LOTR & The Hobbit 2013 Set Discussion

[Doctor_ocks]

He would propably like the sets if they were movie accurate aswell, thing is more movie fans might want the sets if they looked more accurate.

That's a lot more true than I originally would have guessed. My 7 year old loves Lotr and The Hobbit. We have all of the previous sets, including Orthanc. He's been really wishy washy about what he wants for Christmas and I kept telling my wife "Just wait til he sees the Hobbit...he'll want all those sets."

So we took him to see it this weekend and he could care less about any of the sets. Don't get me wrong, he wants Radagast and Azog, but the first thing he asked me after the movie was "Why isn't there a Smaug set?" And "Does the Bear Guy set come with one of those bear figures?" Both are valid questions.

I don't fault Lego entirely. As has been stated many times, they were probably just rolling with what they had access to PLUS the minifigs we get this wave are great. However, I think they really missed the boat by not having something related to Smaug and by not having a bear figure to go with Bejorn.

All that being said, a lot of people have been screaming for an elf army building set, including me. At least we got MEA. I'm hoping we get a third wave and Lego makes up for this one.

[deskp]

I think they really missed the boat by not having something related to Smaug and by not having a bear figure to go with Bejorn.

They didn't miss the boat on smaug on all he has a huge scene in the next movie. Same thing goes with bear Beorn.

[legofreak86]

Indeed you hit the nail on the head fives. That's exactly what I'm doing getting all the DOS sets then having the dwarves, spiders, orcs,wizards elves and wargs and beorn and uruks all battle it out in Dol Guldur's ruins. Once complete it will be quite the display. Even though the necromancer isn't exactly like he is in DOS he still is a not fully formed character although from DOS I can guess he can take a few different shapes. He may have just used the one he did to show Gandalf who he is! So until we get the armoured version in 2014 I'm happy with their AUJ one.

Edited December 17, 2013 by legofreak86

[Blazej_Holen]

Indeed you hit the nail on the head fives. That's exactly what I'm doing getting all the DOS sets then having the dwarves, spiders, orcs,wizards elves and wargs and beorn and uruks all battle it out in Dol Guldur's ruins. Once complete it will be quite the display. Even though the necromancer isn't exactly like he is in DOS he still is a not fully formed character although from DOS I can guess he can take a few different shapes. He may have just used the one he did to show Gandalf who he is! So until we get the armoured version in 2014 I'm happy with their AUJ one.

Do you think that we actualy get his armoured version in TABA wave? I am not entirely sure, becouse Sauron has no power to get some physical form like in FotR prologue...his ring is gone so he has no power to be like in "armoured form". Probably he wont be present in the BoFA as well....

Its really interesting, that Sauron dont feel the ring when Bilbo enters Mirkwood..Dol Guldur is around 100miles from hm, so he should feel the ring ... and Bilbo use it during the battle with Mirkwood spiders...its really interesting..

[legofreak86]

Interesting point. I was referring to the alluded showdown between the wizards and sauron which Christopher lee recently alluded to as well as when it was two movies Sylvester McCoy mentioned "an excellent scene in the second one involving all of the wizards in Dol Guldur fighting something else". I don't expect any of the wizards other than Gandalf to be involved in the BOFA. I suspect as Smaug attacks laketown, the wizards will launch a mission to free Gandalf and as the movie progresses the wizards will fight sauron's forces at Dol Guldur and whatever happens with Smaug will happen. Then Gandalf will travel to erebor to see how the dwarves are getting on then tension will mount to the battle until it happens then while the remains of the council fight sauron and force him out of Dol Guldur then the BOFA will intercut between both. Jus my guess. Judging certainly by the film's confirmed cast! Indeed the fact he did not sense him when he was in Mirkwood is odd then again his powers are greatly weakened in that form.

Edited December 17, 2013 by legofreak86

[Blazej_Holen]

Interesting point. I was referring to the alluded showdown between the wizards and sauron which Christopher lee recently alluded to as well as when it was two movies Sylvester McCoy mentioned "an excellent scene in the second one involving all of the wizards in Dol Guldur fighting something else". I don't expect any of the wizards other than Gandalf to be involved in the BOFA. I suspect as Smaug attacks laketown, the wizards will launch a mission to free Gandalf and as the movie progresses the wizards will fight sauron's forces at Dol Guldur and whatever happens with Smaug will happen. Then Gandalf will travel to erebor to see how the dwarves are getting on then tension will mount to the battle until it happens then while the remains of the council fight sauron and force him out of Dol Guldur then the BOFA will intercut between both. Jus my guess. Judging certainly by the film's confirmed cast! Indeed the fact he did not sense him when he was in Mirkwood is odd then again his powers are greatly weakened in that form.

