Lego launches Indiana Jones sets, but cans brick-built Temple of Doom
We always knew someday, Lego Indiana Jones would come walking back through our door
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny rocks up in cinemas this summer. And you likely didn’t need a precious ancient artefact to tell you licensed Lego sets would arrive alongside. Accordingly, for the first time in 25 years, we’re getting three new Indiana Jones-themed Lego sets.
Fighter Plane Chase ($35/£30) recreates the chase scene from Last Crusade. Indiana Jones and his dad are in their classic convertible, and an evil dude with a plane is in hot pursuit. The set comes with a Berlin road sign, in case you need help with the locale of this blocky battle. The similarly wallet-friendly Escape from the Lost Tomb ($40/£35) gives you a scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, with chunky Anubis statues, a hidden passage, and lots of plastic snakes.
Flagship Temple of the Golden Idol ($150/£130) is a brick-built take on the memorable opening scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Its detailed modular sections put us in mind of Lego’s Star Wars dioramas. However, there’s more interaction with this set. You get to light the Golden Idol and can set off a massive rolling boulder for Indy to flee from.
Temple of doomed
Lego spotters might have noticed one set is conspicuously absent: The Temple of Doom. This set was leaked a while back, and reported to cost $80 and come with 801 pieces. There were to be Indy, Short Round, Willie and Mola Ram minifigs. And the build incorporated minecrafts, tracks, and sections of underground temple.
Lego has offered a statement about the status of the set: “Throughout 2022, the Lego Group worked closely with Lucasfilm to optimise our planned product line up for the upcoming Lego Indiana Jones product launches in April 2023. As an outcome of this, we consolidated the launch to focus on three products (77012, 77013, 77015) that feature some of the most iconic scenes from the Indiana Jones franchise.”
It’s unusual – but not unprecedented – for finished sets to never make it to market. There might have been issues with the depiction of Kali or other brick-built elements that clashed with Lego’s brand values. Or maybe it’s just been delayed and will eventually arrive on shop shelves. With other sets in this series including sacred artefacts and an actual Nazi in a plane with guns, it’s unclear why a Temple of Doom kit in particular would be forever blocked.
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Craig Grannell
Contributor 
