Category: Featured

Art Teacher Whose LEGO Star Wars Set Collection at Her School Got Vandalized, Now Has Her Exhibits Nearly Restored

Art instructor Jeanna Bassett from Concordia Elementary School in San Clemente, Orange County might fit the bill for cool teacher. She had amassed three decades’ worth of LEGO Star Wars sets, many of which were assembled by her sons. In a generous gesture she had donated some sets to her school’s library as exhibits over the years, becoming its own little attraction there.

Then on November last year she experienced a LEGO collector’s worst nightmare: vandalism of the sets on display. The destruction was so significant that Basset lost all hope of seeing her collection put together again. Thank goodness for her local building community, not to mention LEGO itself.

As told by the Orange County Register, over two months since Jeanna Bassett’s LEGO Star Wars set exhibit in the Concordia School in San Clemente was wrecked by still-unidentified suspects, some 90% of the total collection that had been on display has since been either repaired or given newly-built replacements.

With 125 individual LEGO Star Wars sets that were damaged in last year’s vandalism attack on Concordia, repair and replacement of them would have been too daunting. But the local community readily answered the call. Orange County’s Goodwill actually sprung for the fixit job on one of Bassett’s biggest ruined LEGO Star Wars sets, the UCS Millennium Falcon (75192) itself, which they then presented to her at school last December.

Other salvage work on the collection was performed by various LEGO Users Groups from Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego Counties, totaling 40 individual builders that joined hands to restore Bassett’s precious Star Wars sets.

Paul Lee of the LA LEGO User Group put it best for his fellows when he remarked, “To paraphrase Liam Neeson, as AFOLS we ‘do have a very particular set of skills’ that were perfectly suited for solving this problem. We have the building experience and expertise, and we have the resources in terms of replacing damaged or missing pieces.”

The LEGO Group itself also donated more Star Wars sets for assembly worth $2,000. Lastly, “The Last Jedi” director Rian Johnson presented Jeanna Bassett with a signed “Star Wars” poster to go with her mostly-restored library exhibit, as he himself lives in San Clemente and has nephews attending in Concordia.

While she and her husband Donald were reinstalling her LEGO collection in the library Sunday, February 10, Bassett said of her fortune, “It’s really the story of how the community came together. It’s sad it had to happen in the first place but it shows you people really do care.”

LEGO Confirms Re-Issue of the LEGO Star Wars Resistance Bomber (75188)

This piece of news is rather odd, but in a relatively good way. If you recall back in 2017, one of the better sets that LEGO has released under the LEGO Star Wars The Last Jedi subtheme is the new Resistance Bomber (75188) set consisting of 778 pieces and 5 minifigures. One of these minifigures was simply referred to as Resistance Bomber Pilot, in honor supposedly of the pilot that coursed the bomber that destroyed the Dreadnaught at the opening sequence of The Last Jedi. It was a cliff hanger of a scene, with the entire crew of the lone Resistance Bomber eventually sacrificing their selves in order to carry out their critical mission. It is a great scene that eventually found its way as an official LEGO set. However, devout LEGO Star Wars fans quickly noticed the small, but very unpleasant inconsistency that this particular LEGO set has, and LEGO was quick to respond.

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The LEGO Star Wars Resistance Bomber (75188) released in 2017.

According to an excellent summary written by The Brothers Brick, this nagging inconsistency was eventually addressed by LEGO. So what was it exactly? With the release of The Last Jedi: Cobalt Squadron novel, which is considered as part of Star Wars canon, the generic Resistance Bomber Pilot now has a name, and LEGO eventually re-issued a new minifigure to accurately represent his character. Named as Finch Dallow, LEGO has now confirmed that they will be re-issuing, or has issued an update already, to correct this matter. Though Finch was only given 5-seconds of screen time on the big screen, it was enough to give us a close look at the character.

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British actor Kevin Layne who played the role of Finch Dallow in The Last Jedi.