Now I realize that we already have 4 maias... Saruman, Gandalf, Radagast and Sauron, who is high level Maia :)

It will be nice to have Silmarilion movie , which will refers about story of Morgoth and Angand, and the great battle on Anfauglith...then Iĺl pray for those minifigs. including Beren, Luthien, Fingolfin and Morgoth :)

Also I want to see movie about Turin Turumbar..its also interesting storyline and TLG can continue on this franchise as well..but these are only dreams of great Tolkien Fan :D

Thats what I am talking about :)

http://media.desura.com/images/groups/1/2/1488/Morgoth_and_Fingolfin_2_by_Mentosik8.jpg

[Lord Vladivus]

Now I realize that we already have 4 maias... Saruman, Gandalf, Radagast and Sauron, who is high level Maia :)

It will be nice to have Silmarilion movie , which will refers about story of Morgoth and Angand, and the great battle on Anfauglith...then Iĺl pray for those minifigs. including Beren, Luthien, Fingolfin and Morgoth :)

Also I want to see movie about Turin Turumbar..its also interesting storyline and TLG can continue on this franchise as well..but these are only dreams of great Tolkien Fan :D

Thats what I am talking about :)

http://media.desura.com/images/groups/1/2/1488/Morgoth_and_Fingolfin_2_by_Mentosik8.jpg

We're highly unlikely to get a film based on the Silmarillion- the timeline is several thousand years long. Turin would make a great film, but I doubt it would make it into Lego form- half the main characters commit suicide.

In terms of the new sets, I think it's a case of PJ fiddling with everything too much. He's been pretty secretive about everything this time around- there's a lot more new stuff that's not in the book in the Hobbit films, when compared to LOTR.

[Blazej_Holen]

We're highly unlikely to get a film based on the Silmarillion- the timeline is several thousand years long. Turin would make a great film, but I doubt it would make it into Lego form- half the main characters commit suicide.

In terms of the new sets, I think it's a case of PJ fiddling with everything too much. He's been pretty secretive about everything this time around- there's a lot more new stuff that's not in the book in the Hobbit films, when compared to LOTR.

Yes, thats because he want to include some storylines regarding to LOTR which are present in Unfinished Tales... :)

[Deathleech]

The beauty of it all is, with this wave, we got all of the secondary characters that are important, and those who want more accurate versions of the scenes that badly are free to MOC to their heart's content. I myself am mostly in it for the figs, and basically have huge battles at Helm's Deep with all Free Peoples vs. all Sauron's Servants.

I strongly believe in adding on to existing Lego sets yourself. That is what Lego is about after all. It's a huge benefit of the Lego system. However, I still think Lego needs to give you a strong base model in a set. Helm's Deep is a perfect example. It's still missing a lot of things like the mountain and Glittering Caves, and it's extremely condensed, but it still gives the overall look and feel of Helm's Deep from the film. You have the horn, the deepening wall, the throne room, and the main look of Helm's Deep. It doesn't stop there though, you also have tons of play features that make sense like the bolt throwers with hooks and exploding wall. Even Orthanc, a $200 set didn't manage to give us a "full" tower as it was missing the back, but we still get the main look and feel of it.

With Dol Guldur Battle I don't feel the same. Sure it has some similarities to it's movie counter part like it's gray and has spikes, but that's about it. It's play features are a swinging sword, dropping skulls, a statue that opens to reveal a ring, and a cage. Of those, only the cage has been seen in the actual movie so far, and we only see Gandalf sitting in it briefly. The overall look of Dol Guldur is a lot of tall ruined towers and structures but the DGB set is a gray wall with stairs and one tower. So, DGB basically only has one or two things in common with the movie version. Why didn't Lego make pieces of wall that explode or bridges that collapse like in the movie when Gandalf is there? Why not focus more on a few tall ruined towers with arch ways that can lock together instead of one bland wall? Here is how I remember Dol Guldur from the films and here is what we actually got...

