LOTR & The Hobbit 2013 Set Discussion

[Basteq]

There have been quite a lot of rereleases of films in the cinema, I saw that they were showing Finding Nemo in 3D when I went to see the Hobbit. I have no idea how they make old films 3D, but if they do that of the LotR trilogy I am sure people would go see them. It would be worth seeing them again in the cinema, despite the fact that I've seen them so many times over and over again since the release way back in time.

I just hope they let the LOTR be as it is. I saw Hobbit in 3D and it was terrible, especially at the beginning. Very unnatural. It looked way much better in 2D.

[thecolossus]

With the licence thing, bear in mind that Games Workshop produced LOTR stuff, and were only allowed to produce stuff from the films, but then got hold of large amounts of the rest of the licence and were able to play around with it and invent characters etc, so we could see the same happen with LEGO. There is precedent after all!

[TheDoctor]

http://www.brickexcl...hanc-10237.html

This site is now listing the Orthanc it and has a picture!!!! Wonder if it's real!?!

Edited January 16, 2013 by TheDoctor

[Lordof theBricks]

I think LotR is more compareable to Star Wars than any other licensed theme. It's a really "big" thing so to say, and there's a big fanbase of the Tolkien world, that goes far above the movies. Look how long we have star wars already...i think there's a big chance it will be similar with LotR. At least the line will continue until the last Hobbit movie is out, i think thats pretty safe to say. So at least 2 more years.

Yes,I agree also,so that's reason why I think it will continue for a long time,we can't even compare Lotr with SW,Lotr is even more epic and better story

[Basteq]

Yes,I agree also,so that's reason why I think it will continue for a long time,we can't even compare Lotr with SW,Lotr is even more epic and better story

Still as far as I love both SW and LOTR, the first one has an advantage of producing nice spaceships while in LOTR we can ''only'' get parts of dioramas.

[ShaydDeGrai]

I think LotR is more compareable to Star Wars than any other licensed theme. It's a really "big" thing so to say, and there's a big fanbase of the Tolkien world, that goes far above the movies. (snip...)

There's certainly some truth to this. I've been browsing MOCs on the web for two decades now and as far as IP related projects go, from my experience LotR has been one of, if not the most, popular single subject for AFOL creations. Certainly, Star Wars is up there and more recently things like EVE Online and Halo and all sorts of other great MOCs inspired by movies, TV, and video games get a lot of notice, but LotR MOCs were big even before Peter Jackson's films came out. I remember seeing brick built Hobbits inspired by Ralph Bashi's animated films at a Sci-Fi convention in the 1980's. I think every D&D player I knew in the seventies at one point or another made a tall, narrow stack of black bricks and called it Orthanc. Some people adapted Alan Lee sketches; others bought their annual Brothers Hildebrandt calendar and did their best to turn each month's picture into a LEGO creation; still others went purely from their own imagination. I don't know of any other work of fiction whose _prose alone_ has inspired so much AFOL activity. The Tolkien fans are out there and a lot of them also are into LEGO.

That said, however, for a LEGO LotR franchise to succeed long term, they need to look beyond their usual demographic of 6-12 year old boys. If they give MIddle Earth the "Harry Potter Treatment" (nearly every set is about the minifigures and giving them an environment to play in) it will probably go the way of the HP franchise - big while there are fresh films to sustain it, forgotten as kids grow up and move on. The "Star Wars Treatment" on the other hand, recognizes and actively tries to appeal to fans of all ages. Minifigures and play sets a still a core business, but there are a lot of offerings (ships, UCS display models, etc.) that adult fans of STAR WARS (who may not even be fans of LEGO) actively consume. (I even have one friend who has asked me to put together his UCS models for him because he wants the models but doesn't have the patience to put them together). I can't recall the last time I saw a B-Wing fighter in a movie theatre (and, frankly, it's not nearly as iconic a ship as an X Wing or a Snowspeeder) but the fact that it wasn't in a movie last month isn't going to keep SW fans from buying the new UCS model.

Even limiting the LotR license to the WB films leaves a lot of room for adult offerings: high end UCS models; Architecture style models of iconic buildings and places, brick built sculptures of key beasts and characters, etc. In general, things that speak first to fans of Middle Earth, then to fans of LEGO and finally to fans of minifigures. I work with a lot of geeks who wouldn't display a copy of Shelob Attacks in their office today but wouldn't think twice about using a microbuild of Minas Tirith as a bookend or displaying a tiny Helm's Deep as a desk toy.

