Why aren't there more large Lord of the Rings sets?

Comments

• CaptainPirateMan MichiganMember Posts: 339

  January 2018

  Honestly, with the way the new SW film has divided the fan base (myself included), I HOPE we DO see decline in interest in all things SW. As much as I LOVED SW for so many years, I do feel it has monopolized Lego for too long. I'm not saying I hope SW crashes and burns (although I'm personally pretty much done with Disney films), but as a Lego fan I can't help but think if SW loses some popularity it could open up the Lego gates for other themes and franchises. 
  
  I'm excited to see HP get another run, and would LOVE to see more LOTR based sets. But even if that's not in the cards, more pirate or castle sets would be welcomed by me. I DID enjoy classic space themes when I was young, but not nearly to the extent I liked Castle and Pirates. I've always understood why Lego keeps pumping out massive SW sets (obviously they sell), but honestly how many MF and DS to the fans need? It just feels really redundant, and those resources could be used for other themes. So ya, if I'm honest I DO hope the controversy regarding episode 8 results in lost interest in the SW brand as a whole, forcing Lego to make great sets that are NOT another Millenium Falcon or Death Star.

  

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• CCC UKMember Posts: 18,023

  January 2018

  CaptainPirateMan said:

  Honestly, with the way the new SW film has divided the fan base (myself included), I HOPE we DO see decline in interest in all things SW. As much as I LOVED SW for so many years, I do feel it has monopolized Lego for too long. I'm not saying I hope SW crashes and burns (although I'm personally pretty much done with Disney films), but as a Lego fan I can't help but think if SW loses some popularity it could open up the Lego gates for other themes and franchises. 
  
  I'm excited to see HP get another run, and would LOVE to see more LOTR based sets. But even if that's not in the cards, more pirate or castle sets would be welcomed by me. I DID enjoy classic space themes when I was young, but not nearly to the extent I liked Castle and Pirates. I've always understood why Lego keeps pumping out massive SW sets (obviously they sell), but honestly how many MF and DS to the fans need? It just feels really redundant, and those resources could be used for other themes. So ya, if I'm honest I DO hope the controversy regarding episode 8 results in lost interest in the SW brand as a whole, forcing Lego to make great sets that are NOT another Millenium Falcon or Death Star.

  I don't think the existence of LEGO SW is stopping LEGO from making Castle and Pirates, HP or LOTR. It is the (lack of) popularity of those themes (although not so much HP) that has stopped LEGO doing them. HP is getting a boost now due to new material in the franchise. How many MF or DS do the fans need? One to be available at all times. It doesn't really matter if they are re-hashes or not, new LEGO SW fans will always want the flagship sets.
  
  Killing off LEGO SW will probably kill off that portion of LEGO sales, unless they can find another licensed franchise to replace it, which is highly unlikely. It is definitely not generic Castle and Pirates.
  

  

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• tamamahm Member Posts: 1,954

  January 2018

  I do agree, that right now with kids that are 8-12, there is a generally diminished interest in classic lines like Castle, Pirates, Western (all but dead). 
  
  I think the other piece... Lego has really been focusing on Licensed lines, or trying to recreate the next megaline like Ninjago, instead of some of the really different cool 6 set in-house lines like they used to. 

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• CaptainPirateMan MichiganMember Posts: 339

  January 2018 edited January 2018

  @CCC, 
  
  I realize the success of SW doesn't STOP Lego from doing MORE classic themes. What I was implying was that success of SW has given Lego that "for sure" evergreen theme that Lego can count on to make money. Which that used to be Pirates and Castle back in the 80s and 90s. But if SW no longer becomes the sure fire seller that it used to be, then Lego will be FORCED (pun intended) to look in other directions. Which with the new LOTR tv show in development, it could possibly be that. Or, maybe really try to push POTC (in order to keep Disney happy). Which both of those themes, along with HP I would prefer over SW. 
  
  Of course, I would really prefer the return of the in-house Castle or Pirate themes. But I realize it IS a different time, and I find LOTR, POTC, and HP to be acceptable substitutes. As long as SW is the most popular franchise on the planet, than that's what we are going to get the most (and best) sets for. So a dip in popularity for SW, could open the door for a different franchise that appeals to me more. 
  
