LEGO LotR - general discussion

[Alcarin]

Yeh ofcourse I think the most missed figures are surely Gondor Soldiers, then Faramir, Eowyn, Witch king (pelennor fields variant) Gondor rangers then possibly Denethor, Gothmog (orc leader on fields of Pelennor) Easterlings, Haradrim and then we finally hit Hobbit variants, though personally I would prefer Boromir in Gondor attire over them but you could build that from Gondor soldiers torsos so thats ok....

[Venkefedo]

I think Gondor Pippin & Rohan Merry are just as important as some of those others, like getting Gondor Aragorn and Gandalf the White… if we did get a Witch-King/Pelennor Fields set, the most obvious characters to include are the Witch-King, Eowyn, and Merry. Theoden's there, too, and I wouldn't argue against him & his horse being included in something smaller than Helm's Deep, but not if it meant we wouldn't get Merry.

[Robert_88]

I think it is more important to get a new character than getting a new version of a character.

[wesker]

Gondor Soldiers would be great, but for me the remaining key characters that played an important role in the story like Eowyn and Faramir are a higher priority than generic troops or costume variations of previously released characters.

[Deathleech]

While I love the design of the citadel and tower, I think I prefer NujuMetru's Minas Tirith since it looks a bit tidier and more managable as a set, not to mention affordable. It also has the advantage of having 4300 more votes.

Well in all fairness NujuMetru's Minas Tirith has been up for awhile since it was on the previous Cuusoo site before Lego changed it to Ideas. It had a lot more time to garner votes because of this. Rakrondewl's design has only been up four days and has 150 votes now. Personally I like Rakrondewl's a bit more. It seems more encompassing and better scaled. The one thing I never was a fan of with Nuju's design was the HUGE catapults, which I felt were almost comical in their large size compared to the rest of the structure. Other than that I loved it though. Rar's looks more like an official set with the scale imo. He said he used 3944 pieces which would be about the size of the Death Star, or $400 if it were to be made into a set. Even then I think, if need be, the set could lose the Grond battering ram and not go quite as far back to shave off several hundred pieces and bring the price down closer to $300.

Gondor Soldiers would be great, but for me the remaining key characters that played an important role in the story like Eowyn and Faramir are a higher priority than generic troops or costume variations of previously released characters.

I dunno, I feel like at this point Gondor Soldiers are the hands down most important thing we need. Eowyn can be created with existing parts fairly easily. Throw a generic flesh female head with hair on a medieval or Rohan body and you have something that would pass as her no problem. The same could be down with Faramir if we got a Gondor soldier costum (albiet wouldn't be his more iconic ranger costum, and not totally accurate). How do you re-create a Gondor soldier though? Their helms are beyond destinct, and there are no existing Lego toroso or legs with the white tree or armor style they wear.

[atreyu2112]

Authentic Faramir & Eowyn are simply a must in my book!

[Trunkbass]

If the LotR line is really ending (I just sent an email to them, just to keep the pressure on), can't we all ask for a minor solution like just one or two sets a year of the Hobbit and LotR combined? Not that they'd listen, but it's nice to dream about.

I'm thinking about something like the LEGO Architecture line (in terms of quantity: x sets/year, not the microbuildtype itself).

The size would be something like The Grand Emporium, with 2000+ pieces and a price range of 100-400 €, which is all more fitting to the kind of people who buy LEGO LotR (adults, AFOLS, etc.).

That way we can easily get Rivendell, Minas Tirith, a big Balrog, a Mumakil, etc.

What do you think?

[LegoThomas]

I think any middleearth related lego sets would be fine for me. Somehow i still have hope for a third lotr wave.

[Faefrost]

If the LotR line is really ending (I just sent an email to them, just to keep the pressure on), can't we all ask for a minor solution like just one or two sets a year of the Hobbit and LotR combined? Not that they'd listen, but it's nice to dream about.

I'm thinking about something like the LEGO Architecture line (in terms of quantity: x sets/year, not the microbuildtype itself).

The size would be something like The Grand Emporium, with 2000+ pieces and a price range of 100-400 €, which is all more fitting to the kind of people who buy LEGO LotR (adults, AFOLS, etc.).

That way we can easily get Rivendell, Minas Tirith, a big Balrog, a Mumakil, etc.

What do you think?

