How do the LEGO Batman Returns minifigures stack up to their movie counterparts?

The biggest LEGO batcave to date, 76252 Batcave – Shadow Box, is the first LEGO set based on the 1992 movie Batman Returns. The set includes seven minifigures from the movie, so let’s take a look at how accurate they are.

Batman

At first, the Batman Returns batsuit may not look any different from the costume in the 1989 Batman film, but there are a few key differences that have been faithfully represented in this minifigure. While the figure uses the same rubbery cowl/cape mould introduced for the 1989 costume, there’s a key difference on the piece – an updated bat-symbol with fewer points on the underside. The torso is a new print as well, featuring a slightly updated belt and body-armour. Overall, this minifigure is a very accurate rendition of the costume in the movie – except for the all-white eyes, which the LEGO Group has still never swayed from.

Bruce Wayne

Here, Bruce is using a hair piece we’ve never seen on the character before – but one that is definitely fitting of Michael Keaton’s short, curly hair in the movie. While Keaton’s hair is brown, the black piece serves the overall aesthetic of the set, so it’s not too big of a deal. Interestingly, Bruce’s torso is a re-use of Old Man Marley’s in 21330 Home Alone. While he wears a lot of sweaters and a lot of blazers, Keaton’s Bruce Wayne never actually wears this grey sweater with black blazer combo in either of the films he appears in.

Bruce also holds a teacup, surely given to him by Alfred while he investigates the Penguin. With a bit of imagination, this small dish could also hold Bruce’s vichyssoise, which, as we know courtesy of Alfred, is supposed to be cold.

Alfred Pennyworth

No batcave would be complete without Alfred, Bruce’s trusty butler. Michael Gough played this quintessential character in all four of the Tim Burton and Joel Shumacher Batman movies, and this is the first time his specific version has appeared in LEGO minifigure form. The small, circular glasses and Gough’s trademark bushy eyebrows are well-represented on this minifigure, and the torso features his bowtie and white gloves. Alfred has a teapot and teacup that he can use to serve Bruce on long nights of detective work down in the cave.

Catwoman

Michelle Pfeiffer’s portrayal of Catwoman is certainly one of the most iconic versions of the character ever, largely due to the incredibly distinct costume design. For her first-ever appearance in LEGO minifigure form, she uses a regular minifigure head with the Black Panther ear piece attached – a first for Catwoman minifigures. The silver stitches are printed on the head and torso, and the leather corset features some extra grey printing to suggest shininess. And of course, she comes with a whip.

The decision not to use one of the existing Catwoman cowl pieces is a bit odd here, as the mask in the movie is very similar in shape to the original LEGO piece. Perhaps the LEGO Group wanted the iconic stitching to be printed onto a head piece rather than an extra attachment, but the end result looks slightly strange.

The Penguin

The Penguin minifigure in this set is based on a specific scene in Batman Returns. Danny Devito’s Penguin kidnaps Max Schreck and brings him to his lair, where he wears the outfit pictured above. The torso printing suggests a griminess appropriate for this version of the character, and the brown fur collar is a welcome inclusion that could also help to represent the long, mangy hair that gathers around Penguin’s shoulders. The highlight of this figure is definitely the face print, featuring his dark, sunken eyes and sharp, yellowed teeth. He carries his classic umbrella and a fish to snack on.

Max Schreck

Max Schreck, an original character for the movie portrayed by Christopher Walken, is the only truly brand-new character in this set. His minifigure is a bit of a disappointment, though, as his head is a very common ‘generic old man’ print and his torso, while new, is slightly inaccurate to the source material – featuring a regular tie instead of one of the myriad of bow ties that Schreck wears in the movie. Schreck also comes with a black cane.

Extra Batman Suit

Finally, the set includes an additional batsuit to display inside the cave. This minifigure uses the same torso as the other Batman figure included, but features a fabric cape and a brand-new dual-moulded Batman cowl piece. The dual-moulding on this piece will allow any LEGO minifigure head to be combined with the cowl and still have the white eyes, regardless of whether the head uses the traditional white stripe printed across the top. Underneath is a trans-blue head meant to represent the cowl being displayed on its own.

Now that we’ve seen all seven official LEGO Batman Returns minifigures, what do you think? Has the LEGO Group properly represented the characters from this movie? Let us know what you think!

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