Lord of the Rings Ongoing Discussion

[GeoBrick]

If you mean a dedicated GWP to the theme, those usually come only with the more expensive (200+ €) sets.

[BrickBob Studpants]

3 hours ago, hikouki said:

I do not supposed there will be a GWP? 

No. Set-specific GWP sets are reserved for big D2C sets  There could be a regular GWP at some point, but definitely not so shortly after the last one! Only big themes like Star Wars have more than one GWP set a year and even those are spread as far apart as possible ^^

[TheDoctor]

Finally finished building the sets!

Disappointing that so much needed to be done to bring them up to the standards of the previous two.

I really didn't like the disjointed party builds and if they didn't include the lovely banner and tent I probably wouldn't have bothered displaying them at all.

Edited May 23 by TheDoctor

[RichardGoring]

That looks incredible!

[GeoBrick]

4 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

Finally finished building the sets!

I notice you didn't finish the Back End yet?  

[TheDoctor]

26 minutes ago, GeoBrick said:

I notice you didn't finish the Back End yet?  

Yeah, don't see much point in that myself, it deviates from the original build too much and you wouldn't see it on the shelf.

I liked "rebelnili's" early MOCs, but I think he's gone a bit overboard on the more recent ones.
They look far too crowded and busy and not really in the spirt of the original set.

His most recent one of the design of the set on a display plinth with the surrounding hill look too much like a MOC and not like an official Lego set, it's just too much!
(especially as there isn't actually that many flowers and colours on the real-life location)

[brimbolet]

8 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

Finally finished building the sets!

Fabulous! That's how the Shire set should have looked in the first place - especially the tree and additional party guests.

[Lordhelmet]

9 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

Finally finished building the sets!

Disappointing that so much needed to be done to bring them up to the standards of the previous two.

I really didn't like the disjointed party builds and if they didn't include the lovely banner and tent I probably wouldn't have bothered displaying them at all.

Looks awesome!

 

 

also the Balrog lifestyle pictures make it look even better

[RichardGoring]

40 minutes ago, Lordhelmet said:

also the Balrog lifestyle pictures make it look even better

Agreed! It looks far better than I expected it to with the sides being mostly empty, and the Balrog looks decent from most angles too. I still think it's overpriced in comparison with other models and the value it will likely deliver. It doesn't look like that much 'stuff' and I can't believe that the build experience will be mind-blowing. Pleased that it's better than the blurry leak suggested though (which is often the case).

[Dr.Cogg]

After seeing the picture review, I have to say the Balrog looks worse than I thought and the set doesn't look like it's worth $130 (US). Mods could fix the Balrog, like changing it's teeth black, adding more flames, bulking it up and changing the wrist joints to the dark grey wrist joints. The bridge and pillars are ok.

Edited May 24 by Dr.Cogg

[hikouki]

2 hours ago, Dr.Cogg said:

After seeing the picture review, I have to say the Balrog looks worse than I thought and the set doesn't look like it's worth $120 (US). Mods could fix the Balrog, like changing it's teeth black, adding more flames, bulking it up and changing the wrist joints to the dark grey wrist joints. The bridge and pillars are ok.

Thank goodness for Rebrickable.

[Bugbot20082]

Hi everyone the other day I found on eBay what claims to be an unused prototype for a headgear element for the original character design for Bolg, it looks legit from the sculpt style and the logo inside the hollow stud:

https://ebay.us/m/K0gLm3
 

[thewatchman]

1 hour ago, Bugbot20082 said:

Hi everyone the other day I found on eBay what claims to be an unused prototype for a headgear element for the original character design for Bolg, it looks legit from the sculpt style and the logo inside the hollow stud:

https://ebay.us/m/K0gLm3
 

Wow, that’s really interesting, what set was this cancelled from?

[Bugbot20082]

17 hours ago, thewatchman said:

Wow, that’s really interesting, what set was this cancelled from?

I imagine Dol Guldur Battle 79014, and was swapped for Azog after the studio made all the changes mid-production. 

[Lordhelmet]

13 hours ago, Bugbot20082 said:

I imagine Dol Guldur Battle 79014, and was swapped for Azog after the studio made all the changes mid-production. 

Was Bolgs hair a change?  I recall Bolg not having hair like in this piece.

[kuzyabricks]

On 5/24/2025 at 7:08 AM, Bugbot20082 said:

Hi everyone the other day I found on eBay what claims to be an unused prototype for a headgear element for the original character design for Bolg, it looks legit from the sculpt style and the logo inside the hollow stud:

https://ebay.us/m/K0gLm3
 

Yup a guy on a Lego castle discord bought one of these. Super cool

3 hours ago, Lordhelmet said:

Was Bolgs hair a change?  I recall Bolg not having hair like in this piece.

