The new LEGO Project Hail Mary set might just be the best thing I’ve built all year… but I sort of wish it was something completely different.
Or I did going into it, anyway. But now that I’ve finished putting LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary together ahead of the film’s release in March, it’s actually really difficult to argue the case for a different concept and execution, because what we’ve got here is so groundbreaking, innovative and genuinely interesting. So, bittersweet news for me, but great news for anyone with their eye on this March release…
This review touches on the characters and themes of Project Hail Mary, but doesn’t spoil the book/movie beyond what’s included in the LEGO set.
11389 Project Hail Mary
Release: Mar 1, 2026
Retiring: Dec 31, 2028
Price: £99.99 / $99.99 / €109.99
Pieces: 830
Minifigures: 1
Buy now at LEGO.com
When the LEGO Group first pulled back the curtain on 11389 Project Hail Mary earlier this month, my initial reaction was… mixed. It’s a set based on a movie based on a book that I really enjoyed, and which I never thought would inspire a LEGO model, so that was good. But it’s in a format that’s never really set my world alight (microscale ships), and for me the Hail Mary itself was probably the least interesting thing about the book, where the core focus is on the characters and their interactions. So that was… less good.
What I really wanted from a LEGO Project Hail Mary set was a three-stage diorama. At one end you’ve got the interior of Ryland Grace’s ship, at the other you’ve got the interior of Rocky’s ship, and connecting them is the tunnel that’s only vaguely represented in the official LEGO set. That would have opened the door to a really fascinating build, with plenty of interesting techniques and parts usage to capture not only the two spaceship interiors but also the Xenonite wall that allows Ryland and Rocky to communicate.
It’s pretty tough to go to bat for that idea with any conviction, though, because 11389 Project Hail Mary does indeed serve up a really fascinating build with plenty of interesting techniques and parts usage. Central to the entire set is the function that allows the crew module to separate from the main spacecraft and orbit Tau Ceti (represented here by the giant lime green ring, so-coloured to reflect the planet’s atmosphere), and arriving at that endpoint has essentially turned this into a Technic set in disguise.
In fact, only one and a half of the set’s six bags are devoted to the spacecraft itself. The first builds up the almost overly-complex (or at least overly-parts-intensive) bases for Rocky and Ryland, and the next three and a half go into the Hail Mary’s stand and mechanism. If you’ve never put together a Technic set before, expect slightly sore fingers by the end of this one.
It’s totally worth it, mind, and the build does at least finish in the LEGO System comfort zone with the ship itself – which is still just as interesting to put together, although be sure to separate the printed cylindrical elements out from the plain white variants before you begin, or you may end up using the wrong ones and having to start over. I’ll let you guess how I know that.
Speaking of prints… there are no stickers in 11389 Project Hail Mary, which presumably goes some way to explaining its £99.99 / $99.99 / €109.99 price tag. The giant lime green ring and the 40 or so drum-lacquered silver 1x2 grille slopes likely contribute too, but none of those things will necessarily matter to you, the person buying this set, so it’s a tricky one to recommend at full price (especially in the UK).
Although that really depends on what you want from your LEGO, because this is one you’re not going to build once, pop on your shelf and forget about forever. Instead, you’re going to be taking it down to show off to your mum, your nan, your delivery driver, the guy bringing your Deliveroo order (other services are available), or anyone who glances in the direction of your house.
And that’s all thanks to the function I mentioned all-too-briefly further up. There’s some real technical wizardry that’s gone into this one, and while the building experience obviously benefits from it, the execution and finished product are a step above.
In a way, it’s what 11389 Project Hail Mary needed: this isn’t a ship that can trade on its own legend like the Millennium Falcon or the Enterprise. But the chance to build and toy around with such an intriguing and interesting feature will likely see it find its way into many more hands, or otherwise convince moviegoers to extend their collections to a sci-fi movie that doesn’t have decades of history (and is unlikely to generate a franchise given the book is a one-and-done story).
It does have a little more going for it in Ryland and Rocky, though – both of whom are given that extra level of detail that could only be afforded to main characters. Ryland uses a new red and pearl dark grey variant of the recent LEGO City space helmet, coupled with a red jetpack element last seen in 2020 and a brand new double-sided face print that is as spot on for Ryan Gosling as you’d expect in this medium.
Rocky, meanwhile, makes smart use of a five-pronged element introduced in Botanicals to convey his pentagonal form, with a new printed dish on top to seal the deal. A moulded version of Rocky was apparently never on the table, but it’s hard to imagine what it might have done better than this brick-built version anyway.
All things considered, 11389 Project Hail Mary has the makings of an underrated icon in the LEGO line-up, so it’ll be fascinating to see just how well it’s received when it hits shelves – and if it picks up once the movie debuts in cinemas. That’s only a few short weeks away at the time of writing, so we won’t have to wait long to find out.
Our honest opinion: 11389 Project Hail Mary combines form with function for the surprise hit of 2026 so far, although the price tag for such an unproven property may temper some of the enthusiasm.
This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.
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How long does it take to build LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary?
LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary is a surprisingly Technic-heavy build, and will take a good couple of hours to put together as a result (or maybe a bit longer if you’re not quite so experienced with Technic).
How many pieces are in LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary?
LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary includes 830 pieces, among which are a bunch of new decorated elements (there are no stickers to apply here at all) and dozens of drum-lacquered silver 1x2 grille slopes.
Does LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary include spoilers?
LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary spoils the film really no more than its trailers. If you’ve seen those, this isn’t going to tell you anything more about the story. But if you’re trying to avoid absolutely everything about the movie, well, fingers crossed you didn’t read the rest of this review first.
How much does LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary cost?
LEGO Icons 11389 Project Hail Mary retails for £99.99 in the UK, $99.99 in the US and starts at €109.99 across Europe. It hits shelves March 1 and will be available at LEGO.com and in LEGO Stores.
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