As you may have noticed already, Finch’s character is very much different from his generic minifigure rendition that was released with the Resistance Bomber (75188) set. Thankfully, the matter was addressed by LEGO when it gave its official response to an inquiring fan:

“When we develop LEGO sets based on movies, we aspire to make minifigures and models that reflect the iconic characters and scenes in the film. For this reason our products are most often developed by LEGO designers using reference material from specific movies – still images, sketches, as well as in the actual movies as inspiration. We developed The Lego Star Wars Resistance Bomber set (75188), based on “The Last Jedi” movie and discovered after the film was released that one of The Lego minifigures in the set doesn’t reflect the movie scene properly. As a result, we decided to adjust the set accordingly, true to our motto: “Only the best is good enough”. We hope Star Wars fans across the world appreciate this attention to details”

It is a known fact that LEGO designers do not really receive the entire set of details about a film or a particular scene in which a LEGO set will eventually be based. This holds true in the case of the LEGO Star Wars Resistance Bomber. This adjustment resulted in the roll-out of a new and updated LEGO Star Wars Resistance Bomber (75188) that perfectly captures in minifigure form the character of Finch Dallow, including his Resistance helmet as well. Check out these side by side images, comparing the old and new minifigs, as shared by The Brothers Brick.

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Image composite courtesy of The Brothers Brick.
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Image composite courtesy of The Brothers Brick.
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Image composite courtesy of The Brothers Brick.

Now I’m not really sure if this re-issued LEGO Star Wars Resistance Bomber set has already been released to the market, but an Instagram post from actor Kevin Layne who played the role of Finch Dallow, may hint that this re-issued set may already be out there.

The only question is where and how will you be able to get this set later on, considering that it is reasonable to expect that previously released Resistance Bomber sets with the generic Resistance Bomber Pilot minifigure, is still distributed in the market. Though as TBB observes, this kind of scarcity has led to some ‘overblown’ hype towards the Finch minifigure, as evidenced by its risen value of as much as $100 in some secondary market platforms. This is not something that  LEGO intends though, and I’m personally glad that LEGO has corrected this matter, though a little bit too late in my opinion.

Frankly, it’s now seems to a kind of hit and miss if you wish to get your hands on an updated set that contains the new Finch Dallow minifigure. Even if the Resistance Bomber is still up and selling at shop.LEGO.com, buying it from LEGO’s online store still doesn’t guarantee if ever you will receive the new minifig. In fact, the LEGO Shop@Home page for this particular set is still not updated with the new Finch minifig as of this posting.

Anyways, what are your thoughts about this change? Do you think it’s worthwhile to haunt down this set with the hope of landing on this new and accurate minifigure rendition? Let me know what you think in the comments below.

New LEGO Technic Summer 2019 Sets Revealed

Following the reveal of the LEGO City 2019 summer sets at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, German LEGO fan correspondent Zusammengebaut continues his coverage of the events as they unfold at the LEGO showroom at the prestigious European toy fair. We’ve heard the first line-up of summer 2019 LEGO City sets, and this time, we now know that we will be getting four additional LEGO Technic summer 2019 sets slated to be available in August 1.

  • Spider Crane (42097)
  • Car Transporter (42098)
  • Off-Road Vehicle (42099)
  • Liebherr 9800 (42100)

The Car Transporter (42098) is interesting since Zusammengebaut describes it as  2 builds in 1, with one build as the same size as that of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (42093),  and another for the Car Transporter itself. This set is second to the largest of the four sets coming in at 2,493 pieces.

The Spider Crane (42097) is another 2-in-1 set that comes in 920 pieces, while the Off-Road Vehicle (42099) comes with the new CONTROL+ system, three Power Functions motors, and independent suspensions.

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The last set in the list could be the most complex among the four LEGO Technic Summer 2019 sets. The Liebherr 9800 (42100) comes at 4,108 pieces and includes seven Power Function motors that are individually controllable allowing for a wider range of movement. It also has two smart hubs and features the new digital CONTROL+ system.

It definitely looks like LEGO is levelling up its next generation of Technic sets following these new innovations. I’m not so much into LEGO Technic, but this are surely exciting sets to watch out for in August.

