Indiana Jones and The Revived LEGO Theme

It’s an exciting time for fans of everybody’s favourite fedora-hat-wearing archaeologist, adventurer and whip-maestro, Indiana Jones. Following the release of the fourth film in the LucasFilm franchise in 2008, it looked like the long-running action-adventure series would finally be coming to an end. That was until a fifth feature film was announced – this year’s upcoming and much-anticipated release, Indiana Jones And The Dial of Destiny, which is confirmed to be Harrison Ford’s last performance in the iconic role he first assumed way back in 1981.

In celebration of the upcoming film, LEGO are releasing three mammoth new sets for Indy fans to get their hands on from April 1^st 2023. LEGO previously released 18 sets between 2008 and 2009, encompassing all four films to that point (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom, The Last Crusade, and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull). The arrival of three new sets based on film-inspired adventure moments is thrilling news for LEGO Indiana Jones fans, inspiring hope of even more in future following an almost 15-year wait for the theme to be revived.

Watch out for traps, and don’t lose your footing as we take a closer look at the new sets…

Escape from the Lost Tomb – 77013

Our initial travels take us to Egypt for this LEGO brick recreation of the scene in the ruins of Tanis, where Indiana and Marion Ravenwood are captured and forced to escape from a hidden excavation filled with deadly snakes. As fans of Raiders of the Lost Ark know, they manage to escape by using a falling statue of Anubis to break through the wall, something this set features as a stand-out interactive element.

We love the ancient Egyptian stylings boasted by the Escape from the Lost Tomb set, including numerous hieroglyphics on the walls and the sandstone terrain throughout. It is a model that could easily be converted (with a few swapped minifigures) to a diorama scene from 1999’s The Mummy, a film that was clearly influenced by the Indiana Jones series.

In addition to Marion and Indiana, the set includes a cute mummy minifigure and Salah. The LEGO temple building set is complete with the inclusion of the Ark of the Covenant; the mythical artefact sought during the movie.

Temple of the Golden Idol – 77015

Journeying by seaplane, we land on the surface of a remote river winding through the Peruvian jungle. This LEGO set recreates the famous opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, which kicked off the whole franchise. The scene included numerous booby traps and perils that have now become iconic in their own right, frequently referenced and parodied in other media over the years.

Interactive trap elements include the rolling temple ball boulder at the start and a bottomless pit that Indy must swing over before reaching the chamber containing the precious Golden Icon artefact. The Icon lights up thanks to four knobs on the model’s plinth, which activate the traps. It will be interesting to see what lighting kits become available for this set, with plenty of shadowy areas to illuminate.

This is our favourite of the new sets as it is perfect for displaying on a shelf or against a wall thanks to its wide layout, which cleverly manages to include the entire temple featured in the movie’s extended sequence. This jungle-themed diorama is instantly recognisable to Indiana Jones fans, offering a nostalgic showcase opportunity.

The Temple of the Golden Idol set includes four minifigures: Indiana Jones, Belloq, Satipo, and a Hovitos Warrior.

Fighter Plane Chase – 77012

“I suddenly remembered my Charlemagne. Let my armies be the rocks and the trees and the birds in the sky.” – Henry Jones, Sr.

The final LEGO Indiana Jones set takes collectors on a hair-raising vehicular escape from a WWII fighter plane, recreating a famous chase scene from The Last Crusade. While more basic than the other two sets, this does include some fun extras such as the Berlin signpost, where Indiana Jones and his father squabbled about which way to go during the film.

The Swiss-made Pilatus P-2 aircraft is reproduced in nifty brick detail and would make a fine addition to any LEGO collector’s airplane haul.

Cancelled Indiana Jones LEGO Set From The Temple of Doom

There has been much discussion among LEGO fans about the company’s mysterious decision to cancel the release of a fourth new LEGO set, due for simultaneous release alongside the others.

The Temple of Doom 77014 set would have recreated the temple of the Thuggee cult from the original trilogy’s third instalment, located beneath Pankot Palace. From what we can see on the box art, it would have included a section of the mine where Indy fought a muscular cultist, a track from the runaway minecart, and the sacrificial platform of the goddess Kali.

Time will tell whether this fourth new LEGO Indiana Jones set will eventually hit shelves or remain locked inside the temple forever...