theBrickBlogger.com — Sharing the Passion of the LEGO Hobby!

LEGO Monsters, Inc. Sulley, Mike, and Boo Figures

by Thita (admin) on February 24, 2026

in LEGO Disney

(Written by William)

LEGO has finally gotten around to making one of my favorite intellectual properties, Monsters, Inc., with the upcoming #40861 LEGO BrickHeadz Sulley, Mike, and Boo Figures. And with this set coming out at the beginning of March, I had the privilege to get an early copy to check it out. Now I know BrickHeadz aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I am a big fan. They pack a compact building experience that evolves from set to set, showcasing the versatility of LEGO elements.

Additionally, when you are done building them, you have a nifty character, or three in this case, that you can play around with. Due to their stylized appearance, it’s pretty easy for fans to create more characters to go with the official ones, filling out the roster of figures you can play with. So it is nice to start with the main three from the original Monsters, Inc. film. The question is, is this set worth the $24.99 price? Let’s take a look at what you get and maybe answer that question.

LEGO MONSTERS, INC. – SULLEY

Sulley is the one BrickHeadz that comes in a more standard size. Most of his detailing comes from a variety of small tiles in a couple of colors. This helps recreate the fluffy fur all over his body. Given that he is a monster, he also has a movable tail and longer-than-average arms, as well as a muzzle for his face.

Having a character be a furry mass of hair makes it kind of hard to tease out intricate details. So, it is nice to see LEGO designers play with various shades of blues and purples to add contrasting highlights and give the illusion of complex texturing.

LEGO designers also rounded out Sulley’s stomach. This may not seem like much, but I’ve built other BrickHeadz that would have looked good being bulked up in this way. However, all those BrickHeadz remained flat since they had other details that could be recreated. In Sulley’s case, there aren’t a lot of options. The end result does give him a rather fluffy-looking appearance.

LEGO MONSTERS, INC. – MIKE

Small, round, little eyeball man. This is the smallest character in the line-up. This particular character has his own challenges. He is smaller, for one, and he needs to be rounded out. This means all the shaping and detail work has to happen on a much more abrupt scale than other BrickHeadz.

On top of the limitations, LEGO designers also had to make sure he had long arms. They had to do all this and make the build experience interesting. Ultimately, they went with the idea I’ve seen them use for rounded carriages.

The concept is simple. If you don’t have the parts to make something round or the space to make something round, you control the outline of the shape in question. Mike’s body is fairly far from being round. However, LEGO designers knew where to put the parts to outline the shape.

Take, for instance, the top of his head, which is a plus sign looking at it from above. That changes when you look at Mike from the sides. The slopes help outline Mike, like when you put curved edges on a carriage. The object is not truly round; it just appears that way. Throw in one giant eye, and it further tricks the viewer into thinking they are looking at a sphere.

LEGO MONSTERS, INC. – BOO

This is the character that made the movie for me. Though Boo never appeared in other major Monsters, Inc. projects, she is what gave the original film all its heart. I always thought that, despite her being integral to the story, we might not ever see her as a character if LEGO made something for Monsters, Inc. So I’m absolutely thrilled she is in this set.

Just like in the movie, Boo is adorable with her little pigtails. LEGO designers even managed to scale her just a little bigger than Mike and a lot smaller than Sulley. Given her pink outfit, she really adds another level of color to this set, which might explain the high price point.

Normally, LEGO likes to stick in a narrow color band when it comes to making a set. It’s hard to realize this in really large sets, since they are already expensive. However, when the set is small like this, the more colors you have, the cost rises. I think it has to do with assembling all the parts together takes a lot more time for sourcing all the parts. Even though everything is robotic, this means higher energy costs for filtering more pieces.

LEGO MONSTERS, INC. – FINAL THOUGHTS

This set is adorable and great for LEGO BrickHeadz fans. However, the price does seem a tad expensive, given what you actually get. I would have thought this would be priced more in line with the LEGO Minions BrickHeadz, which was a $20 set. But as I mentioned before, the wider array of colors does seem to add cost. Additionally, the current trade wars might also be playing a factor in the end price for this model.

Ultimately, that is the only hold-up I see. As good as the characters are, they don’t feel as involved as other BrickHeadz. So, even though LEGO has reasons for giving it a higher-than-average price, I’m not sure fans will see the same value.