Stay tuned for more updates! Special thanks once again to Zusammengebaut for keeping us in the loop and sharing these images.

WATCH: The LEGO Movie 2 Video Game Footage Released

YouTuber and gaming guru AbdallahSmash026 shares an exclusive, LEGO Movie 2 video game footage over his channel. We’re still a few weeks to go before the tie-in video game is officially released, but WB Games was kind enough to share the first chapter of the video game, giving us a first look at how things are significantly different as compared to the first LEGO Movie video game.

Similar to the film, the LEGO Movie 2 video game begins with a retelling of the events of Taco Tuesday where the towering Duplon invaders caused havoc in the city of Bricksburg. The story is told from the usual, brooding perspective of Lucy. You start the game by playing Emmet, and later on as Lucy when you complete certain challenges, and helping other minifig citizens search for particular bricks.

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A new a pair of Scanner Binoculars is also introduced where players can scan any surrounding areas for building instructions to be added to their Builder Page. The binoculars are also useful in searching and revealing hidden LEGO objects.

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We are also introduced to the game’s Vehicle Library which is accessible via the Builder Page. While you’re in Build Mode, you can choose from the available vehicles in the database to work your way around the place faster. You can even build Ultrakatty for that extra speed boost!

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The first chapter of the video game goes on to introduce familiar characters such as Sweet Mayhem and Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi. Perhaps the only deviation I see from the actual LEGO Movie 2 film is that Lucy stays with Emmet even after Mayhem manages to capture almost all of our brick heroes. But generally speaking, it’s a whole new LEGO video game that you may want to try where new mechanics are introduced which are different and unique on their own.

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The LEGO Movie 2 video game is now available for pre-order via Amazon US, with Amazon UK and Gamestop offering a free Star-Stuck Emmet polybag. The LEGO Movie 2 video game will be available for Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC starting February 26, and on Nintendo Switch on March 26, 2019.

Here Are Some of the New LEGO Products Revealed at the 2019 London Toy Fair

Brick Fanatics is at the floor of the Olympia London for the 2019 London Toy Fair, where the LEGO Group has returned for a round of new LEGO products revealed, celebrating the release of its brick sequel the LEGO Movie 2. Aside from bagging the Licensed Product of the Year award, UK’s 66th Toy Fair was also an opportunity for LEGO to showcase some of its products.

The LEGO Group attended the event, occupying a private showroom where it introduced some of its TLM2 product tie-ins that will be out this year. Though there was no new set reveals other than the cool LEGO Movie 2 The Rexcelsior! (70839) which was only mentioned and was not on display, there are plenty of LEGO Movie 2 lights, stationeries, and stickers to name a few.

Some of these new LEGO product include new TLM2 key lights and torches. There is also a line of bags, reusable stickers and other school necessities that kids will surely enjoy.

LEGO Light Products

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LEGO Statickers

 

LEGO School Items

 

Again, there was no other new LEGO product reveals that TLG opted to show at the 2019 London Toy Fair except for the Rexcelsior. We hope to see more new LEGO products showcased later on when the 2019 New York Toy Fair kicks in next month.

Thanks once again to Brick Fanatics for sharing the above photos.

LEGO Harry Potter Named as Licensed Product of the Year at the 2019 London Toy Fair

This year is an exciting one for LEGO, particularly with regards to their accomplishments in the toy industry. Not only do we see the LEGO Group come back for the London Toy Fair, but its LEGO Harry Potter line of sets were named as the Licensed Product of the Year granted by UK Toy Industry Awards.

The return of the LEGO Harry Potter sets last year were warmly welcomed by Potter and LEGO fans alike, especially with the debut of the massive LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle (71043), the nostalgic LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Express (75955) and the LEGO Harry Potter Collectible Minifigures (71022). Recognition was also given to the LEGO Group for its LEGO Movie 2 LEGO Movie Maker (70820) as one of the 25 “Hero Toys” for 2019. LEGO is rumored to release additional LEGO Harry Potter sets this year, with sources pointing to a July 1 release date.