  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE SW (only the Lucas films though). As a Lego fan, it was just too massive of a theme to really occupy me. On top of that, I have always found "space" type build a little boring. They never excite me like Pirates or Castle does. Same goes for modular building and City type sets. Even though I DO collect those (and have quite a large Lego City myself), I find building those sets a bit tedious. While building sets from Castle and Pirate type themes I find exciting. Heck, I just built Mill Villiage Raid the other day and I found that little 600ish piece set far more fun to build than Assembly Square (for example). Tower Orthanc, Helms Deep, Bag End, and ANY Lego Pirate ship I JUST plain enjoy more than even like the GB firehouse or Kwik E Mart. 
  
  Of course this is all just my opinion.

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• the_creative_box SwedenMember Posts: 90

  January 2018

  I've never seen a LOTR/Hobbit set at the slightest discount, but then I wasn't very interested in the franchise. When I got into it and read the books, all sets were off shelves despite surprisingly high retail prices, even compared to today's pricing on licensed sets. 
  
  Thus, I would love to see a return of LOTR sets, even if it was just in a D2C set and a couple of small ones, like the Hogwarts castle and Harry Potter sets this year. 
  

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• natro220 USAMember Posts: 545

  January 2018

  I'm sure it varied on location, but I remember Hobbit sets languishing on shelves at 50% off.  I picked up at least three different sets at that price, passed on a couple...even the superb Bag End set was discounted, I got two of those.  I don't think LOTR sets fared much better.

  

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• tmgm528 Member Posts: 454

  January 2018

  CaptainPirateMan said:

  Honestly, with the way the new SW film has divided the fan base (myself included), I HOPE we DO see decline in interest in all things SW. As much as I LOVED SW for so many years, I do feel it has monopolized Lego for too long. I'm not saying I hope SW crashes and burns (although I'm personally pretty much done with Disney films), but as a Lego fan I can't help but think if SW loses some popularity it could open up the Lego gates for other themes and franchises. 
  
  I'm excited to see HP get another run, and would LOVE to see more LOTR based sets. But even if that's not in the cards, more pirate or castle sets would be welcomed by me. I DID enjoy classic space themes when I was young, but not nearly to the extent I liked Castle and Pirates. I've always understood why Lego keeps pumping out massive SW sets (obviously they sell), but honestly how many MF and DS to the fans need? It just feels really redundant, and those resources could be used for other themes. So ya, if I'm honest I DO hope the controversy regarding episode 8 results in lost interest in the SW brand as a whole, forcing Lego to make great sets that are NOT another Millenium Falcon or Death Star.

  Though the last Jedi had mixed fan reception I think that's also not really true? The people most likely to cast their vote on Rotten Tomatoes are either the die hard fan who loved it, and the die hard fan who hated. Insofar as I've seen it the casual enjoyer of Star Wars generally liked it - which is really all it needs. It still made a bajillion dollars, and will continue to do so. And with video games, Rebels, comics, etc. it makes far more. It would take something truly catostrophic to damage the SW brand meaningfully

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• CaptainPirateMan MichiganMember Posts: 339

  January 2018

  @tmgm528,
  Even though the Last Jedi made a ton of money, it very much DID divide the fan base. So much so, that unless episode 9 fixes this divide, I DO believe this is the beginning of the decline of SW. I foresee episode 9 doing far less business (unless it redeems the franchise). Those that defend the film like to claim the "haters" are a vocal minority, but that's simply not true. Once a franchise gets severely damaged, I can't think of ANY examples of it ever recovering. While I can name TONS of examples of how severe the backlash is when hard core fans walk away. Ghostbusters 2016 anyone??? 
  

  

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• CaptainPirateMan MichiganMember Posts: 339

  January 2018

  Before someone mentions the hobbit films or the SW prequels, let me just say those films did not take anything away from the originals. Nor did they do anything to lessen the legacy of the original films. Were they lesser quality? Sure. But they didn't crap on the original films. The Last Jedi took a massive dump on episodes 1-7. As did Ghostbusters 2016.

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• gmonkey76 ChicagoMember Posts: 1,476

  January 2018

  I don't think we have to wait for episode 9. I think Solo could be the movie that does Star Wars in. Just read that they are still doing reshoots for what is probably going to be garbage. How can you have Han Solo without Harrison Ford? I only saw Alden Ehrenreich in one movie, and thought he couldn't act his way out of a wet paperbag. 

