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LEGO Just Went Nostalgia Mad — SpongeBob Returns After 14 Years, Halloween Haunted Houses Are Back, Plus Jaguar E-Type, Hubble Telescope & Everything Coming August–October 2026
- Sally Holmes
- Jul 19
- 5 min read
Quick Answer: What Is LEGO's Biggest News This Week?
LEGO has unveiled a wave of major sets across August, September and October 2026. SpongeBob SquarePants returns for the first time in 14 years with 11386 Bikini Bottom (£189.99, 1,794 pieces, 1 September). Alongside it — Jaguar E-Type, Hubble Space Telescope, La Catrina, a brand-new Halloween Midnight Valley collection with Mayor Manor, and the biggest LEGO Pokémon wave yet. Pre-orders open now at LEGO.com.
LEGO SpongeBob Is Back After 14 Years — And It Is Everything
This is the biggest LEGO nostalgia story of 2026. The original SpongeBob LEGO theme ran from 2006 to 2012 and has been dormant for 14 years. Now it is back as a LEGO Icons set — the theme LEGO reserves for its most detailed adult-focused builds.
What's in the Set
11386 SpongeBob SquarePants: Bikini Bottom is 1,794 pieces at £189.99, releasing 1 September. You get SpongeBob's iconic Pineapple House (with detailed living room and bedroom interiors), Squidward's Easter Island-inspired house (four rooms including a rooftop lounge), Patrick's rock (yes, with an interior), and Jellyfish Fields as a scene.
Character lineup: brand-new minifigure moulds for SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward, plus Gary the Snail and DoodleBob as brick-built characters. The boatmobile, Squidward's clarinet, a portrait of Gary and countless Easter Eggs from the show are hidden throughout. Alongside it, 40858 SpongeBob BrickHeadz (£10.99, 72 pieces) launches the same day.
Is It Worth £189.99?
Community reaction has been split. Nostalgia fans (adults who watched SpongeBob as kids) are calling it a must-buy. Critics point at the 10.6p per piece — on the higher side for LEGO Icons — and note the main play feature is just a spinning gear underneath Jellyfish Fields.
Our take: pre-order it if the nostalgia hits you. LEGO Icons exclusives from the last 3 years — the Home Alone House, Notre Dame — have sold out fast and stayed sold out. These are not sets you can pick up in Boxing Day sales. Buy it now at retail or pay double on eBay in three years.
The Rest of August 2026 — Four Sets Worth Knowing About
11381 Jaguar E-Type — £129.99, 1,673 pieces, 1 August
British racing green. Complete interior. First LEGO Jaguar in the Icons Cars range. Includes a rare dark tan plume element previously only ever found on Radagast the Brown and one Pirates of the Caribbean minifigure — LEGO have finally recoloured it for wider use, which is a genuine collector win. The shelf display for anyone who loves British motoring heritage.
11382 Hubble Space Telescope — £119.99, 1,252 pieces, 1 August
Marking 35 years since Hubble's launch in April 1990. A proper standalone display model at 32cm wide and 33cm tall — much larger than the small Hubble that came with the 2021 NASA Space Shuttle Discovery. The display stand features Pillars of Creation, Galaxy NGC 2525 and the Butterfly Nebula — three of Hubble's most famous images recreated in tile prints. Includes one astronaut minifigure. Perfect gift for anyone who loves space.
21372 La Catrina — £109.99, 1,212 pieces, 1 August
LEGO Ideas set celebrating Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). A stunning skeletal figure in Mexican folk art style with monarch butterflies and vivid rosa mexicano colouring. Based on the original LEGO Ideas concept by fan designer yop1172. Exactly the kind of culturally rich LEGO Ideas set that ends up on every 'best of 2026' list — buy it before it retires.
LEGO Pokémon August Wave — Rayquaza, Arcanine & Munchlax
The biggest LEGO Pokémon month yet. 72168 Rayquaza (£119.99) — legendary Pokémon circling the Sky Pillar, includes Zinnia minifigure, the first named trainer from Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire in LEGO form. 72160 Arcanine (£89.99) — highly requested after the Charizard release. 72150 Munchlax (£59.99) — entry-level Pokémon set at a sensible price. All three release 1 August.