That said, even if TLG were to offer such kits, I don't know if it would be enough to sustain the line indefinitely. Kids today have such sort attention spans and fickle memories. In talking to a few 20-somethings milling about the break room of my office, 7 of 9 said they were LotR fans and they were psyched to see the Hobbit movie, but only 1 of the 9 had actually read the books (one said she'd been thinking about reading it 'sometime') so who knows. Maybe the die-hard Tolkien/AFOL crossover fans are all my age or better and I don't know if mid-life crises impulse buys is really a sound sales strategy.

[deskp]

http://www.brickexcl...hanc-10237.html

This site is now listing the Orthanc it and has a picture!!!! Wonder if it's real!?!

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/00failure/Orthanc/orthanc.jpg

LOoks completely fake, even the listing of the set seems to be taken from fan talk and not official word for LEGO.

[Basteq]

That said, however, for a LEGO LotR franchise to succeed long term, they need to look beyond their usual demographic of 6-12 year old boys. If they give MIddle Earth the "Harry Potter Treatment" (nearly every set is about the minifigures and giving them an environment to play in) it will probably go the way of the HP franchise - big while there are fresh films to sustain it, forgotten as kids grow up and move on. The "Star Wars Treatment" on the other hand, recognizes and actively tries to appeal to fans of all ages.

It would be nice of LEGO to stop writing age 6-12 on boxes but instead keep it 6+

I wonder what is the percentage of adult owners of Lego SW and LOTR sets...

[General Magma]

It would be nice of LEGO to stop writing age 6-12 on boxes but instead keep it 6+

Or 6-99. Might help out the TFOLs and AFOLs who kinda struggle in society because of their hobbies a bit.

As for the Orthanc picture; not sure what to think of that.

Doesn't seem real to me - I hope the exclusive reveal this weekend will be Orthanc.

Edited January 16, 2013 by General Magma

[Lordof theBricks]

I believe picture of Orthanc is not fake,because it is on page where are all exclusive sets,only they didn't put price yet

[Basteq]

I believe picture of Orthanc is not fake,because it is on page where are all exclusive sets,only they didn't put price yet

They also have some silly prices on most of the sets ;)

[rpmac91]

That picture of Orthanc is definitely fake. It was somebody's MOC. I've seen that picture months ago.

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/208940

[diskus]

Brickpedia has listed some infos.

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/79005_The_Wizard_Battle -->The palantir is a new peace.

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/79006_The_Council_of_Elrond --> Arwen (suprise suprise... ) and Gimli (no Gloin )

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/79007_Battle_at_the_Black_Gate --> Aragorn with new print, Gwaihir (yes, no fellbeast), a black horse.

http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/79008_Pirate_Ship_Ambush -->Nothing new.

Don't want to write everything because the main infos are not new.

[General Magma]

Brickpedia has listed some infos.

-

Don't want to write everything because the main infos are not new.

None of that is new in the first place, except maybe the thought that the Palantir is a new piece,

which has not even been proven as of now. TLG already has a piece that would be perfect

to fill the role as Palantir - round with the ability to be held by a minifigure.

Edited January 16, 2013 by General Magma

[halomaster96]

http://www.brickexcl...hanc-10237.html

This site is now listing the Orthanc it and has a picture!!!! Wonder if it's real!?!

Ya know, as much as I want Orthanc, I am about 95% positive that I have seen this as a moc before. Sorry

[deskp]

Brickpedia has listed some infos.

http://lego.wikia.co...e_Wizard_Battle -->The palantir is a new peace.

http://lego.wikia.co...uncil_of_Elrond --> Arwen (suprise suprise... ) and Gimli (no Gloin )

http://lego.wikia.co..._the_Black_Gate --> Aragorn with new print, Gwaihir (yes, no fellbeast), a black horse.

http://lego.wikia.co...ate_Ship_Ambush -->Nothing new.

Don't want to write everything because the main infos are not new.

Brickpedia is jsut a fan website like any wikipedia, the information there is not official. Theres alot of assumptions going on and that seems to be reflected on those pages. I'm not syaing it's wrong, just that it isn't right jsut cause it's listed there.

