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LEGO News 10 May 2026: Chinese Festival Sets Revealed, Mando Film Hype, Retiring Sets to Buy Now & Your Questions Answered
- Amie Spencer
- May 10
- 5 min read
Sunday 10 May 2026. Another week, another avalanche of LEGO news. This week: two stunning Chinese Festivals sets officially revealed, the Mandalorian & Grogu film buzz building to fever pitch, retirement warnings on sets that are about to get expensive, and the question everyone keeps asking — is there a smarter way to keep up with this hobby without spending a fortune? We've got answers. Let's get into it.
🏮 Two Stunning New LEGO Chinese Festivals Sets Revealed (June 1)
These two were revealed this week and already have the AFOL community buzzing. On 1 June, LEGO releases 80120 Prosperity Carp Leaping (736 pieces, £44.99) and 80121 Ancient Moon-Gazing Inn (1,530 pieces, £109.99) — both exclusively from LEGO.com and LEGO Brand Stores.
The Prosperity Carp Leaping is based on the Chinese legend 'the carp leaps over the dragon gate' — it features three brick-built fish and a working mechanism where you turn a handle at the back to make the carp move around the gate. Clever, tactile, great on a desk. The Ancient Moon-Gazing Inn is the one generating the real excitement — a Song Dynasty multi-storey inn with two bedrooms, a restaurant, teahouse connected by a bridge, and a removable roof to reveal historic interior details. Nine minifigures included, featuring the real historical poet and polymath Su Dongpo.
These aren't seasonal sets — they're display pieces designed to sit on a shelf year-round. The Inn in particular is being compared to the Ninjago City builds in terms of detail density. At £109.99 for 1,530 pieces (7.2p/piece) it's exceptional value. One to watch — exclusivity to LEGO stores means these won't appear at retailers like Amazon or Smyths until much later, if at all.
🎬 The Mandalorian & Grogu Film: Early Reactions Are In
With 12 days until The Mandalorian & Grogu hits UK cinemas (22 May), the early buzz from fan screenings is very positive. Lucky fans and influencers who saw the first 25-30 minutes on IMAX screens on May the 4th described it as 'cinematic', 'epic scale', and 'like watching the best episode of the show ever made.' Ludwig Göransson's score was singled out repeatedly — apparently it sounds enormous in IMAX. Pedro Pascal's Din Djarin is reportedly 'the coolest he's ever been.'
Why does this matter for LEGO fans? Two reasons. One: the UCS N-1 Starfighter (75442, £229.99) we covered last week is now sold out in many regions — the film hype is driving real demand. Two: a second wave of Mandalorian & Grogu LEGO sets drops on 1 August, including the 75451 Hutt Palace Sentry Droid Showdown (£44.99, 415 pieces). If the film lands well, expect that August wave to move fast.
⚠️ Sets Retiring in 2026 That You Need to Know About
LEGO retirement is a topic that comes up constantly in fan communities right now — and for good reason. Several major sets are confirmed to retire before the end of 2026, and once they're gone, prices on the secondary market jump fast. History shows UCS Star Wars sets in particular follow a brutal appreciation curve: the original UCS Millennium Falcon (10179) launched at $499 in 2007 and now sells for £4,000+.
The sets worth knowing about: the current UCS Millennium Falcon (75192, 7,541 pieces, £849.99) retires December 2026 — widely considered the single most important LEGO retirement event of the year. The LEGO Eiffel Tower (10307, 10,001 pieces) is also on its way out. And the X-Mansion from X-Men (76388) — exclusive minifigures, strong Marvel nostalgia, historically underproduced — is expected to appreciate 30-50% within its first year post-retirement based on comparable sets.
The practical takeaway: if you want the Millennium Falcon at retail price, 2026 is your last chance. Waiting until 2027 means paying whatever the resale market decides — and that market is not kind.
❓ Questions From the LEGO Community This Week
"Is the LEGO Shrek set (72423) worth pre-ordering or will it stay in stock?"
Pre-order it. This is a LEGO.com and LEGO Store exclusive until August — it will not be at Smyths, Amazon or Argos at launch. Shrek is one of the most culturally beloved IPs of the last 25 years, the set itself is genuinely well-built (no stickers, all printed details), and LEGO licensed display sets at this price point (£109.99, 1,403 pieces) have a consistent history of selling out fast and not returning to stock. If you want it at retail, pre-order now at lego.com for 1 June delivery.
"Is the LEGO UCS Millennium Falcon actually a good investment?"
As an investment, yes — but only if you're prepared to store it sealed and wait. Its predecessor appreciated over 400% from original retail. The current version (75192) at £849.99 is a lot of money up front, and it retires December 2026. On a pure investment basis, the fundamentals are strong: highest piece count UCS set, most iconic ship in LEGO Star Wars, proven appreciation track record. As a build, it's also one of the most satisfying and detailed sets LEGO has ever made — so if you buy it to build, you're not losing either way. Just know that once retired, the price on secondary markets will rise quickly.
"What LEGO sets are actually retiring soon in the UK in 2026?"
The ones to watch right now: Millennium Falcon (75192) — December 2026. LEGO Eiffel Tower (10307) — later this year. Harry Potter Gringotts Wizarding Bank (76417) — confirmed retiring. Check LEGO.com directly for the 'Retiring Soon' label on any set you're considering. Once that label appears, stock at major retailers tends to sell through within weeks. Don't rely on it being restocked.
"There are so many sets I want to build — is there a cheaper way to do this hobby?"
This is the most common question in the LEGO community right now. Flagship sets are £200-850. The average AFOL wishlist is 15-20 sets. The maths simply doesn't add up — and storage is a separate problem entirely once you've built them.
LendABrick exists specifically for this. For £14.49 a month on the Pro Builder plan, you choose the set, it arrives via Royal Mail Tracked 48, you build it and enjoy it for as long as you like, then swap for another. Unlimited swaps, no deadlines, cancel any time. You could build 12+ sets a year for less than the price of a single mid-range set. Plans start from £9.49/month. We've been voted the UK's No.1 LEGO rental service in an independent survey — and unlike BrickBorrow, which starts at £9.99/month, we're cheaper on every single plan.
For fans who want access to the really big sets — the kind that cost £500-£1,500 at retail — our VIP Club (invitation only, limited spaces) gives access to those sets that most fans will never own. Two sets at a time, including one VIP-only set. If you think you'd qualify, get in touch.
📅 What's Coming Up
The rest of May is fairly quiet for new releases — two LEGO Chinese Festivals sets drop 20 May (yes, slightly ahead of the confirmed 1 June date for some regions, so check lego.com for your local date). The LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight video game launches 22 May on PS5 and Xbox, same day The Mandalorian & Grogu hits UK cinemas.
Then June arrives like a freight train: Shrek (72423), Up-Scaled Darth Vader (75461, £89.99), the full Harry Potter 25th anniversary wave (8 sets), LEGO Architecture New York, LEGO Chinese Festivals, SEGA Genesis Icons set, Speed Champions Fast & Furious wave, and One Piece Season 2 pre-orders open. It's one of the busiest single months in LEGO's recent history.
Build More. Spend Less. LendABrick.
The LEGO hobby is brilliant — but it's expensive. A LendABrick subscription is the smarter way to keep up. Voted UK No.1 LEGO rental service in an independent survey. Plans from £9.49/month — cheaper than every BrickBorrow plan. Royal Mail Tracked 48. Cancel any time. Visit lendabrick.com.
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