Lord of the Rings Ongoing Discussion

[Balrogofmorgoth]

I don’t think many people realize how many variations of the main characters there actually are…a plethora of beautiful outfits, it would never get boring. It’s not like the collectibility stops at one variant of a character. Lego minifigures have never worked like that. And actually, looking at Harry Potter in particular, there are many side characters included so the argument really doesn’t stand anyway. But, the whole point would be for a CMF to compliment a line of sets, not stand alone as the only LOTR thing.

Edited August 3, 2023 by Balrogofmorgoth

[hikouki]

6 hours ago, brimbolet said:

With The Rings of Power and War of the Rohirrim we get TWO Middle Earth shows in 2024! I think Lego could easily pick 12 figures for a CMF line that wouldn't include the characters from the fellowship!

I thought Lego does not have licensing rights for ROP? Only the movies?

[wesker]

15 hours ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

With the Icons prices leaked, none of them could possibly be Barad-Dûr. So yeah I’m nervous for LOTR 

Surely that can't be all the Icons sets coming in the first quarter. Where is the next modular building that normally releases every January?

[hikouki]

17 hours ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

With the Icons prices leaked, none of them could possibly be Barad-Dûr. So yeah I’m nervous for LOTR 

 

1 hour ago, wesker said:

Surely that can't be all the Icons sets coming in the first quarter. Where is the next modular building that normally releases every January?

Wouldn’t large D2Cs be kept under tight wraps til close to release date?

[MAB]

1 hour ago, hikouki said:

 

Wouldn’t large D2Cs be kept under tight wraps til close to release date?

They don't appear in retailer catalogues, if that is where the leaked set numbers have come from.

[Balrogofmorgoth]

4 hours ago, MAB said:

They don't appear in retailer catalogues, if that is where the leaked set numbers have come from.

That is a really good point

[Lordhelmet]

9 hours ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

That is a really good point

So most likely, the best shot we have of getting another LOTR set is one large D2C set again, considering all of the 2024 leaks with no news of LOTR. Unless we are pleasantly surprised with a new leak of 3-5 sets (including 1 or 2 battle packs) and a CMF line :) for good measure.

[Balrogofmorgoth]

38 minutes ago, Lordhelmet said:

So most likely, the best shot we have of getting another LOTR set is one large D2C set again, considering all of the 2024 leaks with no news of LOTR. Unless we are pleasantly surprised with a new leak of 3-5 sets (including 1 or 2 battle packs) and a CMF line :) for good measure.

The CMF line is definitely wishful thinking on our part, and would be extremely unlikely to ever happen. A wave of sets is more than reasonable and they would be foolish not to do it at this point. But it seems if it’s going to happen in 2024, it’ll be in 2HY otherwise we likely would have heard about it by now 

[Balrogofmorgoth]

It would be such a smart move for lego to release Last Alliance battle packs alongside the Barad-Dûr set. 

[Lordhelmet]

19 hours ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

It would be such a smart move for lego to release Last Alliance battle packs alongside the Barad-Dûr set. 

What a great idea, and crazy opportunity (like the AT-AT with the snow trooper battle pack), but they may sell x5 what it took to fill an ATAT to everyone buying Barad Dur

[Balrogofmorgoth]

25 minutes ago, Lordhelmet said:

What a great idea, and crazy opportunity (like the AT-AT with the snow trooper battle pack), but they may sell x5 what it took to fill an ATAT to everyone buying Barad Dur

I still don’t think it’ll happen. But ideally I picture three battle packs. An Orc pack, a Númenorean pack, and a Noldorin Elven Warrior pack. The only problem is that we still wouldn’t have the main heroes from the scene. I’ve always thought they should turn a Barad-Dûr set into a Last Alliance set and then have battle packs with it. So instead of Sauron, some Orcs, Frodo and Sam it would include Sauron, Gil-Galad, Elrond, Elendil, Isildur, and some Orcs. And then the battle packs to broaden it out. 
Heck, be generous, throw Frodo and Sam in there too. Licensed D2Cs have included characters from multiple points in the story’s timeline before

Edited August 12, 2023 by Balrogofmorgoth

[JimBaggins]

On 8/2/2023 at 6:01 PM, Balrogofmorgoth said:

I don’t think many people realize how many variations of the main characters there actually are…a plethora of beautiful outfits, it would never get boring. It’s not like the collectibility stops at one variant of a character. Lego minifigures have never worked like that. 

I can think of a bunch of amazing and useful variety of almost all the fellowship. Orc Frodo+Sam, Rohan Merry, Gondor Pippin (hobbits would include new color dual molded hobbit legs, such as black,.gunmetal grey, d. tan), Updated ranger Aragon (dual molded arms/legs, printed bracer, cloak) or King Elessar, Gondorian armor Boromir (with printed chest plate and torso; this + Pippin and potentially Elessar would allow for 3 or 4 Gondorian soldier variants), Updated Gandalf the white, Helms Deep armor Legolas (with accurate knife molds, dual molding). Only one I can't think of something for is Gimli. 

The last 3 slots could be filled with characters like Faramir, Eowyn (with a nice dress, leaving durnhelm for a pelennor fields diorama) and then maybe Denethor, Tom Bombadil, updated Galadriel,  Butterbur... Or even Gothmog 😅

Of course this is 100% wishful thinking and wouldn't meet Legos' gender equality standards or marketability. But fun to imagine nontheless

[QuiggoldsPegLeg]

50 minutes ago, JimBaggins said:

Of course this is 100% wishful thinking and wouldn't meet Legos' gender equality standards or marketability. 

Lego has made plenty of sets based off of things like Indiana Jones or the Star Wars original trilogy this year, which are both just as (if not more) lacking than LOTR when it comes to gender diversity. Hell, look at the gender ratio in the Looney Toons and Muppets CMFs. Lego only tries to make more diverse figures if they’re unnamed or original, not if they’re using named figures from an established piece of media.
 

Plus if Lego is willing to make a James Bond set, they aren’t going to be worried about making a CMF series for an immensely popular and largely unproblematic movie series. The marketability I agree about though, since LOTR doesn’t necessarily have the same grip on many of the children right now that something like Marvel or Star Wars does. Which is important to consider when making a CMF series instead of making a single set.

[MAB]

4 hours ago, JimBaggins said:

I can think of a bunch of amazing and useful variety of almost all the fellowship. Orc Frodo+Sam, Rohan Merry, Gondor Pippin...

I already have orc Frodo and Sam, they are easy to make with existing parts. Rohan Merry and Gondor Pippin would be good though.

[JimBaggins]

40 minutes ago, MAB said:

I already have orc Frodo and Sam, they are easy to make with existing parts. 

How did you make their helmets? 

I imagine if Lego did make custom helmet moulds for them they would be useful for custom knights and orcs. 

[mtrsteve]

17 hours ago, JimBaggins said:

I can think of a bunch of amazing and useful variety of almost all the fellowship. Orc Frodo+Sam, Rohan Merry, Gondor Pippin (hobbits would include new color dual molded hobbit legs, such as black,.gunmetal grey, d. tan), Updated ranger Aragon (dual molded arms/legs, printed bracer, cloak) or King Elessar, Gondorian armor Boromir (with printed chest plate and torso; this + Pippin and potentially Elessar would allow for 3 or 4 Gondorian soldier variants), Updated Gandalf the white, Helms Deep armor Legolas (with accurate knife molds, dual molding). Only one I can't think of something for is Gimli. 

The last 3 slots could be filled with characters like Faramir, Eowyn (with a nice dress, leaving durnhelm for a pelennor fields diorama) and then maybe Denethor, Tom Bombadil, updated Galadriel,  Butterbur... Or even Gothmog 😅

Of course this is 100% wishful thinking and wouldn't meet Legos' gender equality standards or marketability. But fun to imagine nontheless

Gimli in the too-long coat of mail XD 

[MAB]

12 hours ago, JimBaggins said:

How did you make their helmets? 

I imagine if Lego did make custom helmet moulds for them they would be useful for custom knights and orcs. 

If you want to be purist, then you'd have to use the normal orc one, even if not movie accurate. I have a couple of brick warriors ones that I use, although I prefer them with heads and hair and the helmet in hand. That way, you can see who they are.

[BrickBob Studpants]

On 8/3/2023 at 9:36 AM, MAB said:

They don't appear in retailer catalogues, if that is where the leaked set numbers have come from.

Indeed. Most D2C sets are available at selected retailers three months after their initial release. If Barad-dûr got released on s@h and in LEGO stores in March like Rivendell did, retailers would get it in June at the earliest, explaining why it’s not featured in the 1HY lists 

If I could only pick one set from the survey leak to become a reality, Barad-dûr would be it, as much as I love Zelda  The Eye of Sauron is easily the most iconic thing about the entire franchise to me, apart from the One Ring that is. And that Sauron minifig alone would be worth the price of admission

[mtrsteve]

With Lego announcing the rebranded VIP program, you will apparently be able to earn points by scanning in your instruction books to catalogue what sets you own. As they are giving you points for this, it must be worth something to them, which is obviously the data they receive.

