LEGOOpens in a new tab‘s latest philosophy appears to be go big or go home, and damn the costs.
Following their largest Harry PotterOpens in a new tab Hogwarts set everOpens in a new tab, they’re now turning the epic treatment towards Star WarsOpens in a new tab, and taking on the movie many fans like best–The Empire Strikes BackOpens in a new tab. While it requires cheating the size a bit, they’ve created the biggest and best Cloud City playset ever–the only significant attempt since Kenner’s Micro Collection in the ’80s–allowing you to recreate basically the entire third act of Episode V.
Among the key scenes included are the dinner with Darth Vader.
The carbon freeze chamber.
The perfect location for a family reunion, and many more, including the Ugnaughts’ incinerator room, the prison cell and Han’s torture chair, the east platform from which Boba Fett takes off, and a hangar with a secret trap door. Slave I and a Twin-Pod Cloud Car are here in scaled-down versions, though they are able to seat minifigures (and Han in carbonite) inside.
Here’s a cool detail: among the 20 characters included is an IG droid. Eagle-eyed fans know that bounty hunter IG-88’s parts were originally reused as set dressing for the Ugnaught scene, and in one Expanded Universe tale, retconned as IG-88 himself. LEGO ain’t sayin’ either way, but you be the judge:
Cloud City will be available at LEGO stores and onlineOpens in a new tab starting October 1, with early access for LEGO VIP members September 13. You can expect a price tag of $350, but even if that sounds daunting, it’s still a lot of brick for your buck.
If this does well (duh, of course it will), it would seem to open up the possibilities for more single-location, every-scene sets. Starkiller Base, maybe? Ahch-To? And that’s just Star Wars.
Is your excitement already building? Tell us in comments below.
Images: LEGO
