Every week readers of the The Brothers Brick Telegram channel choose the Creation of the Week: one project that impressed all of us the most. Another vote is over, and you guys seem to like medieval builds a lot! Tomasz Bartoszek’s magnificent inn grabs the latest Creation of the Week award!
Meanwhile, the new vote is already on! Join our Telegram channel to follow all the best LEGO creations, latest news, and, of course, vote for your favorites. See you there!
LEGO Star Wars fans have enjoyed plenty of sets featuring major locations from movies and television shows, but there is one location which has never been featured in a playset, and that’s the rebel base on Yavin 4. With only 2 appearances in movies, Star Wars: A New Hope, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, this base set in an ancient Massassi temple surrounded by forests was the site of the first major victory against the Galactic Empire. Unfortunately, the set may disappoint some fans as it is clearly designed for a younger audience. LEGO Star Wars 75365: Yavin 4 Rebel Base includes 1,066 pieces and will be available on August 1st for US $169 | CAN $219 | UK £149
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Click to read the full review.
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the third week of June 2023.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS You don’t need to go back to 1982 for the top LEGO news, you just need to read up on our last Brick Report! This week we shared two new set reviews, a major set announcement, and the latest Creation of the Week!
When it comes to Disney’s theme parks, there’s nothing more iconic than the fairytale castle that sits at the center of each magical land. In 2016 LEGO released its biggest Disney set ever, 71040 Disney Castle, which portrayed Cinderella’s white and dark blue castle that sits at the heart of Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. But in 2020 Disney repainted the castle to celebrate the park’s 50th anniversary (or 70th anniversary of the release of Cinderella, depending on which Disney source you reference), updating the fairytale fixture with peach-colored walls, darker stonework, and more gold accents. LEGO retired the 2016 castle last year, but won’t leave Disney fans without a flagship set for long, as they’re now releasing a new version with an updated design and colors that match the real-world landmark. 43222 The Disney Castle has 4,837 pieces (about 750 more than the original) and eight minifigures. It will retail for US $399.99 | CAN $519.99 | UK £344.99 and will release globally on July 4th, 2023.
The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Let’s dive in and see how this updated castle fares compared to the original.
After its predecessor 71040 Cinderella Castle was retired only six months ago, LEGO has announced the new 43222 Disney Castle as a part of their line of Disney100 sets released this year. Debuting later this summer, the castle features four Disney princess minifigures and their corresponding love interests: Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, Tiana and Prince Naveen, Snow White and Prince Florian, and Cinderella and Prince Charming. The back of the model is chock full of references to Disney’s 100-year history, spread throughout its many rooms and towers. This is the largest classic Disney set yet, clocking in at 4,837 pieces, beating the last castle by almost 800 pieces. The set will be available for VIPs starting on July 1st, with open access at LEGO stores and at LEGO.com on July 4th. To sweeten the pot for early shoppers, there is a gift-with-purchase titled Disney 100 Years Celebration (not pictured) available with select LEGO Disney purchases from July 1st through 9th. 43222 Disney Castle will take you well over that limit, retailing for US $399.99 | CAN $519.99 | UK £344.99
Explore more of the Disney Castle below
The Pirates line was a seminal theme for LEGO, introducing hoards of new elements and many things we take for granted now, such as unique faces beyond the classic smiley head. One of the largest and most sought-after sets from the original theme was 6276 Eldorado Fortress, a colonial-style base of operations for the blue-coated Imperial Guards. 10320 Eldorado Fortress is a remake of that iconic set taking advantage of 34 years of advancement in parts and techniques since the original. LEGO has avoided straight re-releases in recent years (with some notable exceptions), opting instead to tribute classics for the company’s 90th anniversary in 2022, with 10497 Galaxy Explorer as a modern upgrade to the original set, while 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle pays homage to a whole generation of Castle. Although the anniversary has passed, I am excited that LEGO has continued that nostalgia trend, turning its eye now to my personal favorite theme, Pirates. With 2,509 pieces, the new Eldorado Fortress nearly quintuples the original set’s 506 parts, though thankfully the price increases by a lesser margin, as the original was $66 in 1989 (about $161 in today’s dollars). The new set will retail for US $214.99 | CAN $279.99 | UK £189.99 when it’s available starting July 4 for VIP members (general availability will follow on July 7).
The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Following massive hits of 10497 Galaxy Explorer and 10305 Lion Knights’ Castle, this summer LEGO revives yet another classic, spoiling fans with the new 10320 Eldorado Fortress set. A 2,509-piece diorama, fusing two iconic Pirates set together, will go on sale on July 4th (for LEGO VIP members) / July 7th for everyone else for US $214.99 | CAN $279.99 | UK £189.99.
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Today LEGO has finally revealed the next upcoming Ideas set will be 21341 Hocus Pocus. Last August LEGO revealed that Belgian Fan Designer Amber Veyt‘s Hocus Pocus – Sanderson Sisters’ Cottage submission would become an official set after reaching the requisite 10k votes to be considered in October 2021. The new set will feature the Sanderson Sister’s Cottage, which opens to show the museum and witches’ home inside. Six minifigures will be included: the three Sanderson Sisters, Max, Danni, and Allison, along with Thackery Binx as a black cat. The set will contain 2,316 pieces and is slated to be available for LEGO VIP members starting July 1, with general availability following on July 4. It will retail for US $229.99 | CAN $299.99 | UK £229.99.
Every week readers of the The Brothers Brick Telegram channel choose the Creation of the Week: one project that impressed all of us the most. Neither a Pokemon, nor a fancy Fabuland starfither could crush a charming lost temple by Jake Hansen and Eli Willsea during our last week’s vote! Congratulations!
Meanwhile, the new vote is already on! Join our Telegram channel to follow all the best LEGO creations, latest news, and, of course, vote for your favorites. See you there!
In addition to the amazing LEGO models created by builders all over the world, The Brothers Brick brings you the best LEGO news and reviews. This is our weekly Brick Report for the end of May 2023.
TBB NEWS AND REVIEWS This last week was a big week for DC, Marvel and Harry Potter, and a big week for fans of classic arcade games with reviews and news, and a classic LEGO icon gets sized up like Hank Pym’s tank keychain.
OTHER NEWS
LEGO has just launched the product page for a new lifesize version of the iconic shield carried by Captain America. 76262 Captain America’s Shield will go on sale August 1st for US $199.99 | CAN $259.99 | UK £179.99, although it’s available for pre-order starting today.
The set includes 3128 pieces and a Captain America minifig. The shield’s face appears to be made mostly from plates and wedges (Sadly, LEGO has not yet begun producing vibranium bricks). The video provided features a 360-degree spin and thus reveals that the backside of the model is a complex network of plates and Technic beams but alas the shield cannot be held or worn as part of a costume without some custom rigging.
More than the 2×4 brick, since their introduction, LEGO minifigures have always been the embodiment of the company. And in recent history, LEGO has realized there is a major fascination with, and demand for, giant replicas of the little characters that have made them famous. Come along as we meet the latest of these maxi-figs, the 654-piece LEGO Iconic 40649 Up-Scaled LEGO Minifigure. This set is available starting today, June 1st, and retails for US $49.99 | CAN $64.99 | UK £44.99.
The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.