I for one will be adding *only* my LotR sets to my catalogue, to do my small part to bias the stats they get ;)

 

 

[Lordhelmet]

4 hours ago, mtrsteve said:

With Lego announcing the rebranded VIP program, you will apparently be able to earn points by scanning in your instruction books to catalogue what sets you own. As they are giving you points for this, it must be worth something to them, which is obviously the data they receive.

I for one will be adding *only* my LotR sets to my catalogue, to do my small part to bias the stats they get ;)

  

 

I am hoping we can add our sets to the catalog without the scanning function.  I threw away my old books years ago but want to capture my sets.  Also, I believe the scannable code only goes back a few years that will get points (I think I heard 2019).  Not 100% sure though.

 

The make your own mini figure suggestion would be super pricy.  Think of all the expensive parts/minifigs you would have to buy or go a custom route.  Plus the CMF lines are super detailed with lots of extra detail and molds.  I say keep the dream alive as a CMF line would give us awesome minifigs at a reasonable price (although if that did ever happen, which is a long shot, I would spend way too much on them).

[Black Falcon]

50 minutes ago, Lordhelmet said:

I am hoping we can add our sets to the catalog without the scanning function.  I threw away my old books years ago but want to capture my sets.  Also, I believe the scannable code only goes back a few years that will get points (I think I heard 2019).  Not 100% sure though.

2018, but actually not all Sets do have them (at least some of the Stunts Sets, if not all of them for instance). It was stated, that there actually is no collection (yet) where you can add your sets to see which ones you already got.

[Balrogofmorgoth]

On 8/16/2023 at 5:58 PM, MAB said:

If you want to be purist, then you'd have to use the normal orc one, even if not movie accurate. I have a couple of brick warriors ones that I use, although I prefer them with heads and hair and the helmet in hand. That way, you can see who they are.

I’ve made tons of purist and slightly custom LOTR minifigs, but official figures will always be 100% better. I would take an official Frodo and Sam in Orc disguise any day because it’s not just the same Orc design and we need the helmets badly

[Agent Kallus]

Well with the first batch of survey leak sets starting to show up in lists of leaked set number from the reliable leakers, I think it's only a matter of time before we see more on Barad-Dûr!

I hope we get minifigs for both the Prologue and RotK. 

Let's say if it included the same number of figs as Rivendell ( 15 +5 identical statues)I'd like to see: 

1: Sauron, 2: Gil-Galad, 3:Elrond, 4: Islidur, 5: Elendil, 6-7: 2 Noldor Elven soilders, 8-9: 2: Human Númenorian soilders, 10-12: 2 of Orc type 1 (two different designs of generic orc included), 13 - 14: 2 of orc type 2, 15: Gorbag, 16: Shagrat, 17: Gollum, 18: Gandalf the white, 19: Samwise, 20: Frodo.

This all speculation. Just to be clear.

[Roebuck]

4 hours ago, Agent Kallus said:

Well with the first batch of survey leak sets starting to show up in lists of leaked set number from the reliable leakers,

What list? So far I have only seen "10332 could be the medieval village"?!

[Balrogofmorgoth]

6 hours ago, Agent Kallus said:

Well with the first batch of survey leak sets starting to show up in lists of leaked set number from the reliable leakers, I think it's only a matter of time before we see more on Barad-Dûr!

I hope we get minifigs for both the Prologue and RotK. 

Let's say if it included the same number of figs as Rivendell ( 15 +5 identical statues)I'd like to see: 

1: Sauron, 2: Gil-Galad, 3:Elrond, 4: Islidur, 5: Elendil, 6-7: 2 Noldor Elven soilders, 8-9: 2: Human Númenorian soilders, 10-12: 2 of Orc type 1 (two different designs of generic orc included), 13 - 14: 2 of orc type 2, 15: Gorbag, 16: Shagrat, 17: Gollum, 18: Gandalf the white, 19: Samwise, 20: Frodo.

This all speculation. Just to be clear.

The survey leak said it includes Sauron, Sam, Frodo, and some Orcs. I’m hoping more were added later in the process but I’m not holding my breath. I would definitely like to see those prologue figures the most. Bringing back the Eagle mold with the longer wings again for Gwaihir would be splendid. But at this point I’m just throwing around wishlist material. A lot depends on whether we’ll actually get other sets later on