Those who buy it day one will still have a good set to build and play with. But this does feel like a $20 set that could have done okay if priced even at $21.99. But the $24.99 might mean this one might not sell as quickly. We’ve seen several BrickHeadz characters hit the sale stage, and it wouldn’t surprise me if this set struggles as well. If you want to check it out, it will be available starting next week at the LEGO BrickHeadz section of the Online LEGO Shop.

What do you think? Are you a Monsters, Inc. fan? How do you like the brick-built versions of the characters? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

{ 2 comments }

LEGO Design Student Challenge & More!

by Thita (admin) on February 23, 2026

in Community News

There is an exciting and completely different type of challenge currently running on LEGO Ideas. The LEGO Design Student Challenge is a unique opportunity open to students over 18 years old, with the LEGO Ideas community playing an important role. Below is all the info you need.

Small Invitation to Explore Big Ideas

Culture no longer moves in one direction. Creativity today grows from local scenes, niche communities, and personal perspectives. Young creators explore stories across borders — inspired by regional music, online subcultures, local traditions, and new forms of expression that travel far beyond their origins.

For designers, this shift opens new creative territory. The challenge is no longer to design for a single mainstream audience, but to observe closely, understand communities, and translate real cultural moments into meaningful experiences. That’s exactly what the LEGO Design Student Challenge is about.

Created for students in a design-related field and hosted on LEGO Ideas, this challenge invites emerging designers older than 18 years to explore contemporary culture through the LEGO brick — not to create perfect models, but to experiment, reflect, and share.

Design Students & the LEGO Ideas Community

Some participants may already feel at home building with LEGO bricks. Others might be exploring them for the very first time as a design tool. Both perspectives are welcome — and equally valuable.

The LEGO Group chose LEGO Ideas as the home for this challenge because of the unique creative culture that lives here. The community understands that ideas begin with curiosity and evolve through dialogue. Builders on LEGO Ideas have long transformed personal passions, humour, and cultural observations into playful design stories.

For design students, this creates a space to learn from experienced creators and to test new ways of thinking through play. And for the LEGO Ideas community, it offers a chance to meet a new generation of designers — many of whom may be discovering LEGO creativity from a completely fresh perspective. Together, this becomes more than a challenge. It becomes a shared creative exchange.

Designing from Culture, Not from Trends Alone

Today’s cultural landscape is shaped by countless small communities rather than one dominant mainstream. Local identities travel globally. Digital platforms connect niche audiences. Personal stories resonate across continents.

In this challenge, students are invited to look closely at the world around them and translate contemporary culture into playful design explorations.

An idea might reflect a local celebration or daily ritual. It could explore a digital fandom, a creative online movement, or a street culture rooted in music or fashion. It might capture a micro-community that inspires belonging, or a personal experience shaped by place and identity.

Design thinking plays a central role. How do color palettes communicate emotion or culture? How do forms and structures express behaviour or interaction? How can storytelling transform observations into playful experiences?

Submissions may take many shapes — sketches, prototypes, rough models, visual narratives, or hybrid explorations. A polished LEGO model is welcome, but not required. What matters most is curiosity, experimentation, and the journey of ideas as they evolve.

Learning, Exploring, and Possibly Taking a Next Step

For some students, participating in the LEGO Design Student Challenge may also become part of their application journey toward an upcoming LEGO Design Internship in Concept/Model Design. Sharing work through the challenge gives the LEGO Group insight into how emerging designers approach exploration, storytelling, and creative thinking.

Most importantly, the LEGO Group hopes this challenge encourages students — especially those who may not yet see themselves as “LEGO builders” — to experiment freely and to discover new creative confidence through play.

Help Build the Builders of Tomorrow

To the LEGO Ideas community: your voice matters more than ever. Many students will be sharing work publicly for the first time. A thoughtful comment can build confidence. A curious question can open a new design direction.

Your encouragement can help emerging designers feel welcome in a creative space that might still be new to them. By engaging with these students, you help shape how the next generation experiences LEGO creativity through diverse voices and perspectives.

Join the Journey

Anyone from the LEGO Ideas community can participate in the challenge, but only design students over 18 years old can apply for the internship. The challenge is open until March 18th. If you’re interested in participating, or you know students who would be good candidates, you can read the rules and other details and submit your entry on the LEGO Design Student Challenge Page.

Feel free to share any thoughts or questions about the challenge in the comment section below! And you might also like to check out the following related posts: