Lord of the Rings Ongoing Discussion

[kuzyabricks]

Balrog bookend coming in June 2025. A bit hesitant with this…

[Black Falcon]

47 minutes ago, kuzyabricks said:

Balrog bookend coming in June 2025. A bit hesitant with this…

Source?

Bookends probably is something noone had on the list. Wonder if (if it is true) one bookend has a Balrog and the other Gandalf.

[Lordhelmet]

50 minutes ago, kuzyabricks said:

Balrog bookend coming in June 2025. A bit hesitant with this…

Where did you see this?  hopefully we get a really good model in a diorama style that scales with a mini figure as part of a bookend.  Getting a Balrog inspired book end would be disappointing (given the lack of overall sets).  Although I do love the idea, and would be very excited if this was part of even a small line of sets.

[Black Falcon]

1 minute ago, Lordhelmet said:

Where did you see this?  hopefully we get a really good model in a diorama style that scales with a mini figure as part of a bookend.  Getting a Balrog inspired book end would be disappointing (given the lack of overall sets).  Although I do love the idea, and would be very excited if this was part of even a small line of sets.

It was posted on the legoleaks reddit, with two sources, so I guess we will get it. Honestly, not that thrilled about it, since many parts will go into the bookends, which just makes the set more expensive. Though just the Balrog on one end and Gandalf on the other would probably look pretty boring so I am sure they will make the bookends look like walls of the cave for instance. Will judge it when we get the pictures for it.

[Lordhelmet]

Just now, Black Falcon said:

It was posted on the legoleaks reddit, with two sources, so I guess we will get it. Honestly, not that thrilled about it, since many parts will go into the bookends, which just makes the set more expensive. Though just the Balrog on one end and Gandalf on the other would probably look pretty boring so I am sure they will make the bookends look like walls of the cave for instance. Will judge it when we get the pictures for it.

just found it.  It says book nook on the one I saw, so I am assuming it is a small box for a book shelf (like the bat cave shadow box) just with the scene.  It could be interesting, hoping the Balrog looks good.  I also saw $120 listed which is refreshing to have something cheaper for LOTR.  I will buy it to complete the LOTR sets, but am really hoping to start getting normal sets.  I think the bookend/booknook idea is good, but when there are no regular sets all the good ideas seem lacking.  

[RichardGoring]

A book nook is a great idea for this! I was very tempted to make Diagon Alley into a book nook, which would involve knocking through a wall, but it would be doable.

It could work really well, although there's a chance that the Balrog will only be 2.5D if they do it like this (in that some of it could be in the flat background and only partially projecting out).

The $120 price point seems like it could be a decent sized model, although if it's fully enclosed, it may suffer from the same size : expense ratio as the Batcave shadowbox.

[THELEGOBATMAN]

Well, that's definitely an idea...

Yeah, not sure what I think about that. It feels like a very specific niche for a set to fill—it'll look really stupid on its own, probably even worse than the Batcave Shadow Box. Not to happy with that.

[MAB]

11 hours ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

Hard disagree. LOTR definitely has more location options overall. But I do agree that a lot of them can’t easily be done without being really expensive, but it’s not impossible 

Notice that I said possible locations FOR SETS and the style of the set depends on who is buying them. Remember for the original sets, there were complaints about Weathertop being too small and the Mines of Moria not being mines but just a wall. The problem with a lot of LOTR scenes is that they are large and would need to be done at large scale, especially if aimed at adults. I don't think there would be a continued market for Rivendell or Barad-Dur sized sets, or even half that size, when the locations become less important or even recognizable, especially if done at smaller scale. They could do the Council of Elrond style sets instead of Rivendell, but they would probably lose adult buyers without gaining younger buyers. If they did lots of smaller LOTR sets I imagine they would become minifigure packs with grey/tan/green bricks without really doing the scenes any justice with just a little bit of rock or a bit of tree. In a sense, HP sets are a bit like that but with a lot of child interest LEGO can get away with it as the audience is frequently cycled as they grow up. Whereas adult collectors tend to remain. For the first rounds, that is great for minifig collectors but soon becomes tedious if they repeat the same characters in the same outfits. HP and SW can get away with it. A few characters (or the full Fellowship) outside the gates of Moria is going to be a very similar set to inside the mines, at the bridge, or on the mountain (Fellowship minus one, of course). Those sets would need to be about the location rather than the figures and doing lots of ~500 piece sets would not give any detail and looks very random if all sets are displayed together. Again this is more a problem of the audience, adults buying all sets, rather than children that get a few.

