How Many LEGO Themes Are There? (Top 6 Themes!)

There are a lot of LEGO themes. This isn’t news to anyone who loves LEGO, but sometimes it’s hard to keep track of all the different themes that have been released over the years. This blog post will provide a comprehensive list of every LEGO theme that has ever been released. So whether you’re a LEGO fanatic or just curious about how many different themes there are, read on for our complete list!

At the time this article was written, there were a total of 40 current LEGO themes with over 120 further themes that have been retired. These numbers are continually changing as new themes are added and older ones are retired.

What Is A LEGO Theme?

What are LEGO themes? Essentially, a LEGO theme is a collection of sets that share a common look or style. This could be anything from Star Wars to City to Toy Story. Each year, LEGO releases new sets in a variety of different themes.

What Are LEGO Subthemes?

Within the themes, there are subthemes. A subtheme is a smaller, more specific theme that is based on a larger LEGO theme. For example, one of the subthemes in the City line is Police. This means that there are sets that feature policemen and other law enforcement personnel.

How Many LEGO Themes Are There?

When this article was written, there were 40 LEGO themes currently available. There have been a further 120 LEGO themes that have been retired. These themes are listed below.

• Architecture (2008)
• Batman
• BOOST (2017)
• BrickHeadz (2016)
• Brick Sketches (2020)
• City (2005)
• Classic (1960)
• Creator 3-in-1 (2003)
• Creator Expert
• DC (2011)
• Disney (2016)
• Disney Mickey and Friends
• Disney and Pixar’s Lightyear
• DOTS (2020)
• DUPLO (1969)
• Friends (2012)
• Frozen (2017)
• Harry Potter (2001)
• Ideas (2008)
• Jurassic World (2015)
• LEGO Art (2020)
• LEGO Avatar (2022)
• LEGO Education (2020)
• LEGO Icons (2010)
• LEGO Super Mario (2020)
• Marvel (2012)
• MINDSTORMS (1998)
• Minecraft (2013)
• Minifigures (2010)
• Minions (2020)
• Monkie Kid (2020)
• NINJAGO (2011)
• Powered UP
• SERIOUS PLAY
• Speed Champions (2015)
• Spider-Man
• Star Wars (1999)
• Stranger Things (2019)
• Technic (1977)
• VIDIYO (2021)

These themes were taken from LEGO.com but some of them are technically subthemes. For example, “frozen” is actually a subtheme of Disney. Another example is “batman”, which is a subtheme of DC Comics Super Heroes”.

What Is The Longest Running Theme?

The longest-running theme, as seen in the list above, is the LEGO Classic theme, which was released in 1960 and is still in production today.

What Are Licensed Themes?

Licensed LEGO themes are sets that are based on preexisting intellectual properties, such as movies, TV shows, and video games. These sets can be a great way to introduce your child to these properties, and they often come with exclusive Minifigures that cannot be found in other sets. Some of the most popular licensed LEGO themes include Star Wars, Disney, and Marvel.

Below is a complete list of licensed themes.

• Avatar (2022)
• Avatar The Last Airbender (2006)
• Batman (2005-2008)
• Brick Sketches (2020)
• BrickHeadz (2016)
• Cars (2011-2012)
• DC Comics Super Heroes (2011)
• DC Super Hero Girls (2016-2017)
• Disney (2016-2022)
• Disney & Pixar’s Lightyear (2022)
• Disney Princess (2012)
• Frozen II (2019)
• Galidor (2002-2002)
• Ghostbusters (2016-2020)
• Harry Potter (2001)
• Indiana Jones (2008-2009)
• Jurassic World (2015) 
• Marvel (2012-2022)
• Minecraft (2013-2022)
• Minions (2020-2021)
• Overwatch (2018-2019)
• Pirates Of The Caribbean (2011-2017)
• Prince Of Persia (2010-2010)
• Scooby-Doo (2015-2016)
• Speed Champions (2015)
• Spider-Man (2003-2004)
• SpongeBob SquarePants (2006-2012)
• Star Wars (1999)
• Stranger Things (2019)
• Super Mario (2020-2022)
• Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles (2012-2014)
• The Angry Birds Movie (2016)
• The Hobbit (2012-2014)
• The LEGO Batman Movie (2017-2019)
• The LEGO Movie (2014-2015)
• The LEGO Movie 2 (2018-2019)
• The LEGO Ninjago Movie (2017-2018)
• The Lone Ranger (2013)
• The Lord Of The Rings (2012-2013)
• The Powerpuff Girls (2018)
• The Simpsons (2014-2015)
• Toy Story (2010-2019)
• Trolls World Tour (2020)
• Unikitty (2018)
• Vidiyo (2021)

What Was The First Licensed Theme?