September 2026 — Halloween Arrives Early with Midnight Valley
11383 Mayor Manor at £99.99, 1,420 pieces, out 1 September. Three glow-in-the-dark ghosts haunt a crooked gothic manor with three minifigures. But the real news is what this set signals.
Mayor Manor is the first set from a brand-new Midnight Valley Collection — a series of spooky collectible sets. LEGO has not had a proper Halloween theme since Monster Fighters in 2012. Midnight Valley is the first permanent spooky theme in 14 years, and hints at future sets. Community speculation already points to Zombie, Werewolf and Vampire neighbours joining the collection. If you liked the annual Haunted House sets but wanted them to connect into a proper theme, this is it. Perfect timing for Halloween shelf displays.
October 2026 — Pokémon Goes Massive
72154 Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball at £229.99, 1 October. A giant LEGO Poké Ball that opens to reveal an interior scene. Includes minifigures of Red (Pokémon Red/Blue protagonist), Professor Oak, and a Picnicker character. Critically, it includes minifigure-scale Pikachu and Eevee — a completely new format for LEGO Pokémon. Likely the first of many minifigure-scale Pokémon to come.
Alongside it, 40868 Up-Scaled Red Minifigure at £69.99 — following the successful Up-Scaled Darth Vader (75461) format. Perfect Christmas gift for any Pokémon fan.
LEGO Questions Being Asked This Week — Answered
Is LEGO bringing back SpongeBob after 14 years worth £189.99?
For pure adult nostalgia value, yes — this is likely the best LEGO SpongeBob set that will ever exist. The 1,794 pieces buy you three completely new minifigure moulds, four buildable structures with interiors, and countless Easter Eggs from the show. At 10.6p per piece it is on the pricier side, but LEGO Icons exclusives historically hold value and often retire within 24 months. Buy it now at retail or pay double on eBay in three years.
When can I pre-order LEGO SpongeBob and the SpongeBob BrickHeadz?
Pre-orders opened 14 July 2026. Both sets ship on 1 September 2026, exclusively via LEGO.com or LEGO Stores. Not available at Amazon, Smyths or Argos at launch — LEGO Icons exclusives typically go 12 to 18 months before appearing at third-party retailers, if ever.
What is the LEGO Midnight Valley Collection?
LEGO's brand-new spooky Halloween-themed collectible series, launching September 2026 with Mayor Manor (11383) as the first set. It marks LEGO's first proper commitment to a permanent Halloween theme since Monster Fighters (2012). Additional sets in the collection have not yet been announced but community speculation points to more haunted houses, monster characters and connected Halloween-themed builds. If you missed the annual Haunted House sets and want a permanent Halloween LEGO display, this is the theme to follow.
Which LEGO Pokémon August 2026 set should I buy?
For collectors: Rayquaza (£119.99) — first-ever LEGO Zinnia minifigure. For gifts: Arcanine (£89.99) — instantly recognisable. For lowest budget: Munchlax (£59.99). For October, the Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball (£229.99) is where the money goes if you want minifigure-scale Pikachu and Eevee.
See our full 2026 LEGO release guide for every major set that has been announced this year.
Can I rent these new LEGO sets at LendABrick?
The August, September and October 2026 sets will be added to the LendABrick catalogue on release. If you want to build the SpongeBob Bikini Bottom, Jaguar E-Type or the new Halloween Mayor Manor without buying them outright, a Pro Builder subscription is £14.49/month — cheaper than a single set purchase, with unlimited swaps. Coming soon to LendABrick — watch this space.
How Does LendABrick Prepare Your Sets?
Every set going out from LendABrick has been through our no-bleach sanitisation protocol — inspected piece by piece, cleaned using ABS-safe disinfectant, dried, quality-checked, and repackaged. We never use bleach or harsh solvents. Every set is handled with gloves throughout the process. Safe for every home.
Full details in our LEGO hygiene and cleaning standards guide.
Build More. Spend Less. LendABrick.
LEGO's August, September and October releases are packed with genuinely exciting sets — but the wishlist adds up to over £1,000 easily. LendABrick is the UK's cheapest LEGO rental service, voted No.1 in an independent survey. Plans from £9.49/month — cheaper than BrickBorrow on every single plan. Royal Mail Tracked 48. Cancel any time.
Start today at lendabrick.com.
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