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• tmgm528 Member Posts: 454

  January 2018

  CaptainPirateMan said:

  Before someone mentions the hobbit films or the SW prequels, let me just say those films did not take anything away from the originals. Nor did they do anything to lessen the legacy of the original films. Were they lesser quality? Sure. But they didn't crap on the original films. The Last Jedi took a massive dump on episodes 1-7. As did Ghostbusters 2016.

  Agree to disagree about both 8 and Ghostbusters. Im not saying the people who hate it are a vocal minority, nor are the people who love it. I just think a vast portion of casual moviegoers enjoyed it - thats all Disney cares about in their bottom line

  

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• Bumblepants DFWMember Posts: 5,947

  January 2018

  CaptainPirateMan said:

  Before someone mentions the hobbit films or the SW prequels, let me just say those films did not take anything away from the originals. Nor did they do anything to lessen the legacy of the original films. Were they lesser quality? Sure. But they didn't crap on the original films. The Last Jedi took a massive dump on episodes 1-7. As did Ghostbusters 2016.

  Alternative point of view: Midichlorians was a massive dump and nothing else comes close.

  

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• samiam391 A Log Cabin in KY, United StatesMember Posts: 4,272

  January 2018

  Finally finished (for now!).
  
  For those of us that just didn't think #9474 or any of LEGO's LotR theme was big enough.
  
  More pictures and information here:
  http://bricksetforum.com/discussion/27869/lord-of-the-rings-20-000-piece-helms-deep-w-1-500-figures-inspired-by-brickstruct#latest
  
  
  

  

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• Altair FranceMember Posts: 50

  January 2018 edited January 2018

  I own all of the LOTR sets, and of course I also wish they had made more large sets. But I still think they all deserve to be bought (except maybe the Pirate Ship which is not iconic at all and only seen for a few seconds in the movie). Helm's Deep is amazing, especially when completed with the Uruk-Hai army set. I have two copies of the Battle at the Black Gate, which allowed me to build a full Black Gate instead of half. And I am currently building a MOC of Minas Tirith with more than 2,000 pieces (mostly white, and a bit of grey) :-)

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• Lyichir United StatesMember Posts: 746

  January 2018

  One factor you have to keep in mind that Star Wars is a merchandising behemoth and for the most part, has been since the first movie. And ever since Lego Star Wars originated (right before the start of the prequel trilogy), there's been a pretty consistent stream of new Star Wars media (even after the prequel trilogy ended, TV series like Clone Wars picked up the slack, to say nothing of the many novels and video games in the expanded universe). Compared to that, Lord of the Rings and even Harry Potter hardly come close. Don't get me wrong—both have been extremely popular, but there's nowhere near the same consistent stream of new media that the Star Wars franchise can put out. Until the Fantastic Beasts movies came about, there was an almost five year gap without new Harry Potter media (outside of a stage play/script and Pottermore). Lord of the Rings fares even worse, since the Hobbit movies were the only new adaptations of an incredibly old and dense book series that has long since stopped generating new installments. And that sort of consistent media output is what drives merchandise sales (at least on the level to keep up with sales on other franchises).
  

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• CCC UKMember Posts: 18,023

  January 2018

  Lyichir said:

  Until the Fantastic Beasts movies came about, there was an almost five year gap without new Harry Potter media (outside of a stage play/script and Pottermore).
  

  You should go to Kings Cross train station and see the queues to have your photo taken pushing the trolley into the wall at Platform 9 3/4. And the queues at the HP store next to it.
  
  
  

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• stlux LuxembourgMember Posts: 2,238

  January 2018

  @CCC There's even longer queues to get in the Harry Potter World at Universal Studios (at least the Osaka one). 4 Hours queue time for the main attraction (once you managed to get in that section of the park). So glad I paid for the royal pass.
  
  However that might just demonstrate that there's a sustained demand from existing Harry Potter fans. Not sure that those attractions/shops bring in as many new fans as a new movie/book might to support the launch of several Lego HP sets.

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• tmgm528 Member Posts: 454

  January 2018

  I think the hope for more LOTR comes in exactly what @Lyichir said. The new Amazon Prequel seeies if it generates enough buzz and maintains a 'PG-13' tone could convince Lego to try and give it a shot again. But as I have heard a lot about Hobbit/LOTR sets having poor sales might influence Lego not to try again. 
  
  CMF maybe? I hope?

  

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