There are many licensed sets that have been released over the years. The first licensed set was a Wooden toy named “Wooden Pluto,” based on Mickey Mouse’s pet dog which was released in the 1930s. Star Wars and Winnie The Pooh theme were the first movies and TV-based licensed themes to be introduced.

What Is LEGO’s Most Popular Theme?

In their financial report for 2021, The LEGO Group stated that their top 5 themes were;

1. LEGO City
2. LEGO Star Wars
3. LEGO Technic
4. LEGO Creator Expert
5. LEGO Harry Potter

The LEGO Group does specify if these are listed in any particular order but this is the order in which they list them.

What Are The Best LEGO Themes For Adults?

The best LEGO themes for adults are Architecture, Creator Expert, Star Wars and ICONS. Each one of these themes has specially designed sets for adult fans of LEGO (AFOLS). Choose from famous landmark buildings from the Architecture theme that can be built and displayed or your favorite spacecraft or scene from the Star Wars theme.

There are several themes targeted toward adults and one of my favorites is LEGO Architecture sets. These sets are made specifically for building and displaying rather than to play with even though not all sets in this theme come with an 18+ recommended age. They are one of the Only LEGO themes that do not come with Minifigures to promote imaginative play.

Some of the more challenging sets such as the Taj Mahal (#21056) and The White House (#21054) are 18+. These sets would not be a lot of fun for children to play with but instead would be great to display in a home or office setting, maybe with a light kit or inside a case. These would make great conversational pieces.

Another one of my favorite themes is LEGO Ideas. A lot of these sets are based on iconic TV shows such as Seinfeld, Friends and Sesame Street.

LEGO Creator Expert’s LEGO theme includes sets made for adults based on popular adult TV shows. Examples of some of these sets are The Friends Apartments (#10292) and Queer Eye – The Fab 5 Loft (#10291). Also included in this theme are LEGO plant sets such as the Bird of Paradise (#10289).

All of the above themes are perfect for adults who want to build and display something from their childhood or somewhere they have traveled to. These sets are nostalgic and often bring back fond memories.

What Is The Oldest LEGO Theme?

The oldest LEGO theme is the Homemaker theme which was introduced in 1971. This was followed by another three main themes in 1978; LEGO Castle, LEGO Space and LEGO Town.

• LEGO Homemaker (1971-1982)
• LEGO Castle (1978-1998)
• LEGO Space (1978-1999)
• LEGO Towns (1978-1999)

The LEGO Homemaker theme was introduced in 1971 and was aimed at girls and was based on domestic life and things including rooms, that you would find in an everyday home. There was a total number of 32 sets in this theme.

The LEGO Castle theme was introduced in 1978 and lasted until 2016. This theme had a total of 281 sets. The Castle theme is the third longest-living theme in LEGO history.

The LEGO Space theme was my favorite growing up as a kid. I was so excited when I was given the LEGO Galaxy Commander (6980). Below is a photo of myself playing with it when I was 11. The theme ran from 1978 to 2015 and had a total of 324 sets. The first Space sets introduced were based around exploring Space and included smaller ships and wheeled exploration vehicles. The sets released later, were centered around more science fiction ideas such as robots and large spaceships and bases.

The LEGO Town theme ran from 1978 to 2004 with a total of 648 sets. The Town theme has 35 subthemes and was one of LEGO’s core themes. The theme was based on town life and consisted of sets concerned with emergency services like police and fire.

Discontinued LEGO Themes

There have been over 120 different LEGO themes that have been discontinued. Below is a list of these themes and corresponding years.

What Are The Top 6 LEGO Themes?

The LEGO Group announced the top 6 themes in its financial report for the first half of 2022. The top 6 themes in no particular order are as follows.

• LEGO Star Wars (1999)
• LEGO City (2005)
• LEGO Technic (1977)
• LEGO Icons (2010)
• LEGO Friends (2012)
• LEGO Harry Potter (2001)

LEGO ICONS

This is a more recent theme and it actually is the new name for the Creator Expert theme. The theme is targeted toward teens and adults.

The LEGO Icons theme is a line of LEGO sets that are designed for older children and adults. The sets in this theme are generally more complex than those in the regular LEGO line, and they often include special features such as working doors and lights. LEGO Icons sets are also typically larger in size, making them more suitable for display purposes.

