LEGO Ideas dials it back to the 1980s with a fan-designed brick-built version of Steven Spielberg’s iconic and beloved alien lifeform, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
With 21350 Jaws finally due to retire at the end of this month, it’s time for yet another cinematic Steven Spielberg creation to step into the limelight. The LEGO Ideas theme's next release is 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, its 78th set to date and a 1,226-piece take on the director’s 1982 Universal movie, with the model also based on a winning 10K submission from Richard Lemeiter (aka Lafabrick).
That particular fan design successfully secured a spot in the first LEGO Ideas review of 2025 with a much larger version of the beloved alien lifeform, one that represented a 1/3 scale build that was comprised of 2,990 pieces and stood over 30cm tall.
Despite a reduction in size and elements, 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial still manages to not only honour Lafabrick’s original model, but also faithfully captures the instantly-recognisable and organic look of one of Spielberg’s most-famous characters – a laudable achievement considering its challenging source material – and one that wholly earns its £119.99 / $139.99 / €129.99 price tag.
While some buildable LEGO figures attempt to recreate the tricky curves and shapes of their subject matter, they often lack the scope or piece count to fully do them justice. Not so with 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial though, with the LEGO Ideas design team having clearly worked hard to not only shrink Lafabrick’s model to a more reasonable size, but also smooth out and refine the appearance of the alien explorer even further.
21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial measures over 24cm tall and 19cm wide, and represents only the second time the character has been recreated in brick form to date, following an appearance as a minifigure in 2016’s 71258 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack for LEGO Dimensions.
The original look of E.T. came from Steven Spielberg's initial ideas, which were then used as a springboard by production illustrator Ed Verreaux and special effects designer Carlo Rambaldi in order to achieve the correct visual approach. The result was a unique collaborative effort that spawned an almost simian-like creature that was always intended to be neither male nor female, nor a monster.
That aesthetic can clearly be seen in 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial too, with every included element adding to the overall required shape of the character, from the curves of the alien’s bulbous head and impossibly long arms to the folds and wrinkles of its skin and stumpy feet, all of which are constructed from multiple medium nougat pieces.
21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial boasts a moveable head with opening mouth, as well as fully-articulated arms, hands, fingers, feet and toes that offer a limited range of poseability, such as being able to hold the set’s brick-built flowerpot accessory or pushing one foot forward to simulate E.T.'s unique way of walking. Unfortunately, Lafabrick’s telescoping neck didn’t make the cut on the final LEGO Ideas design, but it doesn’t feel like a feature that’s obviously missing once you’ve fully assembled E.T.
It’s also possible to swap around the various pieces used for E.T.’s arms, elbows and shoulders to create different poses for the character’s arms, with a sturdy new shoulder element coming into play in order to ensure maximum stability when moving and posing the alien’s long, slender limbs.
While the fan design incorporated simple black and white eyes, 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial boasts two unique printed pieces that reflect the correct blue hue of the character’s distinctive eyes, which were originally based on those of scientist Albert Einstein, writer Ernest Hemmingway and poet Carl Sandburg.
What’s also to be applauded is the inclusion of a battery-powered red light brick in the LEGO Ideas set, which can be activated by pressing down on a switch on the creature's back, with the result being a pleasing glow from E.T’s chest. Sadly, that functionality doesn’t extend to the alien’s healing finger, which instead is represented by a trans-red element that does the trick well enough. “Ouch.”
There are more surprises to be found within 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial too, as the front of the build can be easily removed, revealing a horizontal interior framework that houses a red telephone piece and a microscale recreation of the spaceship that brought E.T. and his fellow travellers to Earth.
The only real missed opportunity with the latest LEGO Ideas set is the lack of an accompanying E.T. minifigure, whether that would have involved using the mould for 71258 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack (if it still even exists) or creating a new version of the character, but it’s not really a deal-breaker.
For nostalgic fans of the ’80s or those just discovering Steven Spielberg’s classic sci-fi blockbuster for the first time, 21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial represents an absolute must-have. The LEGO Ideas model is reasonably priced, features enough functionality and extras to justify its price of admission and successfully translates the look of one of cinema’s most ionic creations into a brick-built triumph.
21370 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial will launch on August 1 and is available to pre-order right now, with the LEGO Ideas set priced at £119.99 in the UK, $139.99 in the US and €129.99 in Europe.
This LEGO set was provided by the LEGO Group for review purposes.
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