LEGO Icons 10391 Over the Moon with Pharrell Williams review

Pharrell's brick-built accompaniment to his LEGO biopic is a mishmash of buildable elements and ideas – but how well do they come together?

After a few weeks on shelves, the dust has settled from 10391 Over the Moon with Pharrell Williams's take-off onto LEGO shelves. With Piece by Piece in US cinemas, now is the time to decide whether you need the accompanying LEGO set to round off the musician's brick-built adventure.

We've got our hands on the 966-piece set – but will its rainbow stand send it to heaven or come crashing back down to the buildable clouds of smoke?

Release: September 20, 2024 Price: £94.99 / $109.99 / €109.99 Pieces: 966 Minifigures: 2 LEGO: Order now

Pharrell’s concept is random yet charming

Most people’s reactions to 10391 Over the Moon with Pharrell Williams when it was first revealed were likely intrigued and confused – and the more explanations we got about the LEGO Icons set, the deeper those feelings went. It’s a creative set that feels as though Pharrell had a brainstorming session, pitched it to the LEGO Group, and the designers simply said, "Let’s do it."

Designer George Gilliatt says the team actually went through a bunch of different concepts, but regardless, 10391 Over the Moon with Pharrell Williams is certainly a mishmash of elements that need clarification about Pharrell’s personal history to understand (with references to his childhood and inspired by his desire for everyone to dream big).

Nonetheless, once you’re faced with the set up close, it’s hard to deny that it just works. After all, isn’t LEGO all about doing weird and wonderful things with bricks? 10391 Over the Moon with Pharrell Williams certainly does that and incorporates elements that a lot of LEGO fans of all kinds will love, whether that’s a quirky space build, a dynamic display, or stocking up on minifigure elements. 

An admirable idea — but not necessarily practical

Speaking about the heads… the abacus of minifigure heads was born out of wanting anyone and everyone to see themselves in the set, expanding the vision beyond just Pharrell and his background.

How many people are really going to swap out all the heads? For minifigure collectors, it’s undoubtedly a goldmine and the diversity should be applauded. But once you’ve swapped out the minifigure heads a few times, realistically you’re probably going to end up pushing the abacus to the back of a shelf – or simply tipping the heads into your LEGO storage for future builds.

The idea is certainly appealing when you have it spelt out. Pharrell’s motivation to have everyone see themselves in 10391 Over the Moon with Pharrell Williams is an admirable ethos but one that doesn’t necessarily carry over into practical use. The vast majority of typical LEGO builders aren’t going to use more than a few of those heads – but they’re certainly nice to have.

Could the admittedly high price have been cut down without the heads? Perhaps, but then it would also have lost some of the meaning and thought that Pharrell and his team have clearly put into the set. Plus, it’s the closest we’re ever likely to get to a Game of Thrones LEGO set, so we’ll take it and be grateful.

Striking on display

Thankfully, the rest of the LEGO Icons set is striking enough that you’ll probably forget your potential confusion over the abacus of heads. The buildable rocket clicks securely into its rainbow stand for a striking display but also works nicely for play, with detachable wheels for it to ‘land’ on.

The gold cockpit matches the visors on the astronaut’s helmets, connecting the rocket to the otherwise entirely separate minifigure head and accessories. It opens up on a hinge, so you can easily take the two minifigures in and out – as well as swap out the heads at your leisure, until that gimmick wears off.

There are some creative building techniques to create the billowing clouds at the base, for an end effect that is just as effective when viewed up close as it is from afar – something you can’t say about every LEGO set.

All in all, 10391 Over the Moon with Pharrell Williams is impeccably detailed and will stand out in any display, while also offering some engaging play possibilities when disconnected from the rainbow base.

This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.

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Honest opinion: A surprisingly engaging set that packs a punch on display – even if the heads get a bit lost.