While most LEGO Icons sets are based on real-world objects, such as buildings or vehicles, some are based on fictional properties, such as the Hogwarts Castle set from the Harry Potter series. Regardless of their subject, all LEGO Icons sets share one common goal: to provide a fun and challenging building experience for LEGO fans of all ages.

LEGO Star Wars

The LEGO Star Wars theme was the first licensed theme and was introduced in 1999. The LEGO Star Wars sets are based on the events that take place in the Star Wars movies. The first sets were released in conjunction with the release of The Phantom Menace. Since then, the LEGO star wars theme has become one of the most popular themes among collectors and children alike.

The most recent sets were released in conjunction with the release of The Last Jedi. The LEGO Star Wars sets are designed for children ages 6-12. The sets typically include Minifigures, vehicles, and other accessories. The sets can be used to reenact scenes from the movies, or they can be used to create original scenes. The LEGO Star Wars sets are popular among children and adults alike.

The LEGO Star Wars theme has also benefited from several successful animated TV series, which has helped to broaden its appeal even further. Several spin-off series, such as The Clone Wars (2008-2020) and the Mandalorian (2019-present) have created further opportunities for the LEGO Group to create sets based on these shows.

LEGO Friends

The LEGO Friends theme was first introduced in 2012 and is centered around the adventures of five friends in the fictional town of Heartlake City. The main characters are Andrea, Emma, Mia, Olivia, and Stephanie. Each character has a unique personality and interests, which helps appeal to a wide range of girls.

The LEGO Friends sets are designed to encourage creative storytelling, and they often include accessories such as animals and furniture. The theme has been extremely popular and spawned a TV series, books, and video games.

LEGO Harry Potter

The LEGO Harry Potter theme is based on the Harry Potter books and movies and includes Minifigures, animals, and locations from the series. The first sets were released in 2001, and have been very popular, particularly with children and collectors.

Some of the most popular sets include Hogwarts Castle (71043), Hogwarts Express (76405), and Diagon Alley (75978). The theme is also used for video games and spin-off products such as LEGO Dimensions.

LEGO City

The LEGO City theme was first introduced in 2005. The theme is based on urban life, including police stations, fire stations, airports, and construction sites. LEGO City sets are designed to be realistic and educational, giving children a chance to learn about different aspects of city life.

The LEGO City theme has been popular with children and adults and has won several awards. In recent years, the LEGO City theme has expanded to include more experimental sets, such as the LEGO City Lunar Research Base (60350). The LEGO City theme is sure to continue to grow and evolve in the years to come.

LEGO Technic

The LEGO Technic theme is one of the LEGO Groups longest running themes, starting in 1977 to the present. LEGO Technic is a line of LEGO toys that are designed to be more advanced than the traditional LEGO sets. The sets include detailed models that can be built using specialized LEGO pieces, and they often include working mechanisms such as motors and gears.

If you’re a fan of building and construction, then the LEGO Technic theme is definitely for you. With a range of advanced models designed to challenge and inspire, LEGO Technic is perfect for anyone who loves a building challenge. From yellow bulldozers to black cranes, there’s a huge range of different models to choose from. And with new sets being released all the time, there’s always something new to build.

Other LEGO Themes

One of my favorite themes that didn’t make the LEGO top 6 list is LEGO Ideas. The LEGO Ideas theme was introduced in 2008 and currently contains over 50 sets.

If you would like to read more about the history of the LEGO Ideas theme, I wrote an article “What Is LEGO Ideas? (Including How To Submit An Idea)“.

A couple of my favorite sets within the Ideas theme are the LEGO Ideas Treehouse (21318) and the LEGO Ideas Medieval Blacksmith (21325). I love these sets and have them on display in my man cave.

Another one of my personal favorite LEGO theme is the Architecture line. The Architecture theme allows users to build detailed models of some of the world’s most iconic structures, from the Statue of Liberty to the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The sets are designed to be aesthetically pleasing and accurate to scale, making them a hit for kids and adults. In addition, the Architecture theme provides a unique way to learn about history and culture, as each set comes with an informative booklet that tells the story behind the featured structure.

Final Thoughts

The LEGO Group has come a long way since its creation in 1932. Today, the company offers an impressive range of themes that cater to all ages and interests. There’s something for everyone from the City and Harry Potter themes to Star Wars and Friends, there is a wide range of LEGO themes that will cater to everyone’s interests.