The standout set of LEGO Marvel's 2025 wave is one of the best releases in years, despite one glaring issue. The comic book side of LEGO has its fair share of misses this year, such as the disappointing Avengers: Endgame final battle set. Nevertheless, there have been a few bright spots from Marvel's blocky portfolio, some of which have avoided the typical MCU source material.
LEGO 76321: Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock Subway Train Scene is the perfect example of this, and is arguably the best Marvel set of the year because of it. Adapting an iconic scene from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 where Tobey Maguire's webslinger is forced to stop a subway trolley from barrelling off its tracks, the set captures the train and the surrounding carnage magnificently. Despite this, there is something missing from the build that holds it back.
2025's Subway Train Scene is actually a remake of a previous set, 4855 Spider-Man's Train Rescue, created to coincide with Spider-Man 2's original release. Because of this, the newer set has a lot of similarities, even incorporating a new J. Jonah Jameson minifigure, despite him not being in the actual scene in the movie.
One glaring omission from the remake, though, is the rail that the subway car rides along. In the 2004 set, a line of track is included with a function to propel the trolley along the rail and into a wall of web. The 2025 set alludes to this with its web and rubble hanging off the carriage's walls, but excluding a crucial part of the scene leaves the build feeling just a bit incomplete.
Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock still manages to be an amazing set, indeed one of LEGO Marvel's best, despite this drawback. The minifigures are truly top-tier, particularly the alternate face used to depict Tobey Maguire's meme-worthy expression, and the faithful subway build with stickers used to depict carriage damage. But, even just a small assembly of rail would have gone a long way in giving younger builders more options to play around with and older fans something to better display the model upon.
LEGO's Marvel lineup in 2025 has seen MCU adaptations from movies past in the Infinity Saga as well as upcoming flicks like The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The company has leaned more into other universes this year as well, with several releases based on the Spider-Verse franchise, like an upcoming minifigure series.
Why LEGO Should Make More Raimi Spider-Man Sets
LEGO's Marvel waves have been mixed bags in recent years. Large-scale modular buildings have given fans some of the biggest Marvel sets ever, and the Infinity Saga subtheme has allowed the company to dip back into MCU movies that were previously overlooked.
However, Marvel modulars are no longer guaranteed, given 2025's lack of a grandiose release, and the Infinity Saga offerings have admittedly grown rather stagnant, leaving fans to wonder how many more Endgame final battle sets one can endure.
LEGO choosing to venture further afield to Sony Pictures' neck of the woods is, therefore, extremely promising, opening the door wide open for even more material to base sets upon. The Subway Train Scene doesn't seem to be a one-off either, given that LEGO's collaboration with Sony produced a Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse set earlier this year and is rumored to release a collectible minifigure line based on the movie in the fall.
Should this continue, not only would LEGO be able to reinvent some of its older Spider-Man sets, but it could also allow it to right a wrong: its lack of Spider-Man 3 sets. After Spider-Man 2, Mega Bloks swiped the toy rights for the threequel, meaning that LEGO never got to make sets based on James Franco's New Goblin or Topher Grace's Venom.
Now, LEGO can revisit the film with modern building sensibilities, perhaps adapting classic scenes like Spidey and Sandman's sewer fight, Spidey's aerial clash with Harry, Spidey's final fight with the symbiote, Spidey cheating on MJ with Gwen Stacy, or Spidey doing a funny little dance in the streets of New York City. Okay, those last two maybe not, but the point is, there's plenty for LEGO to mine from.
With Spider-Man: No Way Home revitalizing interest in the Raimi trilogy among new and old fans alike, going back to the Spidey flicks could make for the best LEGO Spider-Man sets ever. And who knows, if Tobey Maguire's set proves successful, perhaps Andrew Garfield's wallcrawler could get some love in a brick-based package too.