The problem is it is a license. Chances are TLG will not keep a license just to do a handful of sets once the movie or TV series ends. (Yes SW is the exception. But toy sales funded the last 5 SW movies, so it's a special case.) they did not keep Harry Potter past the movies. I think a planned third LotR wave ended up getting swapped for a third Hobbit wave when they added the third Hobbit movie.

[LegoThomas]

I hope they just delayed the third lotr and hobbit wave because the movie got pushed back. And planned to release a third lotr wave with all the dvd releases.

[Mr. President]

But the last Lord of the Rings movie was released what, nine years before the first wave?

I doubt that's going to stop them. And we know licensed sets are more profitable than actually making something original.

[The_Chosen_1]

And we know licensed sets are more profitable than actually making something original.

Actually, that's not always the case. Not by far. Lego City is the company's best seller, and because there are no licensing fees involved it's almost a guarantee that Lego's margins on it (or any other internally developed theme) are higher. Popular licensed themes like Star Wars or Superheroes are profitable by virtue of sheer volume of sets sold. It's very likely that Lego LOTR just never moved enough product to justify the line continuing, even if Lego continues to hold the license. I hope I'm wrong, as I want to see LOTR continue as much as anyone; but from a realistic point of view I don't think the line sold nearly as well as Lego would have liked.

[Risgrynsgrot]

But the last Lord of the Rings movie was released what, nine years before the first wave?

I doubt that's going to stop them. And we know licensed sets are more profitable than actually making something original.

You're aware that the reason we got LOTR sets was because The Hobbit was a thing, right? And unlike Star Wars/Superheroes, LOTR/Hobbit hasn't got cartoon shows and similar to drive sales.

[deskp]

And we know licensed sets are more profitable than actually making something original.

Thats not true. Lego city sells more than star wars. And ninjago and chima seems to be doing really well too.

[Faefrost]

Thats not true. Lego city sells more than star wars. And ninjago and chima seems to be doing really well too.

Except in years where there is a Star Wars movie out. At which point SW beats everything even city. That's the thing. That current movie tie in is such an astronomical boost to sales (or can be, but not always, see ; PoP)

Ninjago, Chima and the Lego Movie themes are odd ducks. They are essentially licensed themes, and behave more as such. Except that Lego is the principle owner of the IP. They are better compared with Hasbro's Transformers or Mattels He-Man series.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Faefrost

[Alcarin]

Gondor Soldiers would be great, but for me the remaining key characters that played an important role in the story like Eowyn and Faramir are a higher priority than generic troops or costume variations of previously released characters.

You can far easier create Eowyn and Faramir(out of gondor soldier) if we get one Gondor soldier with uniquely molded helm and shield.....

Its all we TRULY need... unique shield and unique helm with new torso and leg printing... head whatever it is.....

[Venkefedo]

...a unique helm for Eowyn would be great, too, so we can have more variety with Rohirrim (where, as with orcs, variety is kinda the norm--unlike Gondor where a single helm will do nicely)

[Ardelon]

Add me to the group saying Gondor soldiers are more important than named characters that can be made from existing parts. Though I think TLG has a greater focus on named characters, so if it came down to one last set, I'd expect named heroes instead of generic ones (though preferably both, if the set size would allow it).

Rakrondewl's (didn't want to use all caps) Minas Tirith is fantastic. Though I still don't think the designers at TLG would release the whole city, rather than just the gate or a section of wall.

[Blakstone]

We will either get an entire third wave of LotR or nothing at all. So we really don't have to chose between a Rohan soldier or Eowyn. Hopefully we get that third wave with them and many other highly sought for characters.

[Alcarin]

...a unique helm for Eowyn would be great, too, so we can have more variety with Rohirrim (where, as with orcs, variety is kinda the norm--unlike Gondor where a single helm will do nicely)

Eowyn if done will highly likely have hair on her, to make 100% disctinction I just dont see LOTR making a mold for her helm, somehow....

[wesker]

She could always come with both hair and a helm like Princess Leia, Wolverine and Magneto did.

[deskp]

To me she only needs hair.

[Propicz89]

Personally, I am still hopeful for a third wave of LOTR, however if there is no news in the back of the next Hobbit wave instructions then I think that will show the end of LOTR

[Mistermorriss]

Been told that there are no LotR sets in 2015. This is by someone high up in the LEGO Club department who has seen the full list of products for the coming 12 months.

:'(

[wesker]

That sucks but not surprising. The best we can do now is try to push the LOTR projects on Ideas and hope at least one can pass the review stage.