The original bolg, like the one seen in the extended version trying to kill Gandalf if I recall correctly 

Edited May 26 by kuzyabricks

[DaleDVM]

I love Tolkein and all of his works.  I collect all of the LOTR/Hobbit sets.  I think most of the designs are very good.

However, as a castle collector, I just have this one thing to add to this discussion.

It is an absolute travesty that all of these historical torsos and other exclusive accessories are only available in these expensive sets.  The minifig parts and the unique pieces are WAY too expensive to collect in any numbers. These sets have some of the most amazing historic looking civilian prints ever made IMHO.  However, one or two isn't enough to populate large MOCs.  

If anyone knows of a way to obtain the LOTR minifig parts for anything close to an affordable amount, I would love to know how to do it.

[Khargeust]

Could you believe that the Balrog booknook has not been announced yet ? 

So there is still no official review, as well as the Vending Machine that has been officially revealed one week ago.

Both sets should however be available June the first. It's strange.

[MAB]

17 minutes ago, DaleDVM said:

It is an absolute travesty that all of these historical torsos and other exclusive accessories are only available in these expensive sets.  The minifig parts and the unique pieces are WAY too expensive to collect in any numbers. These sets have some of the most amazing historic looking civilian prints ever made IMHO.  However, one or two isn't enough to populate large MOCs.  

If anyone knows of a way to obtain the LOTR minifig parts for anything close to an affordable amount, I would love to know how to do it.

They aren't generic historical torsos though, they are parts from licensed figures and so often cannot be sold in other sets or on PAB. Unless they are reused in other sets (like Pippin's scarf torso) or LEGO makes a mistake and sells them on PAB for a while (like they did with Dain's torso and Saruman's dress piece a decade ago) then it won't be possible to buy them cheaply.

[DaleDVM]

56 minutes ago, MAB said:

They aren't generic historical torsos though, they are parts from licensed figures and so often cannot be sold in other sets or on PAB. Unless they are reused in other sets (like Pippin's scarf torso) or LEGO makes a mistake and sells them on PAB for a while (like they did with Dain's torso and Saruman's dress piece a decade ago) then it won't be possible to buy them cheaply.

I know they are not generic, and that is why they are not widely available.  But they are good historical prints nonetheless.  And we have so few period appropriate civilian prints.

I think TLG is stupid for not putting the figs into small battle pack type sets with a small build so people can get more of them.  The math is simple.  People only have so much money to spend on LEGO.  If they are spending a ton on Bricklink for overly expensive figs where TLG only takes a small cut, they are not spending that money in LEGO stores buying sets.  Sets have a much better margin for the company.  

[TheDoctor]

I know we know most things now, but LEGO has done a 'soft' reveal on it's press page:

https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2025/may/lego-icons-the-lord-of-the-rings-balrog-book-nook

Weird how there's just no hype or fanfare announcement about it, just pushed onto the back pages of the LEGO site.

At least the June 1st date is confimed now.

[Altair1]

Can't wait to add it to my Mines of Moria display (together with the 2012 set) :-)

[RichardGoring]

Tiago Catarino has a designer interview video up. At about 6:10 in the video, he talks about the original concept had the Balrog incorporated into the back wall of the book nook in a 2.5D style, as we speculated might be an option earlier. Then they thought it would be a shame not to have it as a full figure and they could use the wings from the fellbeast GWP. And the size of it was build around the wings.

At 7:30, asked if they considered putting more fire, and the answer is that it depends on what part of the movie you look at for reference. Apparently lots of trans-orange inside to give it that idea.

11:45 he shakes the Balrog around a lot and it's very sturdy. He said it was designed for play.

14:45 he points out a 1x1 round plate in silver, which is mithril!

I rather like his sense of humour. He points out that it's modular and you can stack multiple on top of each other! 

 

The product page is up now - The Lord of the Rings: Balrog™ Book Nook 10367 | Lord of the Rings™ | Buy online at the Official LEGO® Shop US

And there is a portfolio image with all four recent sets. It really does make Bag End look small!

Edited May 27 by RichardGoring

[Lordhelmet]

I like it more getting some of the better photos of it.  I like the trans orange on the inside peaking through, not sure how much better you can do Shadow and Flame in bricks (minus a ton of prints).  I am thinking about getting two of these.  

 

Seems crazy to not have any announcements for it or reviews, it releases in less than a week, and is a cool set (even for play to just get a Balrog and Gandalf).

[BrickBob Studpants]

Kinda hilarious you can pre-order it, despite it getting released in 5 days already  …(And of course I did.)

Has to be set a new record for the shortest time window between a set’s reveal with a pre-order option, and its release