[Mr. Cube]

Blazej_Holen: Maias --> Maiar

Deathleech: I didn´t see the 2nd Hobbit yet, but I always thought that the lego Dol Guldur Battle set represents some scenery inside/under the ruins of Dol Guldur, so that´s why we didn´t get the whole ruins (like the whole Helms Deep)?

[Deathleech]

Ya, it's suppose to just be the court yard, but here we see Gandalf inside and it still doesn't look anything like the DGB set we got (even if it is a slightly different section of DG):

[Blazej_Holen]

Blazej_Holen: Maias --> Maiar

Deathleech: I didn´t see the 2nd Hobbit yet, but I always thought that the lego Dol Guldur Battle set represents some scenery inside/under the ruins of Dol Guldur, so that´s why we didn´t get the whole ruins (like the whole Helms Deep)?

Yep sorry for that :) Maiar of course... :)

[HawkLord]

I think from a merchandising standpoint, The Hobbit will go down in history as one of the biggest missed opportunities because of splitting the movie into three from the original two. Having seen the DoS, I feel like these sets have elements of both DoS and what TaBA will offer. The DoS sets also feel somewhat incomplete, like maybe they were designs for what would have been part 2/2 of The Hobbit, but have now been tweaked to accommodate was is now part 2/3.

[Fives]

The fact that PJ has caused such trouble with this trilogy change kinda makes me wish that LEGO would wait until film 3 is released, and then make accurate sets based on what we see, rather than making haphazard sets with amazing figs.

Dol Guldur is likely the best example of toy designers having so little to go off of (production sketches and the few scenes in AUJ), that they had to fill the gaps with their imagination. Not only that, but LEGO seems to really be trimming the fat with this theme. With inly four sets, the biggest of which is set at a $75-$80 price point, makes it outrageously tough for the design team to make sets that do justice to the movie. If each Middle-Earth wave was treated like any other theme, with at least 6-8 sets per wave, we would see substantially more accurate sets, and a fairer distribution of figs.

It seems that above all the other troubles, LEGO's lack of commitment to the theme is becoming this themes' untimely demise.

[Darth Punk]

The fact that PJ has caused such trouble with this trilogy change kinda makes me wish that LEGO would wait until film 3 is released, and then make accurate sets based on what we see, rather than making haphazard sets with amazing figs.

Dol Guldur is likely the best example of toy designers having so little to go off of (production sketches and the few scenes in AUJ), that they had to fill the gaps with their imagination. Not only that, but LEGO seems to really be trimming the fat with this theme. With inly four sets, the biggest of which is set at a $75-$80 price point, makes it outrageously tough for the design team to make sets that do justice to the movie. If each Middle-Earth wave was treated like any other theme, with at least 6-8 sets per wave, we would see substantially more accurate sets, and a fairer distribution of figs.

It seems that above all the other troubles, LEGO's lack of commitment to the theme is becoming this themes' untimely demise.

I completely agree. Pj has managed to make a giant mess, which is not even cgi, and TLG is dealing with a very niche market.

I feel like if not LoTR third wave is made, or at,least a very descent one, and the hobbit sets continue to be merely acceptable, TLG could be losing some customers.

[TheLegoDr]

I haven't seen the movie, but looking at that courtyard with Gandalf, I can easily see the DGB set in that scope. It has the stairs at weird angles, the dark bley wall, and some plant life. I'm not understanding the hate I guess.

I always want something bigger of course, but from what I can tell, they hit it on the head.

[Alcarin]

I completely agree. Pj has managed to make a giant mess, which is not even cgi, and TLG is dealing with a very niche market.

I feel like if not LoTR third wave is made, or at,least a very descent one, and the hobbit sets continue to be merely acceptable, TLG could be losing some customers.

Yep... I know if this happens my LEGO purchases will reduce by around 80-90% .... I mainly collected LOTR and a few Hobbit figs

The only things I have outside LOTR/Hobbit are some great figures (satele Shan, Malgus) around 30 Series figs and Medieval Market Village and Mill Village raid.... Oh and bought Stagecoach for 50% off today... could not pass it... but I mainly want it for horses and figs ill just put on display... Dont really care for bricks there :D

Edited December 17, 2013 by Alcarin

[Deathleech]

All this talk of how PJ changed things and Lego couldn't fix the sets in time makes me worried about TABA and next years wave(s). You would think everything would be sorted out by then, but who knows? The Hobbit line is suppose to conclude in 2014 so Lego only has one chance to get their TABA sets right.

