and the LEGO Club has the exclusive behind-the-bricks scoop straight from the model’s creator, LEGO designer Hans Henrik Sidenius!

Q: What scene from the movie does the new LEGO set represent?

A: In the movie, Indiana Jones and his friends travel to Pankot Palace in India to find the stolen Sankara stones. The set recreates the Temple of Doom hidden under the palace, where Indy, Short Round and Willie must get back the stones and escape from the evil priest Mola Ram and his henchmen using a runaway mine car.


Q: Since you designed it, please tell us all about the model!

A: At the top of the set is the temple where Mola Ram keeps the secret Sankara stones. When you push the back of the temple’s big skull, the “eyes” slide out to let Indy get the stones. There’s a trap door in the floor that can drop a minifigure into the mine carts below. Surrounding the temple is the underground mine track, and you can use the mine carts to travel all through the booby-trapped mine.


Q: What minifigures are included in the set?

A: The set includes Indiana Jones with new decoration (he loses his jacket and gets his shirt sleeve torn off in the movie), his kid sidekick Short Round, Willie Scott, and the evil Mola Ram with a pair of temple guards.


Q: What are some of your favorite things about the Temple of Doom set?

A: I love all the new minifigures, especially Mola Ram, who was created by graphic designer Chriss Bonven Johansen. The set has a brand new track system for LEGO rails. It was amazing and so cool when I got hold of the first new track elements from the production department. I built many different track variations, and while the set’s instructions show one way that you can build them together, you are always free to make up your own different versions. There are lots of functions along the track, too. You can block them, or release the trap in the mine tower to let the rocks fall down on the tracks…and anyone rolling on them!


Q: What’s so special about the new track pieces in this set?

A: The new track system is 6 modules wide, while the old system is 8 wide. Because it’s more narrow and includes pieces with curves and slopes, it opens up lots of new possibilities for building tracks for trains and other vehicles. You can only get the new track elements in this set!


Q: What did you do to prepare for designing the model?

A: At the start of the design process, we watched the movie and thought that the temple would make a great LEGO set. There is a lot of action that takes place underground in the film, and while the scene in the movie might seem a little scary sometimes, we wanted to make sure the set was really fun for all ages.


Q: How did you interact with Lucasfilm, which owns the Star Wars and Indiana Jones properties?

A: We took photos of the first prototype model and sent it to Lucasfilm. They loved it right away and approved us to develop it further. Then, later on in the process, we sent them images of the model, its new elements, and all of the new minifigures, and they were happy to approve those, too.


Q: Did you make any changes to your model during the design process?

A: I built several different versions of the temple in different sizes. The last change that I made was adding the stone-revealing function to the skull at the top. I love how the eyes move in and out.


Q: Was there anything that you thought you wouldn’t be able to do, but figured out anyway?

A: Yes, that happens a lot when you design LEGO sets. When you’re faced with a building challenge, you sometimes think, “How am I going to create that?” But that’s the cool thing about LEGO building. When you play around with the bricks, you can always find a way to build the ideas you have!


Q: What would you like to say to all of the LEGO Club members who are building and playing with the Temple of Doom set right now?

A: Use your imagination and have great fun!

Thanks, Hans! We’re all looking forward to seeing what LEGO adventures you build next!


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