There’s always a certain sense of anticipation at this time of year, and we’re not talking about what we’ll find under the tree on Christmas morning. We’re talking about next year’s sets, and while LEGO has shared some of the Winter wave sets with us already, word is beginning to trickle out concerning what we can hope to see later on in 2022.
Typically there are three phases to the LEGO Star Wars release calendar – the Winter wave, which is officially out on January 1st (though some North American retailers are expected to put them out in advance of Christmas), the Spring wave fills April and May (including the perennially favored May The 4th Be With You event), August sees Summer wave, and finally the big-ticket Fall set.
Over the past few weeks, LEGO has shown us 75320 Snowtrooper Battle Pack and 75322 Hoth AT-ST, two all-new accessory packs, the commemorative Ahsoka Tano BrickHeadz set, and 75321 The Razor Crest Microfighter, which are all due out in the coming weeks.
With three Hoth-based sets, the first entries of the new year continue to mark the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, as well as recognizing the continuing importance of The Mandalorian and Clone Wars to the LEGO Star Wars theme.
But what about the rest of 2022? According to a recent post on Promobricks.de, there’s quite a lot in store!
Early rumors suggested that the Spring wave will include two sets from the upcoming live-action The Book of Boba Fett series that will debut on December 29th via Disney+. While details are pure conjecture at this point, absolutely nothing official is known about set 75325, which some are pegging to include a brick-built rancor monster, and only rumor even lists it as part of The Book of Boba Fett collection, while multiple sources claim that 75326 will recreate Boba’s new throne room in the late Jabba the Hutt’s palace.
In recent years the Spring wave has favored the Adult Collector, and this year is expected to be no different with two new helmets to be released: 75327 Luke Skywalker’s Helmet (676 pieces), and 75328 The Mandalorian’s Helmet (584 pieces). The previously rumored 75237 AT-AT Driver helmet has dropped off all known gossip lists.
The past two years have seen new LEGO Star Wars helmets released in the latter half of April, but Promobricks has them pegged for a March 1st shelf date.
Further expanding The Mandalorian collection is 75324 Dark Trooper Battle Pack, a small multi-minifigure pack that is thought to depict the fight between Moff Gideon’s dark troopers and Luke Skywalker. The full nature of this set isn’t known yet, but it is said to include 166 pieces – in which three dark troopers and Luke Skywalker are included.
Those collectors on a budget will be looking forward to the yearly assortment of polybags. So far, the only known one is 30495 AT-ST, a 79-piece mini-scale model of the original chicken walker that briefly appeared at the Battle of Hoth alongside its bigger four-legged brother. It is said to be priced $4.99 and is believed to be a Target exclusive, but that’s not confirmed yet.
May typically brings a new Ultimate Collector Series set, along with a limited edition gift with purchase (GWP), and 75341 UCS Luke Skywalker’s Landspeeder is believed to be next year’s must-have item. Details are scant at the moment, though Promobricks has stated it will largely be made of nougat-colored elements. Currently, there is no mention of an associated gift with purchase.
That said, the rumored 75329 Death Star Trench Run does fit the GWP bill. Promobricks states it has 666 pieces (so expect a lot of background greebling) and is 26 studs long – which is about the same size as the previous GWP microbuild sets. The open-faced trench is said to have a mini-scale X-wing and TIE Advanced in it, along with a turbolaser emplacement and LEGO Star Wars printed on a 2 x 4 black tile, with a 2 x 6 tile below it with “The Force is strong with this one” printed on it.
Also tipped for a May release is 75330 Training On Dagobah, a diorama that will update and expand 75208 Yoda’s Hut, a set that was released in 2018. According to Promobricks, two-thirds of the model will be taken up by the dwelling that the Jedi Master constructed out of mud salvaged scrap from the escape pod that carried him from Kashyyyk when Order 66 was issued to the clone troopers of the Grand Army of the Republic in Revenge of the Sith.
While the earlier version of Yoda’s hut was a playset, this is – based on the description given by Promobricks – more so a display model aimed at adults.
In addition, the upper right wing of Luke’s X-Wing looks angled out of the swamp. The set consists of 1002 parts and will cost 79.99 euros. Yoda, Luke and R2-D2 are included as minifigures. At the base there is a black 2 × 4 tile with the imprint “LEGO Star Wars” and a 2 × 6 tile with the well-known quote from Yoda “Do or do not. There is no try.”
Source: Promobricks.de
With this year’s New York Toy Fair canceled due to COVID-19, word is that the 2022 event (which will be held between February 19th and 22nd) will be a much more subdued affair with less fan media access and more closed-door reveals, so don’t expect to see as many advanced images as in previous years.
With attendance by LEGO already confirmed, full details and images of the Spring wave sets that are being offered to retailers are expected to start appearing in the middle of February.
On top of the expected extended Spring wave, there is 753## Death Star Trash Compactor, another display-instead-of-play set that is expected at some point in the year.
According to the description floating around, it will be built on a 20 x 20 stud base, come with Princess Leia, Chewbacca and Luke and Han in Stormtrooper armor minifigures and will have a printed tile the same as 75329 Death Star Trench Run and 75330 Training on Dagobah, along with a 2 x 6 tile below it with “One thing’s for sure. We’re all gonna be a lot thinner.” printed on it.
As well as the above-rumored sets, the upcoming Star Wars Celebration – being held at Anaheim Convention Center between May 26th and 29th – is expected to have an event exclusive, and with next year being the 20th anniversary of Attack of the Clones, released in 2002, the likelihood that this limited edition set will commemorate the release of the second-but fifth Star Wars movie is high.
Also set to return is San Diego Comic-Con, which has set July 21st to 24th as the tentative dates for the biggest pop culture event in the known universe. Whether this will have a LEGO Star Wars exclusive remains to be seen.
As for the rest of the year, expect to see a number of tie-ins with the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi live-action series, due to debut in 2022, more sets from The Clone Wars animated series, as well as an expansion of the Attack of the Clones collection. Could this be the year we finally see a new version of 7133 Bounty Hunter Pursuit, a set that has never been updated? Whether or not we will see anything from the Rogue One prequel spin-off, Andor, is anyone’s guess at the moment.
And then there is the predicted Master Builder Series set, which – if LEGO follows the expected cycle – should be arriving at the start of the last quarter of the year. Current hot favorites are Echo Base and the Petranaki Arena on Geonosis, and the grapevine is already talking about a US$530 price tag.
What do you think of the current rumor list? Are you excited at the prospects or are you burned out? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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