The 2016 Lego catalog is out, and with it come some surprise reveals for upcoming sets based in the Marvel universe. Just like the 2015 catalog revealing a bit about Avengers: Age of Ultron, Lego‘s latest teasers show a great deal of what to expect from the upcoming cinematic adventure, Captain America: Civil War. These sets are not to be confused with the other recently announced Marvel Super Hero sets, which included the first ever Captain Marvel and Thanos mini figures, though those are also due out in early 2016 and do make an appearance in the catalog. While there have been countless Lego sets based on the Marvel movies (and countless others) that haven’t panned out with an exact 1:1 representation to the movie, the Avengers: Age of Ultron sets were fairly spot on. That’s what makes these new Civil War sets so interesting. Each shares at least a little bit in common with some of the teasers and trailers we’ve seen so far, though there are still some surprises that should make Marvel fans excited if they do work out.
With that in mind, consider that these toy sets might have some spoiler elements. If you do not want anything from Captain America: Civil War spoiled, avert your eyes starting… now. Did you look away? This is your last chance, kids. First, we have two of the smaller sets, Crossbones’ Hazard Heist and Black Panther Pursuit. Neither has a piece count available but given that the Black Panther Pursuit has two vehicles, it’s easy to see that will likely be the mid-range set for Civil War, with Crossbones’ Heist being the cheapest option. Black Widow appears here with her now signature cycle and her shorter haircut, which is curious given that she’s got longer hair in the film. Falcon’s also here showing off his new duds in the battle against Crossbones. It’s a little hard to tell what that little thing flying next to Falcon is, but given that we know Crossbones is in the film, this sequence does make some sense. If we’re borrowing from the Age of Ultron line for inspiration, it’s possible the fight against Crossbones is what will open Civil War, much like the raid against HYDRA’s base in AOU.
Now, Black Panther Pursuit is an interesting set because again, it’s another Marvel Super Heroes kit with a jet and a motorcycle. These folks love their jets. Though there’s been no indication a chase of this sort would happen in the upcoming film, we have seen Bucky riding off through some crowded streets on a motorcycle with some folks in pursuit. Will Civil War rip AOU off that completely with the jet/motorcycle chase? Black Panther getting his first figure and a vehicle to boot is a nice way to introduce him to the Lego universe though. I’m a bit disappointed Captain America’s figure is the same one from the Age of Ultron sets. He’s clearly got a new uniform in Civil War, and just leaving the figure the same is kind of a cheap out considering how many other things Lego reuses elsewhere. Now, the Super Hero Airport Battle is the set that bears the most promise. Not only do we get the first Agent 13 figure, but we also get two Ant-Man figures. There’s a microfigure of Ant-Man to show off his shrunken state, and there’s an over-sized one to show him in his super-sized state.
Given that this figure is clearly at least 2-3 times the size of a standard figure, that means we might very well see Ant-Man take a step towards his Giant Man persona in Civil War. That’s a fairly big deal, given that he only just learned how to use his powers/suit correctly by the end of Ant-Man, and showcasing new powers like this would make him a much more formidable foe for the pro-registration crowd. Plus, that’s a cool figure. The big Avengers jet returns from the AOU Quinjet City Chase set, albeit with some slight modifications to the exterior. War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Captain America, Iron Man and Bucky round out the set, which makes for an impressive offering given how minimalist it actually is. The little luggage cart from the airport and the one security tower add some nice diorama stylings, but the stars here are truly Ant-Man and the quinjet. Additionally, the Lego catalog shows off a new line called the Might Micros, which pits a hero and a villain against one another in small, easy-to-assemble vehicles.
Though not tied directly to Civil War in any capacity, these little sets should make nice additions to your desk. You’ll be able to get a Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin, Hulk vs. Ultron or Captain America vs. Red Skull set, each with its own set of fun accessories, too. Spidey gets a camera, Hulk’s car gets Hulk Hands, and the Red Skull rocks the Cosmic Cube. Simple and efficient, and a nice way to grow the cast of Marvel characters in Lego form without having to break the bank on a big set. No release dates for any of these sets have been announced as of yet, but we should learn more at Toy Fair in February.Coffee, Tea and a Script: 18 L.A. Hotspots for Hollywood Writers Phil Lord's Italian cafe, Damon Lindelof's late-night hangout, an 'Empire' scribe's "magical Starbucks": "You feel a little less likely to screw around on Facebook when Chris Weitz is a few chairs away." Carlito Rodriguez, writer-producer for Fox's Empire, credits his career break to a place he dubs "magical Starbucks."
When Rodriguez moved from New York in 2010, he searched for an outpost of the chain in Burbank. "The constant buzz of coffee shops tricks me into thinking I'm not pushing the boulder up the mountain by myself," says Rodriguez, who spotted Damon Lindelof in line the day after reading THR's 2013 cover profile on the Lost co-creator. "Before I could talk myself out of it, I tapped him on the shoulder, like, 'Hey, man.'" Rodriguez later was named a Humanitas New Voices for Drama winner, upon which Lindelof suggested a meeting at his office on the Warner Bros. lot, where the then-new writer was offered a job on the first season of HBO's The Leftovers. "Boom: magical Starbucks," he says. Rodriguez now works at home when not in the writers room, but as traditional studio deals that include lot offices are down overall, more Hollywood scribes than ever before are tapping away in coffee shops, at Soho House and at shared workspaces, from Santa Monica's theOffice to multiple WeWork spots to Hollywood's NeueHouse.
