Five retro LEGO themes that fans want to see rebuilt

It’s not unheard of for the LEGO Group to return to popular classic sets and themes after years or even decades away, so here are some themes that deserve another slot in the spotlight.

With sets like 10320 Eldorado Fortress marking a return to LEGO Pirates this year and 10497 Galaxy Explorer and 10315 Lion Knights’ Castle being released in 2022 for the LEGO Group’s 90th anniversary, the LEGO Group is no stranger to a remake. Indeed, we’re already hearing whispers about LEGO Harry Potter sets getting remade in 2024, thanks brickmerge.de.

With that in mind, we asked our readers what themes they’d like to see remade with modern elements and techniques. Brick Fanatics readers had plenty of ideas for sets (seriously, so many that we needed two articles), but here are the ideas you had for entire themes that deserve to be revisited.

5 – LEGO Space

This entry shouldn’t be a surprise. With virtually every LEGO collector keen to get their hands on every colour from the satisfyingly neat collection of rainbow LEGO Classic astronauts, of course Brick Fanatics readers were also keen to see the return of a dedicated LEGO Space theme. As one of the original three LEGO themes (Space, Castle, and Town, it carries a lot of nostalgia for many long-term LEGO fans.

While fans of LEGO Space can have that itch partially scratched by the recent wave of LEGO City sets set in space, like 60349 Lunar Space Station, or even the collaboration between the LEGO Group and NASA itself, as in sets like 10283 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery, it’s not quite the same as having a dedicated theme all about the outer atmosphere. After all, the vast majority of LEGO City space-themed sets are retiring at the end of this year anyway, so unless you manage to pick some up before they go, perhaps in LEGO Black Friday deals for 2023, their absence could leave a gap that needs to be filled.

4 – LEGO Fright Knights

An off-shoot of LEGO Fantasy, LEGO Fright Knights took everything people loved about brick-built castles and added a darker, almost gothic edge. We’re talking dragons, red-and-black castles, crystal balls, and witchy minifigures to showdown against your soldiers. Take a look at one of the largest sets from the theme, 6097 Night Lord’s Castle as pictured above, and the spooky, colourful vibe of the theme is immediately clear.

The last LEGO Fright Knights set was released in 1998, exactly 25 years ago. Sounds like the perfect time for an anniversary reboot, if you ask us…

3 – LEGO BIONICLE

We’ve had a taste of BIONICLE’s return, with the free 40581 BIONICLE Tahu and Takua gift-with-purchase from February 2023. However, this clearly wasn’t enough, with multiple Brick Fanatics readers still calling for the old theme’s return.

First introduced in 2001, LEGO BIONICLE was one of the first and arguably most successful theme to come with an overarching story. It paved the way for later Big Bang themes, like NINJAGO, Legends of Chima, and Nexo Knights, capturing the imaginations of builders not just in the buildable action figures themselves but also in a mini-series, various games, books, and so much more.

We have heard rumours that LEGO BIONICLE could be in line for a 2025 return, as well as a LEGO Ideas submission that (predictably) gained 10,000 supporters, but, as always, take those reports with a pinch of salt until we get official confirmation from the LEGO Group.

2 – LEGO Adventurers

With a special request for 5988 The Temple of Anubis, several Brick Fanatics readers were keen to see the return of Johnny Thunder and his Adventurers theme, travelling around the world in his various sub-themes of Egypt, Jungle, Dino Island, and Orient Expedition. Seeing as it’s rumoured that we’ve seen the last of LEGO Indiana Jones for a while, perhaps this is the perfect time for Johnny Thunder to step into the vacuum left behind.

1 – LEGO Power Miners

A more recent theme than some on this list, LEGO Power Miners concluded in 2010. Still, 13 years without these colourful construction-themed sets is too long. It left quite the impression despite being a short-lived theme of just one year, with the Power Miners delving deep into the Earth and eventually being forced to confront the Rock Monsters.

The LEGO Power Miners sets stand out with their vibrant vehicles and tools, many of which introduced new elements to the LEGO system, such as drills, special spiked wheels, Lava and Rock Monsters, and a new design for dynamite that looked more like a 3D shape, rather than the former 2×1 printed plate.

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