9 hours ago, kuzyabricks said:

Balrog bookend coming in June 2025. A bit hesitant with this…

It wouldn't surprise me at all. It is a way of making a smaller display set for adults rather than a smaller playset as (as we all know!) adults don't play with their sets. It also sounds a bit like the Disney Villain Icons set, that was essentially a display statue.

[Artanis I]

I will have to see it to decide whether I would be interested or not. If the balrog is somewhat to system scale, I shall not pass. But if it's 100% some art piece, I don't have room for all the Lego I already have and I WILL pass, thank-you Gandalf.

 

I still haven't made it around to buying Barad-Dur. (I passed on Rivendell besides)

[Agent Kallus]

I think this could turn out pretty great. It's basically just a narrow diorama (and it might open up) I just hope the Balrog looks great. Minifig scaled or not, I have an Army of Gandalf the Grey so I'll put one with it if one's not included. I do have a tonne of books so I might actually display this among them as intended.

 

Edited December 1, 2024 by Agent Kallus

[sahidko]

I will reserve my judgement until I see it, but man, why can't we just get a normal set? :D

[THELEGOBATMAN]

Just now, sahidko said:

I will reserve my judgement until I see it, but man, why can't we just get a normal set? :D

Right? It just feels like LEGO is going out of their way *not* to make a regular LotR set.

The D2Cs are great and all, but a booknook? Come on, this is basically a regular set sold as a stupid gimmick. Why can't they just make a diorama or something...

[Lordhelmet]

19 minutes ago, THELEGOBATMAN said:

The D2Cs are great and all, but a booknook? Come on, this is basically a regular set sold as a stupid gimmick. Why can't they just make a diorama or something...

I like the book  nook idea.  Very fitting for Tolkien fans (beyond Lego fans) but it is also a cool concept and is not crazy expensive.  I agree with your sentiment though as there are no standard sets or even dioramas which we all desperately want, it seems like a miss.  If this was part of a wave of five or six sets it would feel like a cool additional idea, but we haven’t gotten a standard balrog yet, any Gondor, missing lots of characters, etc. so it is a let down.

Lego needs to do some standard sets for LOTR and at this point I’m hoping we will get some hunt for gollum sets in 2026 with some older ones sprinkled in.

 

 

[brimbolet]

Very interesting how the Lego booknook subtheme will turn out. Perfect for recreating indoor LOTR settings etc...

However it's basically an expensive diorama with additional parts "wasted" for the sides and an unnecessary top. Minifigs are for me (usually) the most important factor for buying a set. I don't want a micro scale Moria without orcs.

For 120$ we'll get ca. 1300 pieces; a new mold for the Balrog is highly unlikely but if it's not even something like the brick built Surtur form Marvel then I'll pass, even though the price range for a LOTR set is acceptable for a change.

[MAB]

10 minutes ago, brimbolet said:

Minifigs are for me (usually) the most important factor for buying a set.

Let's face it, if there is a minifigure with this set then it is going to be a repeat of Gandalf.

[brimbolet]

4 minutes ago, MAB said:

Let's face it, if there is a minifigure with this set then it is going to be a repeat of Gandalf.

Yes of course but what about the Balrog? Hopefully not something like the Mona Lisa...

[Dr.Cogg]

I think for me the minimum this set has to have is Gandalf, a good Balrog and maybe the bridge. 