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LEGO is also expected to make waves at next month’s New York Toy Fair, with a total of nine nominations for the 2019 Toy of the Year Awards by the Toy Association Inc. The flagship Hogwarts Castle (71043) was also nominated for Specialty Toy of the Year, the LEGO Harry Potter CMF (71022) for the Collectible of the Year, and the Hogwarts Great Hall (75954) for Construction Toy of the Year.

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Congratulations to LEGO for bagging the Licensed Product of the Year award, and cheers for more awesome sets in the future!

Thanks to Brick Fanatics for the heads up.

Here’s A Closer Look at the LEGO Movie 2 McDonalds Happy Meal Toys

Last week, I reported that the next wave of Happy Meal toys will feature several characters from the LEGO Movie 2. We had an initial look at these oversized minifigure heads/storage space/key holders, thanks to a promotional ad that was initially released in Russia. Now thanks to some insider info from Fast Food Toys and Happy Meal Toys for Kids, we now have a closer look at these LEGO Movie 2 McDonalds Happy Meal toys and their expected date of arrival in US stores. Check out the video below, courtesy of Fast Food Toys.

As you can see from the video, each LEGO Movie 2 McDonalds Happy Meal toy comes with a simple play feature inside. Though we only get to see a sample based on how the Wonder Woman toy looks like from the inside, other promotional flyers suggest that each toy may actually contain a different activity or mini-game. Each toy also comes with a free LEGOLAND coupon where kids go for free together with a paying adult to all LEGOLAND Resorts and LEGOLAND Discovery Centers.

Furthermore, these toys are now currently available across Taiwan and other regions and will arrive in the US on January 29. So what do you think about these new LEGO Movie 2 McDonalds Happy Meal toys? Do you think it’s worth a trip to McDonalds? Let me know what you think in the comments below. Special thanks also to Candid Bricks for the heads up.

 

Photo credits: Happy Meal Toys for Kids

LEGO Teams Up With Chevrolet Once Again to Create the First Life-Sized, Custom LEGO Chevy Silverado MOC

The LEGO Group is teaming up once again with Chevrolet to create another brick feat following its life-sized Batmobile from 2017. If you recall two years ago, LEGO partnered with Chevy to render into bricks its larger-than-life concept car of the Batmobile based from the LEGO Batman Movie Batmobile (70905) set. The outcome is simply breathtaking, and this time, LEGO and Chevrolet are set to wow its fans once again with another brick-built creation that celebrates the next hit brickfilm, The LEGO Movie 2. Check out the following video of this life-sized, custom LEGO Chevy Silverado MOC courtesy of Chevrolet.

Taking a total of 18 master builders and 2,000 hours to build, this life-sized custom LEGO Chevy Silverado MOC is made from a total of 334,544 LEGO bricks and pieces. This brightly red, life-sized creation is based on Chevy’s new 2019 Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss – a new feat for LEGO considering that this is very first Chevy to be rendered as such. It may not have the ingenious mobility and engineering complexity as that of the fully drivable and life-sized LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron (42083), but it is still an admirable MOC nonetheless.

The best part of this tie-up between LEGO and Chevrolet is that the LEGO Movie 2 will also feature in the big screen a smaller, brick version of the Silverado High Country, and will make an appearance in one of its scenes. Will this eventually be translated to an official LEGO set? Well, we can only speculate as of this moment. Read on for the complete press release of this life-sized, custom LEGO Chevy Silverado MOC.

DETROIT — Chevrolet and students from the Oxford Community School’s FIRST LEGO® League and Detroit’s Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary’s A World in Motion Program unveiled the first-ever full-size LEGO® Silverado today at the North American International Auto Show just ahead of the show opening to the public. The model is an exact life-size replica of the all-new 2019 Silverado 1500 LT Trail Boss, and it is the first full-size Chevy vehicle built entirely of LEGO bricks.

The LEGO Silverado continues the partnership between Chevy and Warner Bros. Pictures that began in 2017 with “The LEGO Batman Movie” and the LEGO Batmobile from Chevy. This partnership builds on the Silverado marketing efforts that launched earlier this month.

