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A little hope for LOTR fans ...?

CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
in Collecting

https://www.promobricks.de/lego-herr-der-ringe-2023-erste-infos/149521/

Maybe some hope for LOTR fans? The brickheadz don't interest me but the idea that a D2C set might be coming is at least a little hope. Although I hope it would be something new and not another Bag End.
bpk2300Marshallmario
«13

Comments

  • MaffyDMaffyD Member Posts: 3,498
    Yeah, we're discussing it a little on the leaks and more leeks thread - I'm hoping for Minas Tirith.
  • bpk2300bpk2300 Member Posts: 246
    edited September 2022
    It’s fun to speculate on what the D2C will be, although Bag End does seem likely.

    Hogwarts castle (#71043) scale Minas Tirith? Or Helm’s Deep?

    Perhaps a Rivendell? Although I’m not sure how they would scale this for a D2C.

  • J0rgenJ0rgen Member Posts: 580
    Microscale Minas Tirith would be extremely disappointing... I shudder at the thought.
    Marshallmario
  • 560Heliport560Heliport Member Posts: 3,728
    I'd love a bigger Bag End!
    Mr_CrossMarshallmarioWatfordScottyM
  • RedbullgivesuwindRedbullgivesuwind Member Posts: 2,108
    J0rgen said:
    Microscale Minas Tirith would be extremely disappointing... I shudder at the thought.
    What ever they did/do with Minas Tirith is always going to disappoint someone. If they made it minifig scale it wouldn't be detailed enough if it was in the £100 to £150 range; if it was £5-600 it would be too expensive; microscale is not going to contain the figures people want or be the minifig scale that people want. 
  • pxchrispxchris Member Posts: 2,341
    A microscale Minas Tirith actually seems fairly likely for a "large" and "expensive" D2C. I'm not saying that's what I would necessarily want, but it's definitely in keeping with all the 18+ display sets LEGO has been so keen on lately.

    #79003 is one of my favorite sets, but I would absolutely not complain at all about a new larger Bag End. Whatever it ends up being, I can foresee this potentially being the most expensive (new) LEGO set I've ever purchased.
    bpk2300Marshallmario
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    I don't think I'd buy a bigger Bag End. I have had the original on display for more than a couple of years now and aside from a few days, it has always been on display from the front and not showing the interior from behind. A bigger one would be a bigger hill to look at but I doubt it would add £300-400 worth of display value if you already have the original. I feel the same about Ecto-1. The big one is fantastic but I think I prefer the smaller one for display.
    pxchrisSwitchfoot55BumblepantsJ0rgenSethro3
  • SumoLegoSumoLego Member Posts: 15,216
    emilewski said:
    Whatever it is, I am buying it.
    Speakin' my language!
    Marshallmarioautolycus
  • wardmwardm Member Posts: 878
    Me too, except when it’s a large helmet, bust or anything else like hogwarts icons! 
  • J0rgenJ0rgen Member Posts: 580
    None-minifigure scale stuff is not my cup of tea, but speaking of helmets, I must admit that the Witch-King's would be cool. Although I'd much rather finally get his minifigure this time around.
    pxchris560HeliportFizyxSwitchfoot55
  • JudgeChuckJudgeChuck Member Posts: 1,576
    While I think I'd prefer a minifig-scale set, as some of you may have seen, I have been built all of @BenBuildsLego's LoTR / TH skyline-style MOCs, which have been fantastic, so I'd definitely be interested in a micro-style set as well, done well.

    A proper Bridge of Khazad-dum with Balrog would also be high on my list, even though I have also built the BuildBetterBricks version.
    pxchrisSearchlightRG
  • MaffyDMaffyD Member Posts: 3,498
    Minas Tirith could look great in microscale - like the little Disney Castle (but bigger - it's a city, not a castle). They just need to include a couple of decent minifigs to put alongside it (Aragorn, Gandalf).

    They could also go big, like the Hogwarts Castle. That too could work, but be rather expensive. Also, the city has less rooms and more streets - so I'm not sure how that would work. But it could definitely work!

    Alternatives: Balrog scene, immense Balrog figure. Rivendell, already mentioned. Mount Doom, could be a bit plain. Gates of Argonath, a little niche but would look fab. Prancing Pony Inn, minifig-scale.
    Fizyx
  • FizyxFizyx Member Posts: 1,332
    J0rgen said:
    None-minifigure scale stuff is not my cup of tea, but speaking of helmets, I must admit that the Witch-King's would be cool. Although I'd much rather finally get his minifigure this time around.

