Six LEGO themes that deserve more love in 2023

We already know some of what’s to come in the world of LEGO in 2023 – but what areas deserve more love from designers?

2022 offered a wide range of sets, delivering some (but not all) of what we wanted to see hit our shelves throughout the year. It has to be said, however, that some themes got left by the wayside. What’s more, some themes suffered from quantity, rather than quality.

We’ve highlighted some LEGO themes that we think need their time to shine in 2023. Some need just minor tweaks, while others could do with simply being graced with more than a handful of sets. If we’ve missed any of your favourite themes that you want to see more of from the LEGO Group, let us know!

6 – LEGO DC

Do we really need to say anything here?

2022 has been a sad year for any LEGO DC fan, with barely a set to be seen and certainly nothing on the same scale as Marvel. Looking ahead to 2023, a few keychains have been lined up, but nothing to write home about.

LEGO DC has likely suffered due to the sporadic success of the DC films, which have been few and far between in recent years. With Marvel’s James Gunn now heading up the DCEU and reportedly pretty much starting from scratch with them, we could see the success of the movie franchise turn around – and with it, hopefully the LEGO theme.

For now, LEGO DC lovers will need to content themselves with more keychains and an apparently never-ending flow of Batmobile variations – and even those are starting to collect dust on shelves at this point…

5 – LEGO Architecture

Despite having quite literally a big year, LEGO Architecture has left one end of its spectrum virtually untouched this year. While record-breaking sets like 10307 Eiffel Tower are fun to look at, it does seem out of reach for the average LEGO collector.

In 2023, we’d love to see some smaller, detailed sets that hone in on other wonders from around the world, at a size and price point that suits the average person more. Sets like 21056 Taj Mahal and 21058 The Great Pyramid of Giza look great on a shelf, with enough finer points to warrant the build, but not at such a scale that you need to clear out a new room for them.

4 – LEGO Minifigures

While the LEGO CMF drops and blind bag hunts are fun, we think the LEGO Group could do with more minifigure packs to fill out city builds or make unique displays with. Whether that’s seasonal packs, theme-specific collections, or some other format that makes sense to the LEGO Group, being able to buy minifigures and know what you’re getting would be a big plus for 2023 – and not have to buy them on the end of a keyring, either.

The latest CMF release proves that the LEGO designers have plenty of ideas and mileage left to go when it comes to minifigure ideas. Let’s see those ideas broaden out into a more diverse theme for the new year.

3 – LEGO Star Wars

Okay, before you jump to the comment section, remember that we at Brick Fanatics are a team made up of LEGO Star Wars fans. While 2022 has been arguably a good year for the theme, with plenty of releases and exciting sets, there is also (always) room for improvement.

For such a popular theme, it’s only right that attention to detail should be demanded. There are small specifics on many of the sets from this year that have begged the question as to whether enough consideration has been given to the finer points, such as Clone Trooper printing, physical accessories for minifigures, and the never-ending push for Boba Fett to finally get his dark green kit.

While we can’t say that LEGO Star Wars has had a bad 2022 by any stretch of the information, 2023 should be the year where the fans’ demands around these details are finally heard – especially when we’re talking about price points that are well into the £££s.

2 – LEGO Art

The LEGO Group has continued its push to appeal to adult builders in 2022, with plenty of Botanical sets and high-ticket collectors sets across a number of themes, like Marvel and Star Wars. One area where more could be done is in the LEGO Art theme – and not just because the wall sets mean we don’t need to find any more shelf space.

Just four sets released in 2022, but the possibilities for this theme go far beyond that. Specifically, it would be great to see more crossover into other themes. In the past, we’ve seen Marvel and DC imagery recreated in brick-built murals, but when we think of cinematic shots we’d love to have as artwork, Star Wars comes to mind yet again. A studded snapshot of Vader and his red lightsaber? A brick-style painting of the Death Star? A LEGO tapestry of the sandy landscape on Tatooine? Yes, yes, and yes again.

1 – LEGO DC

Back again to keep yelling about DC because four sets!! Just four! In a year!

Aside from just getting more sets in the theme in general, it’s also about the time that LEGO DC starts to branch out from its one-track mind about Batman. There are plenty of other memorable and popular characters to play with, from Superman and Wonder Woman to lesser-known characters from the comics. We’ll even settle for a Shazam set to go with the upcoming movie!

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