A custom mini-build of the Silverado High Country will make an appearance in the new big-screen animated adventure “The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part” when it debuts in theaters on Feb. 8. In this fun and action-packed sequel, the heroes of “The LEGO Movie” reunite to save their beloved city from a new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from space.

“Chevrolet is once again thrilled to be working with Warner Bros. to integrate the brand and one of our most iconic products – Silverado – into ‘The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part,’” said Sandor Piszar, director of Chevrolet Truck marketing. “The themes of determination and teamwork in the new movie align perfectly with our Chevy brand values and we are sure that the all-new Silverado has the features, technologies and strength that would help Emmet, Lucy and their friends as they take on exciting new challenges.”

Eighteen specially trained LEGO Master Builders spent more than 2,000 hours hand-selecting and placing each of the 334,544 pieces on the red LEGO® Silverado, which has unique working lights and graphic details.

To learn more about the LEGO® Silverado, please visit Chevrolet.com.

LEGO® Silverado Fast Facts:

  • The LEGO® Silverado model is 72 inches (6 feet) high, 240 inches (20 feet) long and 96 inches (8 feet) wide.
  • Total weight: 3,307 pounds.
  • Total number of LEGO bricks used to build the LEGO® Silverado: 334,544. Each piece was hand-selected and placed by a specially trained builder.
  • Most common LEGO brick used: red 2×8 stud brick.
  • The LEGO® Silverado took 18 builders more than 2,000 hours to assemble.
  • The LEGO® Silverado was designed and assembled by LEGO Master Builders in the LEGO Group’s Model Shop in Enfield, Connecticut.

 

The LEGO Movie 2 Magazine To Be Released Next Week – Comes With An Exclusive Emmet Minifigure

Media Lab Books is set to release a promotional magazine tied up to The LEGO Movie 2. If you recall earlier last year, Media Lab Books was also the distributor of the Newsweek Special Edition, LEGO – The Toy That Changed Our Lives which was a hit among older LEGO fans since the limited-edition Newsweek magazine also celebrates the 60th anniversary of the LEGO brick. This time around, the publishing company celebrates the brick once more with its special issue of the LEGO Movie 2 Magazine which is due to be out on January 22.

Media Lab Book’s first LEGO Movie 2 Magazine comes with two new posters and an exclusive LEGO Movie 2 Emmet minifigure with a special set of minifigure accessories. I know that some of you might already feel that all of these LEGO Movie 2 promotions have been suffering from an oversaturation of sorts from all the free Emmet minifigures out there. But since its free, I have no real complaints about it.  At least this freebie from Media Lab Books allows us to have additional LEGO pieces in the form of minifigure accessories. In case you want to grab a copy, the LEGO Movie 2 Magazine is now available for pre-order online, retailing for $10.99.

Description

The adventure continues! In The LEGO 2 Movie (releasing on February 8th, 2019 and featuring Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Charlie Day and Will Arnett), the young readers meet the famous heroes of the first LEGO Movie–such as Emmet, Batman and Lucy. In each issue, three funny comics, two cool posters and exciting puzzles await the fans of the old and new characters. Each edition comes with an original limited edition LEGO Movie 2 Minifigure with accessories.

I suspect that this is not the only LEGO Movie 2 Magazine that we can expect from Media Lab Books. It is rumored that another issue is set to be released next month featuring Rex Dangervest as the minifigure freebie. If that is the case, then this might prove to be more popular since we don’t get too much of Rex as a free minifigure. As of to date, we only have one polybag dedicated to him,  and a Vest Friends LEGO Movie 2 Activity Book from Ameet Studio that comes with an exclusive Rex minifigure and a blaster accessory.

