LEGO Star Wars Jabba’s Palace rumoured for 2022

A brand new version of Jabba’s Palace may be on the cards for LEGO Star Wars in January, potentially as a tie-in to The Book of Boba Fett.

The Return of the Jedi location was teased in The Mandalorian’s post-credits scene that set up Boba’s spin-off series, which is slated to debut on Disney+ in December. Instagram user greekbricks now reports that the first LEGO version of Jabba’s Palace since 2012 could be part of the winter 2022 wave, alongside the already-rumoured Hoth sets.

The LEGO Group has stayed well away from the Hutt’s home since 9516 Jabba’s Palace courted controversy among a Turkish community in Austria, who felt that the set’s apparent resemblance to Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia mosque was ‘pure racism’.

In a statement to the Austrian Times (h/t Huff Post), the Turkish Cultural Community of Austria demanded an apology from the LEGO Group, claiming: “It is apparent that, for the figure of the repulsive bad guy Jabba and the whole scenery, racial prejudices and hidden suggestions against Orientals and Asians were used as deceitful and criminal personalities.”

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If a new version of Jabba’s Palace does hit shelves in 2022 – 10 years on from that controversy, which made national newspaper headlines in the UK and around the world – the LEGO Group may choose to avoid an accurate depiction of the set as we saw it in 2012, and perhaps focus more closely on the interior, as per 2003’s 4480 Jabba’s Palace.

There’s also the question of whether it would even include Jabba: by the time Boba seizes control of the palace, the Hutt is long gone. That would really depend on whether the set is based on Return of the Jedi or The Book of Boba Fett, although it’s difficult to imagine the LEGO Group choosing to release a set named Jabba’s Palace (if that’s what it ends up being) without Jabba himself.

For now, take this rumour with a grain of salt – as even recommended by the original source – but one slight corroboration could have come from MandRproductions, who yesterday reviewed the original 2003 version of the set. Ryan also reviewed the original Snowtrooper battle pack and AT-ST sets just before rumours of new versions appeared online, so read into it what you will.

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Author Profile

Chris Wharfe
I like to think of myself as a journalist first, LEGO fan second, but we all know that’s not really the case. Journalism does run through my veins, though, like some kind of weird literary blood – the sort that will no doubt one day lead to a stress-induced heart malfunction. It’s like smoking, only worse. Thankfully, I get to write about LEGO until then.

Chris Wharfe

I like to think of myself as a journalist first, LEGO fan second, but we all know that’s not really the case. Journalism does run through my veins, though, like some kind of weird literary blood – the sort that will no doubt one day lead to a stress-induced heart malfunction. It’s like smoking, only worse. Thankfully, I get to write about LEGO until then.

2 thoughts on “LEGO Star Wars Jabba’s Palace rumoured for 2022

  • 18/09/2021 at 08:10
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    I think you’re mischaracterizing LEGO’s response to the “controversy” about the last set. After issuing a press release that dismissed the claims of racism, they didn’t do anything else like change the set or withdraw it from the market like some have implied. So I see no reason to assume that they would allow this old incident to affect what kind of set they would make. That said, it does seem likely that a new set would focus more on the interior anyway since otherwise it would look too much like the previous one.

    Reply
  • 17/09/2021 at 10:45
    Permalink

    Would love to see a set to the standard of the Mos Eisley Masterbuilders set, with a buildable Rancor.

    Reply

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