[Masked Builder]

I hope they make a film about Túrin Turambar, who wouldn't wanna see The Children of Húrin become a movie? :D Though it is very obscure, so probably they wouldn't be able to pull it off. Everyone knows of the Hobbit and the LotR, but the rest of Tolkien's works are pretty unknown. Many people have heard of Silmarillion but never read it for example.

Well Christoper Tolkien doesn't like what PJ is doing with the movies, I do not believe we'll see any of JRR Tolkien's other works, sadly.

[Faefrost]

Well Christoper Tolkien doesn't like what PJ is doing with the movies, I do not believe we'll see any of JRR Tolkien's other works, sadly.

I wouldn't be quite so sure. Chris Tolkien is somewhere around 89 now, and neither he nor his family has ever shown an appreciation for money and the lifestyle that the old mans works bring. Their primary complaint with PJ's stuff is they don't feel that got a big enough up front piece of it. ("We were only paid $40,000 per book!!!! (oh yeah plus that percentage of the gross from some of the worlds most successful movies) BUT IT WAS ONLY A PITTANCE TO START!!!") I would not rule out the family coming to the conclusion that they really like a guaranteed revenue source.

Edited January 17, 2013 by Faefrost

[deskp]

I wouldn't be quite so sure. Chris Tolkien is somewhere around 89 now, and neither he nor his family has ever shown an appreciation for money and the lifestyle that the old mans works bring. Their primary complaint with PJ's stuff is they don't feel that got a big enough up front piece of it. ("We were only paid $40,000 per book!!!! (oh yeah plus that percentage of the gross from some of the worlds most successful movies) BUT IT WAS ONLY A PITTANCE TO START!!!") I would not rule out the family coming to the conclusion that they really like a guaranteed revenue source.

Um, his problems isn't the money primarily. He doesent like the commercialisation giant/monster it's become, and he feels the messages of the books isn't getting out there.

[brodey1]

I would be horrified if Jackson got hold of film rights to The Silmarillion. Tolkien is by far my favorite author, and I was greatly saddened by some of the ridiculous content in the first Hobbit movie. If Christopher Tolkien values his father's unspoiled works, he will keep them far away from Peter Jackson.

[Lordof theBricks]

Guys,my idea for Osgiliath battle pack set.Only 150 pieces and 6 minifigures.That is great opportunity to get Gondorians,Rangers and Mordor (Morgul) orcs.If You buy at least 2 of them,You can combine different orcs (to one put helmet from other) and things like that.

Tell me Your thoughts

http://www.flickr.co.../in/photostream

Edited January 17, 2013 by Lordof theBricks

[brodey1]

If TLG made a set like Uruk-Hai Army but with Mordor orcs and Gondorian soldiers I would be thrilled.

[lego the hutt]

I would be horrified if Jackson got hold of film rights to The Silmarillion. Tolkien is by far my favorite author, and I was greatly saddened by some of the ridiculous content in the first Hobbit movie. If Christopher Tolkien values his father's unspoiled works, he will keep them far away from Peter Jackson.

Sure some parts are elaborated for the movies but I'm wondering what you are referring to specifically?

I think most everyone realized long before the Hobbit move was released that it was going to cover parts of the Hobbit that were only briefly mentioned in the book. That's why it went from 2 movies to 3. To tell the portion of the story that was covered in the RotK appendices that directly relates to the Hobbit but were only mentioned in the Hobbit book in passing.

There is also the issue of being legally bound to only include what they own the rights to... i can think of a couple instances which limited what they could have described in more detail in the Hobbit movie itself.

[The_Chosen_1]

TLG already has a piece that would be perfect to fill the role as Palantir - round with the ability to be held by a minifigure.

Is this the piece you're referring to? http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=32474

I think if we got a printed version of that, it would make a great Palantir element.

[Albus]

I don't believe the technic ball joint can be held by a minifig. The piece I have always imagined for the Palantir (or similar items, such as the Prophecies from Harry Potter), would be a printed version of this piece:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=x12

It comes in a few city sets, but the set I always remember it from is Vladek's Dark Fortress, where it comes in transparent blue and is used as Vladek's own Palantir-equivalent (crystal ball).