of the Dead project that hit 10,000 supporters on LEGO CUUSOO on March 31, 2012. 

LEGO CUUSOO gives the opportunity to submit product ideas, however 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.

Long before the Winchester received mainstream media attention, Greg (Yatkuu) contacted us in earnest to see if his project was acceptable. We recognized the potential conflict, but didn’t see a reason to remove the project. The model was presented tastefully and we thought it deserved fair consideration. With 10,000 supporters, the Winchester earned the opportunity to receive the full LEGO Review.

Greg has been a pleasure to work with throughout this process. We’re impressed by his model, grateful for his constructive approach with us, and we are sad to disappoint such a devoted LEGO fan.

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Opening ourselves to new product suggestions invites popular ideas that don’t always fit our brand. This is the first time we’ve felt that we should turn a LEGO CUUSOO idea down, but we’re grateful for the spirit behind projects like the Winchester and for the opportunity to be challenged. It keeps us sharp and looking toward the future of the LEGO brick.
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We appreciate the passion exhibited for new product ideas on LEGO CUUSOO. 

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Congrats on 10,000 Supporters, yatkuu!

Wow! Congratulations on a great run to 10,000 supporters this week, fueled by actor Simon Pegg's mentions on Conan and Twitter! We admire your passion and enthusiasm for the film Shaun of the Dead, and your desire to see a LEGO set of the Winchester.

In our previous message, we noted that due to the themes behind Shaun of the Dead, there would need to be some significant internal discussion for us to agree to produce this as a product. Please understand that this discussion has yet to take place, and while we appreciate your work and celebrate this big success with you, we are not guaranteeing production.

But for now, we celebrate. So without further adieu, we congratulate you on achieving 10,000 supporters and officially advance this project to the Review phase.

How's that for a slice of fried gold?

What happens now?

This project moves from the Idea stage to the Review stage. A "LEGO Jury" composed of designers, product managers, and other key team members will examine the idea. We'll build concept models and determine if the concept meets our high standards for what it takes to be a LEGO product, including playability, safety, and fit with the LEGO brand.

Every LEGO product goes through a process like this and must meet the same standards.

The review is a thorough process that will take several weeks. When finished, we make a "go/no go" decision to develop and sell the Winchester. We will inform you of our decision, and if green-lighted, this project goes into the longest phase of the project; the Development phase. During this time, LEGO model designers refine the product and develop it for release, we create the product materials (box, instructions, marketing), and get everything ready for a production run. This takes several months.

We will post followup information here and announce our final decision in the LEGO.com press room.


Congratulatory message from LEGO for +500 votes

Congratulations on all of the supporters! Your model is very well done, and you've presented the project in a fun and engaging way all around.

Since Shaun of the Dead is a comedy, and you present your work in a humorous fashion, we believe this is within the realm of the LEGO company brand standards on violence. Note that the zombie theme does put this project at the edge of what we produce, however we recognize that the LEGO Group produces other products where themese of violence and death play a significant role.

Please understand that this initial green light does not have an effect on the LEGO Review that will take place if the project reaches 10,000 supporters. The nature of the work would require some significant internal discussion before we make the decision to produce such a set.

In the mean time, we wish you the best of luck on your journey to 10,000 supporters!

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