[Balrogofmorgoth]

Very hesitant about the book nook idea. If it’s still a normal set with a good Balrog build and minifigs but just usable as a book nook then I’m all for it. But if it’s some weird stylized gimmicky BS then it’s a massive L

[lego_guyon02]

Finally getting a set based on Gandalf vs Durin's Bane sounds like a dream in theory but in the context of a booknook I assume the Balrog will be similar to that Spider-Man Art set where he's mostly 2D but his head and arm(s) are sticking out. If that's the case I really have no interest in this set if I'm honest, especially at $120. 

[Blazej_Holen]

I am confused about the reasons why Lego wont make a regular line of sets - playsets or dioramas. Just why??? They have to know that AFOL community craves for them, yet they come out with some nonsense subtheme…

It better to be good. 

[Khargeust]

28 minutes ago, Blazej_Holen said:

I am confused about the reasons why Lego wont make a regular line of sets - playsets or dioramas. Just why??? They have to know that AFOL community craves for them, yet they come out with some nonsense subtheme…

Dioramas like the ones from Star Wars line with premium prices maybe, but playsets no. Simply because there is currently no demand from the young audience. The hype aimed at children for The Hobbit trilogy is dead. The children of 2012-2014 are now adults. There would never have been LOTR playsets if the Hobbit trilogy had not seen the light of day.

LEGO has today obviously so much more interest in producing large, expensive and collector sets, because potential customers are exclusively adults. I sincerely regret this and hope that there can be a renewed interest from the new generation so that we can have playsets. But in this perspective one has to generate demand. How ? Maybe thanks to future films? I doubt it because they will never have the popular impact of Jackson's trilogies.

I hope I'm wrong.

Edited December 1, 2024 by Khargeust

[Balrogofmorgoth]

36 minutes ago, Khargeust said:

Dioramas like the ones from Star Wars line with premium prices maybe, but playsets no. Simply because there is currently no demand from the young audience. The hype aimed at children for The Hobbit trilogy is dead. The children of 2012-2014 are now adults. There would never have been LOTR playsets if the Hobbit trilogy had not seen the light of day.

LEGO has today obviously so much more interest in producing large, expensive and collector sets, because potential customers are exclusively adults. I sincerely regret this and hope that there can be a renewed interest from the new generation so that we can have playsets. But in this perspective one has to generate demand. How ? Maybe thanks to future films? I doubt it because they will never have the popular impact of Jackson's trilogies.

I hope I'm wrong.

No one can convince me there isn’t a young audience for it. It’s a false assumption on the part of lego. I have kids who love it and know plenty of other piers whose kids love it. Especially with Rings of Power out now. And even the ones that don’t know the LOTR franchise very well love forts and dragons and creatures and sword fights and bows and arrows and horses, etc. It’s a slam dunk right now, and a missed opportunity 

[Cyprinus]

I'm sure you know far better than lego does and only that is why we don't have lotr and castle lines aimed at kid, but instead get ninjago, dreamzzz and such.

[Balrogofmorgoth]

5 minutes ago, Cyprinus said:

I'm sure you know far better than lego does and only that is why we don't have lotr and castle lines aimed at kid, but instead get ninjago, dreamzzz and such.

Idk about Dreamzzz but they definitely like Ninjago lol

[hikouki]

4 hours ago, brimbolet said:

Yes of course but what about the Balrog? Hopefully not something like the Mona Lisa...

 

3 hours ago, Dr.Cogg said:

I think for me the minimum this set has to have is Gandalf, a good Balrog and maybe the bridge. 

 

2 hours ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

Very hesitant about the book nook idea. If it’s still a normal set with a good Balrog build and minifigs but just usable as a book nook then I’m all for it. But if it’s some weird stylized gimmicky BS then it’s a massive L

I am hoping that the Balrog build will be substantial. I do wonder if they will include other minifigs other than Gandalf?