[Faefrost]

I haven't seen the movie, but looking at that courtyard with Gandalf, I can easily see the DGB set in that scope. It has the stairs at weird angles, the dark bley wall, and some plant life. I'm not understanding the hate I guess.

I always want something bigger of course, but from what I can tell, they hit it on the head.

I'm with you. The set follows the common current Lego playset design, 3 linked sections. While the wall could be a bit more asymmetrical with more height for broken towers and spires, it seems to comunicate the setting. It's no worse than Mines of Moria or the Helicarrier set. Honestly my biggest issue with it, is it's just that overwelming gray that is so common in the Middle Earth stuff. This one seems worse. Gray walls. Gray Gandalf. Gray statue. The only pop of color is really from the orcs.

[Fives]

I would've honestly preferred getting waves of sets based on the films after they are in theaters. That way, TLG may have been given some more knowledge about how to design things. Plus, sales likely would've been better, because people would say 'Wow, that movie was amazing, and these sets look great!', rather than say 'When did Thranduil fight?'

Then again, a lot of design choices were made during production, on the fly. So pinpointing details would be tough, due to the productions' fluid nature.

At least we're getting the figs we need, and then we can use them to inhabit our own creations and expansions of the LEGO Middle-Earth world.

[Faefrost]

I would've honestly preferred getting waves of sets based on the films after they are in theaters. That way, TLG may have been given some more knowledge about how to design things. Plus, sales likely would've been better, because people would say 'Wow, that movie was amazing, and these sets look great!', rather than say 'When did Thranduil fight?'

Then again, a lot of design choices were made during production, on the fly. So pinpointing details would be tough, due to the productions' fluid nature.

At least we're getting the figs we need, and then we can use them to inhabit our own creations and expansions of the LEGO Middle-Earth world.

Sadly, sales for this sort of thing are always best when the movie releases. As a result we will be stuck with these sorts of discrepancies for the foreseeable future. Although it could be worse...

http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=76008-1

Heck I think the Middle Earth fans got off pretty lightly in that regard.

[Fives]

Sadly, sales for this sort of thing are always best when the movie releases. As a result we will be stuck with these sorts of discrepancies for the foreseeable future. Although it could be worse...

http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=76008-1

Heck I think the Middle Earth fans got off pretty lightly in that regard.

Yeah, you make a good point.

When it comes to TABA accuracy, I care more about getting accurate figs than sets. They should be able to do Erebor well anyway, since we've seen lots of it.

Smaug is the one thing they have to do right. If they mess him up or don't make him at all, they'll have committed a disservice to the fans.

[beyza]

I have seen the movie few days ago and it was awesome but unfornutely the LEGO Sets are not compatible with the movie since i think that the sets are designed according to the original book.

[TeufelHund]

I have seen the movie few days ago and it was awesome but unfornutely the LEGO Sets are not compatible with the movie since i think that the sets are designed according to the original book.

There was a huge battle at Dol Guldar, a boat chase across Laketown and an elf-flinging catapult in the book?

[thefyfe]

Have seen the film twice now and feel we are all being a bit over critical of the sets -

-Lake town chase looks fantastic and just like the film

-yes beorn didn't go to dol guldor in the film but having a beorn minifig is great and making his small set able to connect up to a far bigger picture is better than a small standalone unrelated setting for it! Sure this scene was a flashback that was cut from film - explaining why the orcs were scared of the "beast" guarding the house - beorn knew about dol guldor and the necromancer and orcs being allied

- dol guldor battle is very representative while staying open enough for play features for kids - gandalf a cage is there - statue from auj is there and looks just like the artwork and white card models of the set during construction! All the main action here from first 2 films is covered.

I mean helms deep isn't all at ground level but we don't complain at the fact the keep is same level as the rest and doesn't have stairs up to it or a door.

- mirkwood elf army looks like it clearly is meant to be the elfs defending the borders from Orcs at the gate section of the river. Just lego have missed the gate out - nice to include thranduil though!children will want him but wouldn't be interested in an elf hall compared to a battle scene!

I understand from an AFOL view why lego have made all their decisions for these and personally really like the sets - got them all but need to wait to build them till Christmas -