Dear LEGO,
About every six seconds someone somewhere posts "Hey, LEGO should make a theme out of xx" where xx=the latest video game, movie, book, TV show, whatever. Please don't. If you simply must make licensed themes, please keep in mind a few key principles:
1. A licensed theme should tap into a proven long term product, so it's not just a flash in the pan that will be on the clearance shelves in six months.
2. A licensed theme should be broad in scope - not just limited to a particular movie, but rather into a whole universe surrounding that theme. That way you won't run out of set designs after a year.
3. A licensed theme should appeal to both kids and adults. Bonus if there is already an established collector/geek community among adults.
4. A licensed theme should provide something that a non-licensed theme does not. Ideally this should be more than just minifigs.
5. A licensed theme should have a variety of build possibilities - ideally both vehicles and locations.
I think we could assume that Star Wars has been the most successful license for LEGO, as it has been extended a couple of times beyond the original. Note how all of the criteria above easily fit the SW universe. OTOH, some themes that held such promise have fizzled, in part because they didn't fit all of these. For instance, the Spider-Man theme was too closely tied to the first two movies, and didn't have the opportunity to expand into the rich universe surrounding Spidey (see, for instance, the possibilities in these MOCs by Nelson). Hopefully the Batman theme learns from this error, since it seems to cover all things Batty. Harry Potter was the biggest thing in the universe for several years, but after book seven came out it seems to have waned in interest, and the LEGO theme has certainly petered out. Spongebob has minimal adult appeal, and has only been around for a few years. I don't know what Indiana Jones really gives us that Johnny Thunder did not. Once everyone has an official Indy fig, I don't know what compels further sales (unless they really run with the military aspects - certainly the Race for the Stolen Treasure is the best designed set of the theme and excited all of those looking for WWII stuff - there are several other things that would make great sets like the tank and the flying wing).
Please consider the criteria above when judging any future proposed licenses. Does Halo appeal to both kids and adults? Nope. Does the Golden Compass have proven long-term appeal? Nope. Does Pirates of the Caribbean give us anything that a rebirth of the non-licensed Pirates theme could do just as well? Not really. Etc. I would like to see Batman expanded into more of the DC universe (or would have liked to have seen the Spidey theme expanded into the larger Marvel universe). I suppose an argument could have been made for either Lord of the Rings or Narnia, but the boat has sailed on the possibilities there - plus neither of these really gives us anything you can't get from a fantasy tinged non-licensed castle theme (i.e. what we have now). I suppose James Bond is a possibility, but Alpha Team and now the Agents theme really accomplish the same thing. I can think of very few other things out there that would really fit into what I've described.
Bruce