The world was first introduced to the Addams Family in the late 1930s where it debuted as a comic strip. Their creepy and kooky antics soon become a television show and later a series of films. More recently the Addams Family were reimagined for a Netflix series focused on Wednesday Addams. This followed Wednesday’s time at Nevermore Academy. The show proved so successful, a second series is currently being filmed and it’s also inspired a brand new LEGO theme.
Product Details
Set Name: Wednesday Addams Figure | Set Number: 76780 | Pieces: 702 | Theme: Wednesday
Number of Bags: Bags x 7 (paper) | Instructions: Paper booklet + Builder App | Stickers: Sheet x 1 | Insiders QR: Yes
RRP: £44.99/$49.99/49.99€/79.99AUD/64.99CAD
Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online from October 1st
The Netflix take in the Addams Family sees the action moved to a school for outcasts known as Nevermore Academy. Here Wednesday’s ‘fish out of water’ story is woven with a town-wide mystery. But much of the story takes place at Nevermore, a gothic building filled with creepy architecture and shrouded in dark aura. Tim Burton oversees the series, so if you’re aware of his work then you can gauge the aesthetics of the show even without watching it. This set isn’t inspired by a particular moment from the first series it’s more inspired by the character of Wednesday and the world around her.
The set is called ‘Wednesday Addams Figure’ which does it a disservice and the set offers more than a buildable version of Wednesday, it actually features two, but more on that later. Much of the set is focused on a display stand, which is also a scene and a trinket box. A slightly odd mash-up but it works quite nicely, especially the ‘scene’ aspect of it. As you build the section of the set, the base is constructed to include two removable draws. These are found on either of the base section. Once installed and rod handle is pushed through the front of the base to lock them in place. Pulling this out allows you to open each draw. Surprisingly, the set doesn’t contain any other random things to put in the drawers. Until the leftover elements from later on in the build are meant to be placed in them. It’s a simple functional feature which adds to the charm of the set.
Once the base and draws are complete you get to add the scene on top of it and this is where things get fun. The scene is inspired by Nevermore Academy’s front gate and surrounding area, so a pair of crooked pillars frame the space left to place the buildable figure and a couple of related mini-builds. There are some great recoloured elements to be found here including smokey transparent leaves, blackbird figures and grey scorpion and skull head elements. These all elevate the set’s gothic feeling and create a place fit for Wednesday to stand. I’m not often a fan of using tubing, rods and clips to create detail in sets, as they are often flimsy and hard to position but the old Nevermore sign straddling the stone columns is nicely done and a perfect use of the elements, especially black sausage pieces. The set also features a QR code, the instructions suggest this simply leads to the digital version of the instruction, although it’s not currently active.
You add two smaller builds along with the detail built into the display scene of the stand/drawer. One is Wednesday’s typewriter, complete with a unique ‘Thing’ hand figure and the other is a Crystal Ball, which makes excellent use of Mysteros head dome. However, the same pearlescent blue element feels a little too colourful compared to the rest of the set. Once built these can be affixed to the stand via a jumper plate.
Now on the part of the set which is alluded to in the title, the Wednesday Addams figure. Both this set and one from the new Wicked theme introduce a new stylised buildable figure. They take inspiration from mini-dolls but aren’t an exact recreation of one in the same sense as some of the buildable minifigures have been. Before you build Wednesday, you have the choice to build her in her normal outfit or her prom dress as seen in the widely shared dance sequence.
Both versions share elements so cannot be built at the same time. Some parts of them are built the same so switching between versions isn’t too tricky. Whichever one you choose to build, they both offer something different the same goes for some of the new elements featured in the set.
There are two face plates which use a new one brick high roof panel, both are printed with a different expression. There’s also a new lower arm element used for all of the upcoming buildable dolls and featured in two colours for this set. Both versions are good representations of Wednesday but her prom version is slightly more impressive thanks to her skirt and how it’s built plus the recoloured transparent leaves featured on her dress. Both versions can neatly be added to the display stand.
I wasn’t sure about these new buildable dolls at first, but now I’ve built four of them, I’ve been won over. As mentioned in my review of a similar set inspired by Wicked, I’d love to see more characters recreated in this new build style. It works particularly well for the character of Wednesday. Overall, this is a unique celebration of the character and the Netflix show. I like that it’s focused just on Wednesday and not expanded to include Enid. I’d much rather have the two versions of Wednesday in place of another character. This set and others inspired by Wednesday will be available from October 1st and can be pre-ordered now.
Pre-order: UKIrelandUSCanadaMexicoGermanyFranceDenmarkAustraliaNew ZealandLEGO Group provided this set to BricksFanz for review. The thoughts within this review are those of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group or MGM. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
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