Eight LEGO minifigures to look out for in August 2023

August 1 isn’t just a big day for new LEGO sets: it’s also a great opportunity to add new and interesting minifigures to your collection. Here are eight to look out for next week…

Why should builders have all the fun? So asks the LEGO Group, which continues to pack its licensed sets with increasingly detailed and desirable characters for minifigure collectors. If you’re on the lookout for the latest and greatest tiny plastic people, there’ll be plenty to get your teeth into from August 1, when dozens of new sets arrive on shelves.

But it’s not only licensed sets that have things to offer this time round, because the LEGO Group’s latest homegrown theme is also packed with eclectic characters and fun new minifigure elements. Dive into our top picks from August’s new minifigures below.

8 – Joker

How many Jokers does it take to fill an asylum? Probably as many as you already own, if you’ve been collecting LEGO Batman sets for any considerable length of time. Unless you’ve been fortunate enough to get your hands on 76139 1989 Batmobile or 76161 1989 Batwing, though, you probably don’t have a Jack Nicholson Joker in that pack.

This summer’s LEGO DC range offers a much more accessible way to add director Tim Burton’s vision of the Clown Prince of Crim to your collection – or, more specifically, two ways. You’ll find the Dark Knight’s most iconic villain in both 76224 Batmobile: Batman vs. The Joker Chase and 76265 Batwing: Batman vs. The Joker, and you can take your pick between hair or hat (or just grab both).

7 – Izzie

LEGO DREAMZzz barrels on to store shelves in August with a wave of 10 new and original sets, and among them are plenty of zany and colourful characters worth adding to your collection. To prevent this list being entirely dominated by DREAMZzz, we’ve picked out just two, starting with Izzie.

One of the theme’s most plentiful characters – she pops up in multiple sets – Izzie boasts a colourful costume, shoulder armour and a fun face print, but it’s her hair and sword that have earned her a spot on this list. Her two-tone blue and purple hairpiece is awesome, while her weapon is the fantasy genre encapsulated. You'll find her cheapest in 71453 Izzie and Bunchu the Bunny.

6 – Luke Skywalker

Another character most of us already have in spades, Luke Skywalker is maybe not a name you’ll have expected to see on a list of must-have minifigures. But just like Joker’s Jack Nicholson variant, this particular version of Luke Skywalker is rare enough to make it worth your time. 75365 Yavin IV Rebel Base includes the Jedi in his iconic yellow jacket from the closing scenes of A New Hope, which is an outfit we’ve only seen once before in LEGO.

The difference here is that his ‘I blew up a Death Star’ medal is a physical piece rather than printed on to his torso, so you can remove it for more display options. It’s also a more accurate shade of yellow, and uses his modern head and hair elements, making for one of the best Luke Skywalker minifigures to date. Even if it is yet another Luke… 

5 – Tails

A full wave of Sonic the Hedgehog sets is racing on to shelves in August, and while the blue blur is obviously the star of the show, he’s also a character we’ve seen a couple of times before as a minifigure (first in LEGO Dimensions, and then in 21331 Sonic the Hedgehog – Green Hill Zone). More interesting for video game fans will be the side characters introduced for the first time, including Tails.

Included in both 76991 Tails' Workshop and Tornado Plane and 76992 Amy's Animal Rescue Island, Miles ‘Tails’ Prower has translated almost perfectly into minifigure form at the first time of asking, complete with his twin tails. He follows the design language established by Sonic with his simplified graphics and large moulded head, and – along with Amy – is one Sonic fans will be happy to jump through hoops (read: buy a LEGO set) to acquire.

4 – The Nightmare King

Another LEGO DREAMZzz character that exemplifies the creativity and artistry across the entire range, the Nightmare King is available in both 71457 Pegasus Flying Horse and the theme’s flagship set, 71469 Nightmare Shark Ship. From his detailed head, torso and legs to his intimidating hairpiece and crown element, everything about the theme’s big bad adds up to a minifigure that’s not afraid to push the LEGO envelope.

But his greatest features are arguably that tattered plastic cape flowing behind him, which cleverly incorporates a series of haunting silhouettes, and another fantastic LEGO sword. We haven’t seen a LEGO baddie this inventive in years – NINJAGO, take note.

3 – Boba Fett

If you aren’t lucky enough to count either 75060 Slave I or 75222 Betrayal at Cloud City in your collection, you’ll have missed out on both of the most sought-after LEGO Boba Fett minifigures. Those variants both incorporate incredible detail from head to toe, including unique printed arms – and their value has subsequently skyrocketed on the aftermarket.

The good news is that an accessible alternative is about to hit shelves in August in 75369 Boba Fett Mech, which includes a brand new original trilogy Boba Fett minifigure with printed arms. He doesn’t boast the same cape as those rarer variants, but you can’t argue with the level of detail in a set that will retail for just £12.99 / $14.99 / €15.99.

2 – Spider-Man

This entry might be better titled ‘Spider-Men’, because there are actually two different hotly-anticipated Spider-Man minifigures arriving on August 1. Thankfully, you can grab them both in the one set, 76261 Spider-Man Final Battle, which recreates the climactic scenes atop the Statue of Liberty from Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The Spideys in question are Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s web-slingers (although you do get Tom Holland’s in the box too). The former suit hasn’t been on shelves since the early ‘00s, while this is the first widely-available The Amazing Spider-Man suit (following the incredibly expensive SDCC-exclusive minifigure).

1 – Bo-Katan Kryze

Every now and then, the LEGO Star Wars team pulls out all the stops for a minifigure beyond its hyper-detailed Ultimate Collector Series characters (C-3PO, Luke Skywalker and so on). This summer, that honour goes to Bo-Katan Kryze, who gets a Mandalorian makeover in 75361 Spider Tank. Her helmet and armour highlights are a more accurate medium azure, while her arm, leg and toe printing achieve just the right level of detail.

Bo-Katan also gets a brand new and dedicated hairpiece, which we’re sure will appear across other themes in the months and years to come, but for now is exclusive to 75361 Spider Tank. If you want the ultimate version of this character, that’s the set to buy come August 1.

Click here to check out six of the best sets launching next month, or head here for a complete rundown of everything debuting on August 1.

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