    Oh man, I think there's quite a few helmets that they could do that would be pretty interesting.  And while technically not a 'helmet' I would absolutely love Gandalf's hat as a helmet set.  Off the top of my head I could see the Witch-King's helmet, Theodin's helment, Gandalf's hat, Aragorn's crown, and Sauron's helmet/crown.  That would absolutely be a cool sub-theme I could get behind.

    JudgeChuck said:
    While I think I'd prefer a minifig-scale set, as some of you may have seen, I have been built all of @BenBuildsLego's LoTR / TH skyline-style MOCs, which have been fantastic, so I'd definitely be interested in a micro-style set as well, done well.

    A proper Bridge of Khazad-dum with Balrog would also be high on my list, even though I have also built the BuildBetterBricks version.

    Oh man, I would also 100% support a skyline style LOTR Sub-theme.  I have seen the ones you are talking about, and they are AMAZING, and I think LOTR in particular is so much about location and landscape that it could lend itself to that kind of sub-theme in a way that doesn't work for most themes.
  • graphitegraphite Member Posts: 3,275
    Personally I'm excited for the Brickheadz, but would want them to do all of them, so the initial 2 sets (4 characters) is a good start, but that is only 2 of the 9 of the fellowship, so the other 7 are needed as well as Elrond, Sauron and Saruman at minimum.  But then there are a bunch of others I'd want as well.  And then that turns into the Hobbit crew of 14 + Beorn, Bard etc.  So way to many for them to actually do, but I'll take what I can get.
    Fizyx560HeliportSwitchfoot55
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    Sam, Merry and Pippin would presumably look like Frodo with just colour changes for clothes and hair. Maybe give Sam a rope piece. Boromir, Aragorn and Legolas would just be normal size with a printed tile for the outfit. Pointy ears for Legolas. Gimli with shorter legs and a brick built helmet. Gimli would probably be the trickiest of the nine.
  • TheFewTheFew Member Posts: 1,779
    No more LOTR please! I have a full set of LOTR minifigs on display and no room for any more!. Nor do I want to buy anymore to keep a complete collection!
  • pxchrispxchris Member Posts: 2,341
    Unpopular opinion I think @TheFew! lol

    There are certainly a number of helmet-like and moments-like items they could do, and do quite spectacularly I believe, but broadly speaking those sorts of items would appeal much less to me than playsets. Also, a microscale build could also be quite spectacular and to me personally likely more desirable than helmets or scale weapons. But still, my main hope would be for more playsets.

    I'm already cringing at the thought of a $400-600 microscale set with highly desirable minifigures though.
    FizyxSwitchfoot55560HeliportJ0rgenMaffyDMarshallmarioTheFewMr_Cross
  • FauchFauch Member Posts: 2,662
    edited September 2022
    any chance that's only 200€ and as impressive as the tower of Orthanc again ? I have the feeling that would be 300€ now
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    Fauch said:
    any chance that's only 200€ and as impressive as the tower of Orthanc again ? I have the feeling that would be 300€ now
    Impressive can be done on a budget of ~100 pounds / dollars / euros, just look at Galaxy Explorer. Although the downside is that for LOTR, the minifigs (and the number of them) are ikely to be the stars rather than the build and large numbers cost.
    Mr_Cross
  • BrickchapBrickchap Member Posts: 1,263
    Seeing trends from this year I am worried for LoTR fans that the D2C will be some super overpriced and oversized building/location people aren't that interested in and will be missing various key characters.
  • BumblepantsBumblepants Member Posts: 7,536
    Perhaps an unpopular opinion but I would prefer a small to medium gate/wall chunk with a bunch of important RotK minifigs we failed to get last time over a $3-800 Minas Tirith
    BrickchapJ0rgenpxchrisMarshallmarioToc13SearchlightRG
  • BrickchapBrickchap Member Posts: 1,263
    @Bumblepants That's not an unpopular opinion, that's common sense! Unfortunately common sense does tend to be an unpopular opinion in companies though...

