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All LEGO is fun, but there’s something a bit special about methodically recreating an iconic scene from your favourite film in brick form and displaying it on a shelf, so everyone knows which blockbuster has your geeky heart.
From Star Wars to Marvel, Bond to Indy, if it’s been on the big screen and has a worldwide fandom, LEGO has probably tackled it at some point. These include some of LEGO's biggest and most impressive sets too, because those smart folks at LEGO HQ know there's an army of older builders out there who have major nostalgia for classic movies of the 1980s and 1990s.
Today we're looking at the lot, from high-price sets of golden oldies of the big screen, to smaller and more recent LEGO adaptations you might build alongside your younger kids.
As for the ranking? Well that’s up to you to decide. Lights, camera, action!
The 10 best movie-themed Lego sets
The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell: at LEGO
Another massive build, this one recreates The Lord of the Rings’ Elven settlement of Rivendell, where the Fellowship that would set off on a quest to get rid of that nuisance of a ring once and for all was established. It’s an important place, then, one that is stunningly recreated in brick form, filled with little details that will delight Tolkien devotees. As for the minifigures? Well, with Rivendell being probably the number one hangout in all of Middle-earth it should come as no surprise that you get a whopping 15 in the box here.
Millennium Falcon: at LEGO
Star Wars Lego models. This gargantuan, 7,541-piece tribute to the Millennium Falcon emphatically belongs to the latter category. One of the largest Lego sets ever made, the buildable Falcon features two minifigure crews, allowing you to choose your preferred Star Wars era, as well as buildable laser cannons, sensor dishes and removable hull panels. If you can afford it, and have a space large enough to accommodate the thing, this is the ultimate build for any Star Wars fan.
Back to the Future Time Machine: at LEGO
Finally, you get to tell everyone that you, too, built a time machine out of a DeLorean with this nostalgia-inducing 1,872-piece build. Packed with the kind of details Back to the Future fans will be looking out for, the Lego DeLorean features a Flux Capacitor light brick and gull-wing doors that flip out to reveal the famous dates on the dashboard inside the vehicle. Naturally, you also get Doc Brown and Marty McFly minifigures to position where you like. This one is now a "hard to find" model, so don't hang about if you want a set at the retail price.
Temple of the Golden Idol: at LEGO
Indiana Jones returned to the big screen this year, but if we’re talking about the most memorable Indy scene of them all all, the majority of fans are probably going to go all the way back to the beginning, to the temple where our wisecracking archaeologist is first seen treasure-hunting and legging it from notably large rolling boulders. This model features a turnable knob that lights up the idol, as well as the aforementioned boulder that very nearly ends Indy’s adventures prematurely.
Dagobah Jedi Training Diorama : at LEGO
As far as Star Wars scenes go, few are more memorable than the first time we meet Yoda, at his mischievous, cryptic best on the muddy planet of Dagobah, where he spends his final years. This brilliantly detailed diorama recreates the Jedi Master’s hut, complete with the wing of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing (with the rest of the aircraft at this point still submerged in the swamp). It looks great on display and comes with Luke, Yoda, and R2-D2 minifigs to arrange as you please.
Jaws: at LEGO
Steven Spielberg’s original summer blockbuster will turn 50 in 2025, with the book it’s based on celebrating that anniversary in 2024. It’s a great time, then, for Lego to launch its first Jaws set. This intricate model recreates probably the film’s most memorable scene, in which the shark (semi-affectionately known as Bruce) takes his big shot at the Orca as Quint, Chief Brody and Hooper face down the fearsome fish. The finished shark can be displayed either mid-bite at the rear of the boat, or on its own dedicated stand. And, of course, you get a printed tile that displays Brody’s famous line.
Avengers Tower: at LEGO
The struggling MCU is gearing up to introduce us to a whole new set of Avengers, but this huge set is a reminder of the good old days. Not only does this 5201-piece mega-build let you faithfully recreate the sky-piercing headquarters of Marvel’s mightiest superhero team in brick form, it also comes with a whopping 31 minfigures, allowing you to reenact your favourite scenes from the Infinity Saga. There’s even a Kevin Feige minifig to oversee it all.
Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter: at LEGO
Whether you’ve read all of Frank Herbert’s legendary Dune books or only came on board when Timothée and co did, there’s never been a better time to be a Dune fan. You can now show everyone how much you’re all in on Arrakis by giving the Lego Icons Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter set pride of place on the shelf. Based on the distinctive aircraft as it was imaged for the first part of Denis Villeneuve’s big-screen adaptation, this 1369-piece model features fold-out wings, landing and flight modes, and a cockpit that can accommodate two minifigures (not including the decidedly not mini Baron Harkonnen you also get in the box).
Batmobile: Batman vs. The Joker: at LEGO
There have been many versions of the Batmobile immortalised in both film and Lego, and you can’t really go wrong with any of them. But if Burton-era Bats is the one closest to your heart, you really should have a look at this set. It might be smaller than other Batmobile builds and targeted at younger Lego fans, but they certainly weren't there in 1989, and they likely won’t appreciate the purple get-up of the distinctly Jack Nicholson Joker minifig like you will.
Spider-Man Final Battle : at LEGO
The universe-colliding final battle scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home will live long in the memory of Marvel fans, and this 360-degree model does a very good job of celebrating the exciting finale. All three Spideys are included, and you can remove the roof to reveal the giant hand of Sandman. As you’d expect, the set also includes plenty of web pieces to wrap the villains in.
The Lord of the Rings: Barad-dûr: at LEGO
Every Lego The Lord of the Rings set so far has been suitably epic, and this brick-built replica of Sauron’s unmistakable Dark Tower is no different. It stands at over 83cm high. Middle Earth’s most intimidating fortress is a 5471-piece behemoth, and comes with 10 minifigures. One of them is the Mouth of Sauron, who still looks scary in Lego. The hidden Palantír stone is one of the many secrets you’ll have fun building, while the main gate can be opened and closed with a button. And as for the iconic Eye, it’s illuminated and can be moved in all directions.
Young Simba The Lion King: at LEGO
really old? The Lion King turns 30 in 2024, which means 30 years of Hakuna Matata, 30 years of being gut punched by Mufasa’s death, and 30 years of rooting for his heir to the throne, which you can do once again by building this 1445-piece Lego set. Recreated in his Zazu-baiting child form, the Lego Simba is perfect for displaying on a shelf and features a moveable head for working on his roar.
Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City: at LEGO
While the latest Batman big-build is technically a tribute to the Caped Crusader’s small-screen adventures, movie fans will also associate Batman: The Animated Series’s take on Gotham with several animated films, the most beloved of which being Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. So we think it qualifies as a movie Lego set too. Inspired by the Batman: The Animated Series opening credits, this 4210-piece set depicts the Gotham skyline by night, with the Bat-Signal illuminated above the city’s skyscrapers. Buildable landmarks include the Arkham Botanical Gardens, the Ace Chemical Processing Plant and Wayne Manor, and you get four minifigures, as well as a miniature Batmobile.
I am Groot: at LEGO
Technically one for the kids, but we reckon this 476-piece poseable Baby Groot looks good on display no matter how old you are. The loveable tree-alien is in his cutest child form here, and the idea is that you’re arranging him to look like he’s dancing. This set also comes with a brick-built cassette tape from Starlord’s collection.
C-3PO: at LEGO
Arguably the most famous robot in pop culture history has unsurprisingly been given the Lego treatment before, but this is the most detailed brickified C-3PO we’ve seen. The loveable protocol droid features a poseable head and arms, and comes with an information plaque stand with room for the also-included C-3PO minifigure. And as it arrives in the same year that Lego Star Wars celebrates its 25th anniversary you also get a commemorative brick.
Joy, Sadness & Anxiety: at LEGO
After lighting up the box office in the summer of 2024 it’s only right that we get an Inside Out 2 Lego set, this one being of the BrickHeadz variety. The set contains three of the film’s characters: Joy, Sadness and Anxiety, with the latter being the big addition to the gang in the sequel to the endlessly inventive Inside Out. They certainly look the part, and should be on the radar of Pixar fans of all ages.
- Next up, check out the best video game LEGO sets
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Contributor
Matt Tate is a freelance journalist and contributor at for Shortlist. Formerly Stuff Magazine’s news editor and based in the UK, he’s been writing about consumer tech for around eight years, with a particular focus on gaming.
For his sins, Matt is a huge Tottenham Hotspur fan and unfortunately spends a lot of his time scanning his published work for Spurs-related digs that may have been slyly inserted by editors. Otherwise, he’s often buying Lego sets he can no longer accommodate and trying to perfect his carbonara recipe. He can be found tweeting (mostly about football and video games) at @MattWTate.