First Look: LEGO WALL-E Set Coming This December

In February, LEGO announced that a LEGO-built model of the lovable, titular robot from Pixar's WALL-E, designed by Pixar employee Angus MacLane, would be coming to stores later this year. MacLane designed and built the model while working on the actual WALL-E film and uploaded it to LEGO Ideas, a site where fans can share their own LEGO creations and, potentially, have them made into real LEGO sets.

The WALL-E model was approved by LEGO in February, and today we have our first official look at the finished product that will be on store shelves by Christmas. The model has been tweaked here and there from its original design to meet LEGO'S standards, and now even includes the iconic plant from the film. It will retail for approximately $40 and is expected to be released in early December, according to Smyths Toys. An official statement from LEGO regarding the pricing and release date of the set should be coming in the next few weeks, if not within the next couple of days.

I, for one, being both a huge LEGO fanatic and a Pixar aficionado, will be picking this set up the instant I see it. It's a must-have for fans of the beloved film and the studio, no doubt.

Look forward to getting your grabby paws all over a LEGO WALL-E this winter.

LEGO WALL-E Set Approved for Production

If you're a LEGO fan, you have likely heard of the website LEGO Ideas, formerly known as LEGO CUUSOO. The site allows builders around the world to submit their own ideas for potential LEGO sets. If their creation garners 10,000 supporters, it advances to the lengthy review stage, during which LEGO painstakingly examines the set to determine whether or not it is apt for mass production. In late 2013, Pixar employee Angus MacLane submit a LEGO model of Pixar's own WALL-E to LEGO Ideas, which reached 10,000 supporters this past summer.

WALL-E director Andrew Stanton poses with MacLane's model

Those familiar with Pixar and its employees will know that MacLane, director of  Pixar shorts BURN-E and Small Fry, as well as 2013's Toy Story television special Toy Story of Terror, is a huge LEGO buff - he even snuck in a LEGO Bunny of his own design into the aforementioned TV special. He built the WALL-E model while actually working on the film WALL-E way back in 2005 - almost a decade ago! After having met the required number of supporters on LEGO Ideas, the project entered the review stage, which takes several months, in July. Today, the LEGO Group announced which of the eight sets that were being reviewed up until now will be coming to stores. Rejoice, for WALL-E has emerged victorious!

Watch the official announcement video here:

According to LEGO, the pricing and release date, as well as the finalized design for the model, are currently being worked on, but expect this delightful plastic brick-built interpretation of the curious little robot to hit store shelves sometime next year, if not this year. Being both a big Pixar and LEGO fan myself, I was thrilled to hear this news and will be picking up the set as soon as it arrives.

Congratulations to the insanely ingenious Angus MacLane! If you're interested on some more background info on his WALL-E model, head on over to The Brothers Brick for a nearly seven-year-old interview with the man himself, and be sure to support his other project on LEGO Ideas - a 100% screen-accurate replica of the LEGO Bunny seen in Toy Story of Terror!