How we made the Tyrannosaurus rex our most realistic fossil dinosaur set yet
From the first time it roared onto our screens way back in 1993 to the most recent evolutions of the Jurassic World franchise, the Tyrannosaurus rex has confirmed itself the King of Dinosaurs.
As we launch the LEGO® Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus rex set, our largest and most realistic fossil set yet, we’ve got an exclusive interview with set designer Benjamin Liboriussen.
So, put on your overalls, as we excavate everything you need to know about the new T. rex set.
Researching the terrifying T. rex
“I have always loved the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies,” says Benjamin. “And by doing a lot of research on these majestic creatures, I became an even bigger fan of the prehistoric giants.”
That fandom came in handy when Benjamin worked on the LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: T. rex Skull. That set, and its popularity, led to this T. rex fossil skeleton with movable joints, including the skull, jaw, posable arms and tail.
But making the set appear realistic while also trying to have it maintain a standing posture on its own presented a big design challenge.
“We knew from the beginning that making a big, thin structure made of LEGO bricks would be a challenge,” says Benjamin. “When you look at real T. rex skeletons from around the world, they use wires and metal frames to keep it standing. So, we had to use some of the same techniques and black bricks here and there for stability. The first challenge we had to solve was the head and tail. It needed to be strong and light and with no strings attached.”
As the technical challenges were solved, then came the more creative ones.
“The next challenge was the pose,” Benjamin continues. “We wanted to make the T. rex look like it was running or on a hunt. So we had to design a pose that would have the legs in an asymmetric position. To do this, we did a lot of research on the dinosaur’s bone structure.”
We’re sure that researching the bone structure of the T. rex is not something most people would associate with being a LEGO designer, but Benjamin wanted to ensure the set was accurate. Though he stopped short of basing it on any particular existing skeleton.
“There is not a specific skeleton we took inspiration from,” he says. “We see this skeleton as our own interpretation of how a T. rex skeleton made from LEGO bricks would look. In the world of paleontology, many T. rex skeletons in various sizes and various states of completeness have been found. Many are exhibited at museums and others have been 3D-scanned and analyzed in various ways. So it was amazing for us to gather so many different references and understand the general structure of the T. rex.”
Then after the set was finished came the fun part: the Easter eggs.
The secrets of the fossils
If you know anything about LEGO set designers, you will be aware that they love hiding details and Easter eggs in their sets. Benjamin is no different and has included a few surprises that we’ll share, along with a couple that we won’t.
“There is a printed 4x4 tile in the front with a skull fossilized in stone” he says. “That’s a simple Easter egg referencing the first Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossil set we made, which started the idea. And, on the information plate, we have specimen number LIH23-5987, which is a nod to LEGO Innovation House and the summer of 2023 when this set was ‘excavated.’ The rest of the number is a reference to LEGO set 5987, Dino Research Compound, which was released in 2000.”
Fans of the 1993 Jurassic Park movie will love to discover the 1x1 orange amber piece with a printed mosquito hidden in the set, as well as the accompanying minifigures of iconic characters Dr. Ellie Sattler and Dr. Alan Grant.
“There’s also a hidden Easter egg inside the torso,” says Benjamin, though he decides not to tell us what it is. “Sometimes, the small details are the biggest joy.”
A perfect gift for dinosaur lovers
Maybe you want to recreate your favorite movie scenes, maybe you’re looking for a great dinosaur-themed display, or maybe you’re after a gift for a dino-lover in your life: whatever you’re looking for, the LEGO Jurassic World Dinosaur Fossils: Tyrannosaurus rex set is sure to be a hit, so give your biggest roar and start your hunt for it today.
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