Early next year, LEGO is slated to put out a new building set featuring an iconic vehicle from the world of Dune.
Frank Herbert’s sweeping epic Dune is nothing short of legendary in the world of sci-fi. And it’s been adapted more than once for live-action.
The most recent and most popular of these adaptations has come in the form of the Timothée Chalamet-led film from Warner Bros. (WB) titled Dune.
A sequel, Dune: Part Two, is on its way to theaters, despite its original release date being a casualty of the Hollywood strikes. And now, it seems LEGO is getting in on the action.
Dune’s Ornithopter Flies Into LEGO’s Sights
The ornithopter, based on its look in Warner Bros. and Denis Villeneuve's Dune films, will reportedly be immortalized in plastic brick form with a LEGO set based on a new report from Brickset.
The source of this LEGO intel comes from the website of Dutch wholesaler Eldorado International, which listed the thopter model on its website.
As of writing, no images of the set are available, but Brickset speculated that the set - which is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2024 - will be offered through the toy company’s Icons line for the over-18 crowd.
This is the first Dune set that LEGO has produced. Some may submit that the gray and beige world of Arrakis in the films might be considered anathema to the LEGO brand’s usual sense of liveliness and vibrant color. But, clearly, the Denmark-based toymaker saw the ornithopter as a project worth taking on.
And if rumors are to be believed, the dragonfly-like build won't be the only thing coming with the set. As reported by Promobricks, via Brick Fanatics, four to five minifigures will also come with the set.
Though it's unconfirmed who these could be, it's very likely that Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides and Zendaya's Chani will be bundled with the set.
When Will Dune: Part Two Hit Theaters?
Merchandising aside, the true centerpiece of WB’s whole endeavor is the sequel to the much-loved 2021 Dune movie.
Dune: Part Two will reunite much of the cast of its predecessor and re-team them, led by director Denis Villeneuve.
The sequel was gearing up for a November 3 theatrical debut, but those plans were dashed by the SAG-AFTRA strike. Under strike regulations, actors aren’t permitted to promote their upcoming work, which is something that Warner Bros. obviously thought would end up hurting the film.
And so, Dune: Part Two will officially release on March 15, 2024, more than four months after it was originally hoped to come to theaters.
