Based on Tim Burton's Batman Returns, the Batcave Shadow Box is loaded with surprises, including a Batmobile, seven minifigures, and a bunch of interactive contraptions.
Tim Burton's take on Batman with his 1989 movie remains a singular view of the Caped Crusader that mixes gritty realism, goth spookiness, and an undercurrent of camp. All those elements are heightened in Batman Returns, Burton's 1992 sequel, and are captured in Lego's Batcave Shadow Box--an intricately designed model of Batman's inner sanctum from the film. Lego is "retiring" the set, which means it'll be discontinued from production, so if you're looking to nab it, now's the time. It's likely that production has already ceased, and Lego is merely clearing out its remaining inventory.
At $400, the Batcave has been the most expensive Batman Lego set in production since launching last year, but it's also the most elaborate building kit featuring the Caped Crusader.
Exclusive to the Lego Store, the Batcave Shadow Box is 3,981 pieces and includes seven minifigures: Batman (x2), Bruce Wayne, Alfred, Catwoman, The Penguin, and Max Shreck, but it's the presentation that sets it apart. The shadow box approach presents the set in different ways: You can keep the box closed for a view into the cave through the Batman logo, or open it up to create a larger, interactive diorama of the Caped Crusader's secret lair.
There are a whole lot of Easter Eggs and references to the film to make the Batcave itself pretty interesting and evocative. For instance, you can build the full Batmobile from the film, there's a locker with Batman's weapons inside, the Batsuit vault can light up, and you can change the images on the Batcomputer to simulate Bruce Wayne's search for information on the supervillains.
If you want to see the interactive components in motion, you can take a tour of the Batcave led by the set's designer below. And if you're interested in rewatching Burton's Batman movies, Batman (1989) and Batman Returns are available on 4K Blu-ray for $25 each for a limited time at Amazon. Alternatively, you can get a four-movie 4K box set featuring Burton's films as well as Batman Forever (1995) and Batman & Robin (1997) for $48. A new novel called Batman Resurrection will be published on October 15 and takes place directly after the 1989 film.
If you miss out on the Batcave Shadow Box or don't want to drop $400 on one set, there are a ton of other cool Batman Lego builds. One notable set is the Classic TV Series Batmobile, recreating the car from the 1966 show that featured Adam West and Burt Ward as the Dynamic Duo. You can preorder the 1,822-piece kit from Amazon for $150--it releases on October 1. If you'd like to watch the series while building the car, you can pick up Batman: The Complete Television Series for $56 (was $90) on Blu-ray at Amazon.
If you're in the market for a Batman Lego kit that's more akin to the Shadow Box as a piece of art, you should check out Batman: The Animated Series Gotham City set. Drawing from the iconic animated show, it's more like a piece of wall art than a play set, and it looks pretty amazing. It includes 4,210 pieces and is available at Amazon for $300. You could probably make it through a decent chunk of Batman: The Complete Animated Series on Blu-ray, which is on sale for $48, while building the skyline. It's the largest Batman Lego set currently in production.
Amazon has a lot of other Batman Lego sets available and on sale, so check out the complete list below.
In addition to the aforementioned Batman Blu-ray collections, you can save on other live-action and animated box sets starring DC's iconic superhero.