    Argh I wish we would get a new Castle theme. Even if it was just a regular 18+ style theme like Winter Village with one or two sets a year. Or a regular LoTR theme for a couple of waves. I really liked how some of the LoTR sets came with proper siege engines.
    BumblepantsMCNwakeboard
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    Bumblepants said:
    Perhaps an unpopular opinion but I would prefer a small to medium gate/wall chunk with a bunch of important RotK minifigs we failed to get last time over a $3-800 Minas Tirith
    I'd love it. But I cannot see it happening. It would only be of interest to people that have the originals. They'll repeat The Fellowship before they do missing figures.
    BrickchapBumblepantsFizyxautolycus
  • BumblepantsBumblepants Member Posts: 7,536
    Just give me Denathor with an alt. face eating a tomato 
    560HeliportOldTownBrickspxchrisToc13graphite
  • J0rgenJ0rgen Member Posts: 580
    Bumblepants said:
    Just give me Denathor with an alt. face eating a tomato 
    2010 Filch with Mrs. Scratchen-Post's hairpiece makes a perfect Denethor. No alt. face though. My most wanted figs are the Witch-King, Faramir, battle Eowyn, Minas Tirith Pippin and gondorian soldiers. (So the same as everyone else, I suppose...)
  • Switchfoot55Switchfoot55 Member Posts: 3,272
    I figure if there is any chance of a minifig polybag, especially a soldier of some type, I will go broke buying as many as I can as I'm positive they will appreciate in value a jabillion times like the last waves figures. 
    pxchriseMJeeNL
  • sipusssipuss Member Posts: 232
    I'd certainly welcome new LotR sets, the value of the existing ones is through the roof. Hopefully an entire wave with smaller sets too, not just the Headz and huge(ly expensive) D2C build.
    MarshallmarioBrickchap
  • TheFewTheFew Member Posts: 1,779
    pxchris said:
    Unpopular opinion I think @TheFew! lol

    There are certainly a number of helmet-like and moments-like items they could do, and do quite spectacularly I believe, but broadly speaking those sorts of items would appeal much less to me than playsets. Also, a microscale build could also be quite spectacular and to me personally likely more desirable than helmets or scale weapons. But still, my main hope would be for more playsets.

    I'm already cringing at the thought of a $400-600 microscale set with highly desirable minifigures though.
    I am a fountain of unpopular opinions. 
    Switchfoot55Bumblepants
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    J0rgen said:
    Bumblepants said:
    Just give me Denathor with an alt. face eating a tomato 
    2010 Filch with Mrs. Scratchen-Post's hairpiece makes a perfect Denethor. No alt. face though. My most wanted figs are the Witch-King, Faramir, battle Eowyn, Minas Tirith Pippin and gondorian soldiers. (So the same as everyone else, I suppose...)
    I went for Magneto's head when assembling my Denethor.


    Witch King is definitely top of my list. I went non purist for Eowyn (helmet) and for Gondor Armour.
    Switchfoot55SumoLego560Heliportpxchris
  • autolycusautolycus Member Posts: 1,427
    CCC said:
    Bumblepants said:
    Perhaps an unpopular opinion but I would prefer a small to medium gate/wall chunk with a bunch of important RotK minifigs we failed to get last time over a $3-800 Minas Tirith
    I'd love it. But I cannot see it happening. It would only be of interest to people that have the originals. They'll repeat The Fellowship before they do missing figures.
    I am a huge LOTR fan -- watch the trilogy at least annually watch the series, etc. -- have pretty large Lego collection at this point, and I have a grand total of 2 of the original sets, including just 4 of the major desirable minifigs: Gandalf Grey, Saruman, Bilbo and Gollum.

    I would be absolutely livid if they released only a few sets and didn't cover all of the Fellowship but had some other random minifigs. It would be one of Lego's worst decisions of recent times to do figures based on gaps in sets from a DECADE ago rather than focusing on the most desirable characters in general. Especially with the overall trend toward more adults buying Lego than ever before, the potential market of people with NONE of the original minifigures is significantly larger than the market of people with even one of them, let alone a complete enough collection to justify filling gaps in side characters.
    Marshallmario
  • emilewskiemilewski Member Posts: 482
    They can do a bit of both. Main characters with updated printing and throw in a couple of figs bit released before.  
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    Yes, it would be like doing Harry Potter without Harry Potter sets as he was done before.

