Watched a lot of Netflix Originals lately? Made a lot of LEGO? You’re not alone. All this extra time at home has driven everyone to obsess over old and new pastimes alike.
In fact, fan fiction is the lockdown equivalent of cave painting. Our cave-dwelling ancestors painted their walls with scenes from their daily lives – but today’s daily life involves more binging on prestige series and serials than hunting wild beasts.
We at TheToyZone are no strangers to the art of fan fiction. We made Polly Pockets of iconic TV homes. We fawned over classic album covers recreated in LEGO. And now we’ve clicked the two ideas together to recreate scenes from the best Netflix Originals as LEGO screengrabs.
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
How We Did It
First, we re-created the chosen scenes using Studio 2.0 software, which includes a complete library of LEGO bricks and effects. Next, we debugged the designs in specialized 3D software and added details, including objects missing from Studio 2.0. With the models correctly shaped and in place, we used vector design software to add texture to the all-important costumes.
The design was in 3D, which meant that we could position the virtual camera to match the depth, angle, and even camera lens to those chosen by the shows’ cinematographers. After exporting these images, we used photo retouching software to correct the filters, image temperature, contrast and clarity, just like Netflix’s post-production team.
We’ve included a count of the bricks used and the price if you wanted to buy all the LEGO pieces to create the scenes from BrickLink (prices vary day to day and depend upon what seller you buy from). Some of our scenes are much more expensive than others because we had to use rare pieces to get them just right.
Can you find your favorite show all bricked-up below?
Image Credit: Netflix.
1. The Queen’s Gambit (“Doubled Pawns”)
Anya Taylor-Joy stars in the coming-of-age chess drama you didn’t know you needed. And, fresh off the heels of unexpected hit status and Golden Globes for best show and best actress, The Queen’s Gambit is about to become the Broadway show you’ve been saving your best outfit for.
Image Credit: Netflix / The Toy Zone.
The Recreation
Our AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego) picks up the action in the third episode, when precocious anti-hero Beth Harmon comes up against chess prodigy Benny Watts – and faces a surprising result.
You will need:
- 19 types of brick
- 214 bricks in total
- Cost of bricks: $76.62 / £55.20
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
2. Tiger King (“Playing with Fire”)
Life has moved pretty fast for Joe Exotic since the zookeeper and former presidential candidate was filmed for the hit documentary of 2020. He’s gone to jail, become a Netflix poster boy, and – uh – stayed in prison.
Image Credit: Netflix / The Toy Zone.
The Recreation
We had to piece together the king’s throne from scratch, as there was no ‘out of the box’ solution that looked quite right. It will be good to see Joe Exotic back on that throne, even if the only tigers he’s allowed will be made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene!
You will need:
- 142 types of brick
- 1380 bricks in total
- Cost of bricks: $839.92 / £605.13
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
3. The Crown (“Gold Stick”)
It’s the show you can’t tell your buddies you watch. The Crown has traced Queen Elizabeth II’s story from her 1947 wedding to the disintegration of Prince Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana, and there are still two seasons to go. Maybe more if the abolition of the monarchy is dramatic enough.
Image Credit: Netflix / The Toy Zone.
The Recreation
We’ve picked Olivia Colman as Her Maj in the fourth season opener for the LEGO treatment. But just because we managed the ceremonial look with the existing bricks doesn’t mean a LEGO British Pageantry set is not a good idea.
You will need:
- 122 types of brick
- 2921 bricks in total
- Cost of bricks: $989.79 / £713.11
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
4. The Witcher (“Of Banquets, B******* and Burials”)
Admit it: you’re impressed we got The Witcher’s hedgehog man in. The fourth episode of the sword-and-sorcery show took weird to a new level and threw down the gauntlet to die-hard Game of Thrones fans. Who says The Witcher is a cheap cash-in on the ‘beardy men with swords’ zeitgeist?
Image Credit: Netflix / The Toy Zone.
The Recreation
If you can tear your eyes away from the ungodly beast on the floor, you’ll spot Geralt of Rivia stepping in to protect the hedgehog man (Duny) from Calanthe’s soldiers. Does Duny’s ‘hair’ look familiar? We borrowed it from The LEGO Batman Movie Collectible Minifigure Series and changed it to a shade of Erinaceinae brown.