From Alarm Clocks to Pillows: Here Are Some Cool LEGO Movie 2 Products to Watch Out For

We’re just counting the weeks before the LEGO Movie 2 hit theaters and what better way to celebrate the film by having any of these TLM2 memorabilia. From Happy Meal toys to DK’s collection of books inspired by the film, it seems that there is still plenty of room for other LEGO Movie 2 products to join this year’s most brickstacular film. So while waiting for the film’s opening on February 8, let’s take a look at some of the cool TLM2 tie-in products that are out there. Clicking on the following affiliate links below will provide you with further details about each product.

Alarm Clocks

LEGO Movie 2 Emmet Light Up Alarm Clock (9003967)

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Emmet Brickowski longed to be popular in his town of Bricksburg, but due to living his life by the book, no one ever noticed him. This all changed however, when Bricksburg came under attack and it was up to Emmet to save the town. Emmet showed that everyone is special in their own way and became a hero!

Help Emmet rescue his friends from the intergalactic invader Sweet Mayhem with this fantastic LEGO mini-figure clock and you too can become on of the great master builders!

  • Help save the people of Bricksburg with this LEGO Movie 2 Emmet mini-figure Kids Light Up Alarm Clock
  • Digital LCD Screen with 12hr display, Back Light colour: Orange, Height: 6 inches tall, Alarm and Snooze functions, Moveable parts: Arms, Battery Type: 2x AAA (included), Age:6+
  • Official LEGO Product

 

LEGO Movie 2 Wyldstyle Light Up Alarm Clock (9003974)

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Wyldstyle is a tough and creative free spirit. She is streetwise master builder and doesn’t let people give her orders. Although she is tough as nails, she has a soft side and puts a lot of faith in those close to her.

It’s time to team up with Wyldstyle against Sweet Mayhem with this fantastic LEGO Movie 2 Mini-figure Alarm Clock and you too can become one of the great master builders!

  • Help save the LEGO Universe from Sweet Mayhem with this LEGO Movie 2 Wyldstyle mini-figure Kids Light Up Alarm Clock
  • Digital LCD Screen with 12hr display, Back Light colour: Orange, Height: 6 inches tall, Alarm and Snooze functions, Moveable parts: Arms, Battery Type: 2x AAA (included), Age:6+
  • Official LEGO Product.

 

Buildable Wrist Watch

LEGO Movie 2 Emmet Buildable Watch (8021445)

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LEGO Movie 2 Wyldstyle Buildable Watch (8021452)

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LEGO Movie 2 Unikitty Buildable Watch (8021476)

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Pillows

LEGO Movie 2 Emmet Buddy Pillow

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LEGO Movie 2 Unikitty Buddy Pillow

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LEGO Movie 2 Sweet Mayhem Buddy Pillow

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LED Key Lights

LEGO Movie 2 Emmet LED Key Light

 

Emmet returns in The LEGO Movie 2. The full-length theatrical LEGO adventure opens in theaters February 2019. Emmet features a sensor on the chest which, when pressed, will illumiate his feet. Add a splash of fun to your backpack or bag with this delightful Emmet Key Light.

 

LEGO Movie 2 Batman LED Key Light

Batman returns in The LEGO Movie 2. The full-length theatrical LEGO adventure opens in theaters February 2019. Batman features a sensor on the chest which, when pressed, will illumiate his eyes. Add a splash of fun to your backpack or bag with this delightful Batman Key Light.

 

LEGO Movie 2 Unikitty LED Key Light

Princess Unikitty returns in The LEGO Movie 2. The full-length theatrical LEGO adventure opens in theaters February 2019. Starring as one of Emmet’s fellow travelers is Unikitty, a sweet, loveable member of the team with a powerful secret. Unikitty features a touch sensor on her face which, when pressed, will illumiate her horn. Add a dash of sass and sunshine to your backpack or bag with this delightful Unikitty Key Light.

 

LEGO Movie 2 Costumes

LEGO Movie 2 Lucy Deluxe Child Costume

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Lucy is a no-nonsense determined kind of girl with a huge heart. You can look just like the amazing Master Builder herself in this Lucy Deluxe Costume! This costume is bold just like Lucy! Costume features a longsleeve top with an attached skirt, leggings, a pair of fingerless gloves, and a headband with attached hair extensions.