In a nutshell: Lego is now accepting pre-orders for one of its most impressive undertakings to date. The Lego Death Star features 9,023 pieces and comes with more than three dozen minifigures. It's also the company's most expensive set ever.
Lego says the set (item number 75419) is loaded with details and Easter eggs for fans to discover. Highlights include the crushing trash compactor that trapped Rebel heroes, the hangar that Luke Skywalker and Han Solo infiltrated while dressed as Stormtroopers, Emperor Palpatine's throne room, Princess Leia's holding cell, and the Death Star's Superlaser.
There's also a functional elevator, a tractor bean control unit, and areas to recreate classic scenes from the series including Leia and Luke swinging to safety from the retractable bridge and the Obi-Wan Kenobi vs Darth Vader Lightsaber duel.
Speaking of minifigures, the set includes fan favorites such as Chewbacca, Darth Vader, two versions of Han Solo, and Princess Leia. In total, you get 38 figures to populate the diorama.
You'll need plenty of space to display the piece. Fully constructed, the diorama measures 28 inches (H) x 32 inches (W) x 11 inches (D) and is one of the largest Lego Star Wars sets ever created. It's recommended for builders ages 18 and older although with some help, I'm sure children could get just as much enjoyment out of the set as adults. Should you need additional guidance along the way, the Lego Builder app affords a 3D digital view of the model as you build.
The new Lego Death Star is available to pre-order now and is due to launch on October 4 for an eye-watering $999.99. Lego doesn't put an estimate on how long it'd take the average builder to complete the set as skill level will no doubt vary based on experience.
For reference, the largest set I've ever worked on contained nearly 4,000 pieces and took my wife and me a couple of weeks to finish, working about an hour or so a day.