You will need:
- 131 types of brick
- 1832 bricks in total
- Cost of bricks: $680.80 / £490.49
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
5. Russian Doll (Nothing in This World Is Easy and again and again…)
You might recognize this scene from the first episode of Russian Doll. But you might recognize it from just about any other episode of Russian Doll.
[Slight Spoiler Alert!]
The 2019 series borrowed the Groundhog Day structure of a character trapped in a recurring moment of their life and transplanted it to the environs of a New York City thirty-something loft party.
Image Credit: Netflix / The Toy Zone.
The Recreation
Every time that Nadia (the show’s co-creator, Natasha Lyonne) perishes and regenerates, she finds herself in her friend Maxine’s bathroom. A bathroom so cool it is equally desirable in film set or LEGO form.
You will need:
- 72 types of brick
- 407 bricks in total
- Cost of bricks: $53.04 / £38.21
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
6. Bridgerton (“Diamond of the First Water”)
Netflix’s Hollywood-esque British Regency show adds pizzazz, diversity, and imagination to a tired format. The first episode closes with Simon and Daphne rejoining the latest society ball and dancing provocatively to present the illusion that they are an item.
Image Credit: Netflix / The Toy Zone.
The Recreation
This one took some ingenuity to recreate with LEGO. Our designer used illuminated plant leaf pieces and Belville Ice Crystals to conjure the fireworks effect in the background. The crystals were first seen in LEGO sets such as The Royal Crystal Palace and Queen Rose and the Little Prince Charming, so they are well suited to such classy surroundings.
You will need:
- 81 types of brick
- 2142 bricks in total
- Cost of bricks: $464.85 / £334.91
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
7. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (“Chapter Eleven: A Midwinter’s Tale”)
Sabrina is back and star of the only show in our project to have been sued by the Satanic Temple activist group. We’ve opted not to reproduce the statue of Baphomet in our eleventh-episode séance scene, not because we couldn’t – but because we don’t want the Satanic Temple on our backs.
Image Credit: Netflix / The Toy Zone.
The Recreation
However, we’ve included Sabrina’s up-to-the-minute white-hot hair job from the episode, as well as a goblet more commonly seen with R2-D2.
You will need:
- 167 types of brick
- 933 bricks in total
- Cost of bricks: $287.30 / £206.99
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
8. Cobra Kai (“Quiver”)
Three decades on from Daniel LaRusso’s showdown with Johnny Lawrence, the boys of Karate Kid face each other again as dissatisfied middle-aged men. Thankfully, there are a load of hot-headed kids and some wrongs that need righting in the mix, too. Three series in, Cobra Kai has thrilled a whole new generation with the Miyagi-Verse.
Image Credit: Netflix / The Toy Zone.
The Recreation
“I see losers, I see nerds,” Johnny tells his dojo in episode six. “But, in my short time as a sensei, I’ve also seen some miracles.” Eli’s mohawk is present, but most evocative is how the bully Johnny still strikes fear. Can he be redeemed?
You will need:
- 167 types of brick
- 933 bricks in total
- Cost of bricks: $125.85 / £90.67
Image Credit: Roman Ramirez / The Toy Zone.
Wondering how we made these LEGO recreations?
Our designer for this project was Roman Ramirez. Roman’s first step was to create the scene using Studio 2.0 software, which includes a complete library of all Lego pieces, colors, shapes, patterns, and other details. These pieces are assembled using grids, so we can be sure that the pieces will be able to connect in the real world with official Lego pieces.
For the next step, Roman exported these elements to specialized 3D software to debug and detail the 3D models, and to create the objects that could not be found in the Studio 2.0 library.
Once each model had the right shape and proportion, Roman created the clothing texture with a program specialized in vector design, then integrated the texture into the designs. When the textures and figures have the right appearance, Roman places the virtual camera carefully to match the depth blur, shot angle, and camera lens from the original Netflix image.
As the final step, Roman created the renders and exported them to a photo retouching program to correct the photo filters, image temperature, white correction, contrast, and image clarity.
Related:
- 42 hobbies that can actually make you money
- Like to stream? Here’s how to get a free Netflix account
This article
originally appeared on TheToyZone.com and was
syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: Ekaterina79 / iStock.