"For people who are staffing on cable or streaming shows, there's a good part of the year where they're not reporting to the room," says WME agent Jordan Cerf. "Writers can be creatures of habit. Even if it's not that designated studio office, they still have their favorite spots." Producer and writer Phil Lord (the Lego franchise) gets down to business at the hangout inspired by Italy's cafe culture. "The espresso shots are so little that I get to have a coffee break every 45 minutes," he says of the growing microchain. 925 Montana Ave., Santa Monica With 26 work stations and complimentary tea, coffee, Bose headphones and Wi-Fi, this workspace is "cheaper than a solo office," says Michael Oates Palmer (The West Wing, Crossbones). He also likes the proximity to Brentwood Country Mart's Farmshop for breakfast. Past members include J.J. Abrams and Paul Feig. Says Palmer, "You feel a little less likely to screw around on Facebook when Chris Weitz is a few chairs away writing Rogue One."
256 26th St., Ste. 101, Santa Monica; membership fees vary (currently there's a wait list) "It's always crowded, often loud and they don't even have wall outlets — likely to discourage laptop-wielding miscreants like myself," says Ben Ketai, creator of Crackle drama series StartUp. "Nothing that a full charge and noise-canceling headphones can't fix." Ketai, who penned a draft of the Natalie Dormer-starring supernatural thriller The Forest here, is hooked on the organic coffee and pumpkin pie. 2327 Main St., Santa Monica Says Hidden Figures writer Allison Schroeder: "One of my guiltiest pleasures is the brownies. I love sitting on the lawn with my laptop, looking out at the view and eating those decadent chocolate treats." 1200 Getty Center Dr. Night owl Lindelof prefers this Brentwood Starbucks because it's open until 11 p.m. The Star Trek Into Darkness screenwriter gets the Protein Bistro Box (hard-boiled egg, apple, grapes, cheddar) "only to return to the counter and get four slices of pumpkin bread and a cake pop."
Lindelof recalls a night when he was writing a scene in which someone is playing "name that tune" to A-ha's "Take On Me," and moments later, the song began playing in the cafe. "I was convinced I was being hacked," he jokes. 11707 San Vicente Blvd. "It's eclectic, low-key and you [can] stay there as long as you want," says Eileen Heisler, co-creator of ABC's The Middle. "My partner and I wrote the first script we ever sold here, which was [for] Doogie Howser, M.D." Heisler recommends the roasted-on-site coffee ("it's delicious"), the muffins and any of the egg dishes. 552 Washington Blvd., Marina Del Rey "In good weather, I roll out to this Venice motorcycle emporium with a strange, wonderful coffee shop hidden behind it," says Doctor Strange and Passengers screenwriter Jon Spaihts. "Good bites, great coffee and a willfully interesting crowd of people." 2318 Lincoln Blvd., Venice "It definitely feels like a Portlandia sketch," says MTV's Sweet/Vicious creator Jennifer Robinson of the members-only club.
There are drawbacks: "Just when I break through on a story, I'll inevitably find myself in conversation with a friend I haven't seen in months." The upside: running into pal screenwriters like Allan Loeb, who read her pilot. "He came back with a second twist for the ending, which is now one of my favorite moments in the series." 9200 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood "Though it could use a makeover, and I wish some of my fellow writers would leave their shoes on," says screenwriter Joe Ballarini, "there's an energy here unlike any coffee shop." When he needs to take a break from penning the film adaptation of the Imagine Agents comic, Ballarini turns to the 25,000-plus scripts housed in the archives. "It encourages me to stop waiting for the muse to gently alight upon my shoulder." 7000 W. Third St. Says Jon Robin Baitz, currently a producer on FX's American Crime Story: "I [co-wrote] most of the Brothers & Sisters pilot and interviewed all the writers we hired there. It's a safe, disarming place."
Baitz recommends Loteria's tacos and gooseberry pie from Du-par's. 6333 W. Third St. Adam Nussdorf, creator of Freeform breakout Beyond, credits Americanos at this cafe on the museum grounds of LACMA for helping him write his pilot. "It's a nice oasis and a great way to escape the commotion of the city." LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. When in town, New York-based Danny Strong makes a beeline here. "It's big, open and comfortable, and they sell water in a box," says Strong, who wrote episodes of Empire (which he co-created with Lee Daniels) and his upcoming J.D. Salinger biopic Rebel in the Rye at the cafe that sells Intelligentsia coffee and LAMILL teas. "They also have a deal with a nearby Vietnamese restaurant, so I can order pho." 180 S. La Brea Ave. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice scribe David Goyer calls this Larchmont spot his "sometimes hang. They serve proper flat whites — refreshingly unpretentious." Writer-producer Ned Martel of FX's American Horror Story: Roanoke has been frequenting this hipster haven since early 2013, "before the line snaked around the corner," for the outdoor seating. "
I would sit with a Sharpie, a hard copy of a draft, a turmeric tonic and maybe a horchata latte." But "these days, you'll feel greedy occupying a cafe table for too long. If I get 10 pages into a script, I feel that food-court glare from Swedish parents, Harajuku fashionistas and hungover rockers." 720 N. Virgil Ave. "This place has a great little patio where I can write outdoors," says ABC's Once Upon a Time executive producer Andrew Chambliss. He has drawn inspiration from patrons, too. "There were characters in the season nine comic book of Buffy the Vampire Slayer inspired by people I'd spy at other tables." AMC showrunner Christopher Rogers of Halt and Catch Fire started hanging out at Echo Park's The Semi-Tropic after a friend became a bartender. Rogers orders Americanos and, on occasion, day beers. "I love that it's also a bar, but the place is professionally soundproofed like a recording studio, so conversations and music don't overwhelm." Note: There's a policy of no laptops after dark.