LEGO produces a lot of new sets each month, with more and more of these builds targeted toward the adult crowd every year. LEGO’s Star Wars theme is a great example of this, with some of the most popular options available being massive 18+ builds. The new N1 Starfighter set, for example, is a $250 tribute to The Mandalorian rather than just a cool playset for kids.
One of the key differences between adult LEGO sets and sets for kids is the details. It takes a lot of creativity to recreate something you’ve seen in a movie or TV show using only plastic bricks and make it actually look good. IGN had the chance to talk to LEGO Star Wars designer César Soares about just what goes into this type of build process. And while he’s primarily worked on Star Wars, he also pointed out a few of the Ideas sets he’s lent his expertise to over the years.
“I have been on the LEGO Star Wars team since the beginning, but I have worked on some LEGO Ideas sets too like the Tree House, Seinfeld and The Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Soares has primarily worked on adult builds and has a history of creating his own MOCs before being hired at LEGO, so it’s not surprising to see his stamp on a few Ideas sets. The LEGO Ideas line is made up of builds originally submitted by the community and include some of the most popular adult sets on the market today.
LEGO Ideas Treehouse
LEGO Ideas Tree House
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The LEGO Treehouse is a popular build that was first released back in 2019. It’s unique in that it is entirely disconnected from any sort of franchise or movie and just so happens to look incredible. The set was retired in November 2024, but you can still find it at a markup at various third-party sellers online.
LEGO Ideas Seinfeld
LEGO LEGO Ideas Seinfeld Building Kit
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The LEGO Seinfeld set is one of the most unique TV-to-brick creations to come out of the Ideas line. It focuses on recreating the actual set of Jerry’s apartment alongside minifigures for each of main the characters. The set was officially retired back in 2022, but not before it sparked the stop motion recreations it was practically designed for.
LEGO Ideas The Nightmare Before Christmas
LEGO The Nightmare Before Christmas
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Set #76437, includes 2,405 pieces.
Lastly, there’s the official Nightmare Before Christmas set. Of the three Ideas sets Soares has designed, this is the only one that hasn’t been retired yet. It’s one of the most unique sets we’ve ever built at IGN and includes a ton of incredible details from Tim Burton’s iconic film.
Jacob Kienlen is a Senior Audience Development Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor’s degree in communication and 10 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different pop culture topics — from TV series to books and the latest Pokémon games.
