The loveable droid BB-8 was introduced in The Force Awakens and instantly became a fan-favourite. The astromech droid has appeared in several LEGO sets, most notably the 2017 set, which featured a larger scale displayable BB-8. There are similarities between the two sets, but the new set certainly offers something different. Is it worth adding BB-8 to your LEGO Star Wars collection if you own the original? Here’s a closer look at the upcoming set 75452: BB-8 Astromech Droid.
Product Details
Set Name: BB-8 Astromech Droid | Set Number: 75452 | Pieces: 569 | Theme: Star Wars
Number of Bags: Bags x 5 | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Sticker: n/a | Minifigures: BB-8
RRP: £79.99/89.99€/$89.99/149.99AUD/119.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & LEGO retailers from January 1st 2026
The Star Wars universe is filled with an array of unique characters, and many of them act as inspiration for various LEGO creations. Droids in particular make for great displayable models. In recent years, we’ve been treated to a new version of Artoo and the first detailed take on Threepio. Now it’s the turn of BB-8 to get a modern-day makeover. The 2026 version of the droid is much smaller than the original version. This offers a much different build experience. One which begins with the core.
Astromech’s are known for their arsenal of tools, and their LEGO counterparts often include many of them. As mentioned, the inner core of BB-8 is quite complex. This not only helps to achieve the droid’s spherical body, but it also powers the set’s play features. One of the printed disc plates found on the body can be opened to reveal a couple of extendable arms. These need to be manually extended and can be a little awkward to retrieve. But much of the core is used to simply wobble BB-8’s head. A tyre is nearly placed within the base of the body. This is connected to a mechanism powered by a pair of rubber bands. So when BB-8 is rolled along, it causes the head section to move slightly. It’s impressive that such an in-depth core powers such a small amount of movement.
Like many of the displayable Star Wars models, the set includes a display plaque. This printed panel includes details about BB-8 and also includes a spot for a BB-8 ‘minifigure’. The inclusion of the plaque gives the set a little continuity with similar sets such as C-3PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca, but offers little else.
Although they are different sets, there’s bound to be some comparisons between this new version of BB-8 and the 2017 one. The new version is visually more appealing; the most SNOT finish of the base of BB-8 looks much better than the original. But the new set pales in comparison to the 2017 one. Although the new take on BB-8 can deploy the ‘thumbs-up’ flame, you have to do so manually. One thing it’s not fair to compare is the price. There isn’t much difference between the pricing of the 2017 and 2026 sets, but things have changed a lot over the last 10 years. BB-8 is a fun character, and I like this updated take on the character. It’s fun to build, especially the inner core, and it looks great. The LEGO Star Wars BB-8 Astromech Droid rolls into stores on January 1st and can be ordered now.