    I would hope if they do a new series of sets, that they do old characters in new outfits, so Merry and Pippin could be in Rohan and Gondor armour, Gandalf could have a new hair/hat, Legolas, Boromir, Gimli could all get new prints even if the same outfits, Hobbits get new legs, etc.
    bpk2300Marshallmario
  • autolycusautolycus Member Posts: 1,427
    Of course, the absolute ideal would be a CMF series or 2 to cover all of the main characters. 12 minifigures gets you all of the Fellowship plus a few baddies and Bilbo.
    Fizyxbpk2300OldTownBricksMarshallmario
  • klatu003klatu003 Member Posts: 729
    What! Wait!  Maybe, maybe more Lord of the Rings?  A set of interest arising outside the clutter of Disney, Marvel, and DC characters?
  • bpk2300bpk2300 Member Posts: 246
    edited October 2022
    The D2C is rumored to be €500. I’m not surprised anymore at price points like that, but it still takes the wind out of my sails a bit. The profit margin and sales volume for sets/prices like these must be too grand for TLG to resist. 5-10 years ago I don’t think there was a market for it, now there most definitely is. 
    BumblepantsFizyxMarshallmario
  • J0rgenJ0rgen Member Posts: 580
    edited October 2022
    I still expect a 500$ set to be a Death Star and not a Razor Crest, so the only thing I'm buying at that price point is Minas Tirith. Which would both be filling a major hole for old collectors and be a perfect one-off for new collectors.
  • emilewskiemilewski Member Posts: 482
    That would be a problem for me. On the one hand I swore that $400 would be the absolute maximum I would ever play for a set and even then $200 is a realistic price of what J am willing to pay. But in the other hand it is LOTR which I will have to have. A dilemma. 
    BrickchapMarshallmario
  • BrickchapBrickchap Member Posts: 1,263
    @emilewski Lego sets are getting too expensive. Do we NEED a $500 LoTR set? I doubt it. They could achieve the same level of hype, happiness and sales by making a cheaper set (or even better, multiple sets) rather than one 'big whoppa' only the likes of Andrew Forrest and Gina Reinhart can afford.
    Brickfan50J0rgenMarshallmario
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    It wouldn't surprise me at all if LEGO goes for just one big LOTR set and keeps it exclusive to their own stores plus another premium store.

    It seems that LOTR and especially the Hobbit did not sell very well for supermarket type stores. In the UK, ASDA dumped the last wave of the Hobbit to get rid of it. All the sets were 50% off within weeks of release. That was great at the time, but possibly bad for longer term as those stores rarely take big sets now. ASDA does £45 and below. 

    I believe LEGO wants the 18+ sets to only be sold in certain places, mainly in the larger toy chains, and more middle class stores like John Lewis where they can be seen as expensive collectables, than in the supermarkets where they are off the shelf consumer items.

    Especially if they do a £400+ MBS style set, I probably won't buy it. Whereas I would spend a similar amount if they did a range of sets at different prices. I prefer to spread out buying instead of just one large purchase. I also like to buy more smaller sets especially if they have army builders. And if there is duplication with what has gone before, I cannot skip those bits if it is an MBS style set. If they do lots of smaller builds but put them all in one big box, I am less interested. If they do a huge single epic set, I'm still not sure if I'd buy it. It depends what it is. Luckily I have everything from the original sets to still enjoy. If they repeat too much of that in a large set, the large set is less attractive.

    BrickchapJ0rgenBumblepants560Heliport
  • FizyxFizyx Member Posts: 1,332
    J0rgen said:
    I still expect a 500$ set to be a Death Star and not a Razor Crest, so the only thing I'm buying at that price point is Minas Tirith. Which would both be filling a major hole for old collectors and be a perfect one-off for new collectors.

    I think this is on point.  I think that MOST of the potential sets in the Middle Earth are and should be playsets, topping out at the absolute most around the $200 range, and mostly being well below that.  BUT at the same time I think that there are definitely some sets that I think would be incredibly difficult to do any kind of justice to in a smaller set.  I think Minas Tirith is definitely one of them.  Barad-dûr also I think would be hard to scale down.  The Tower of Orthanc was about as big as I think you can get at the play set level, and it would be hard to scale that up again to Barad-dûr.  I think the final set that I can think of that might really benefit from the 'large scale' treatment might be Rivendell.  But I definitely agree that if the sets can really be done justice in a smaller playset, they probably should be (even though I absolutely love massive, imposing, giant sets.)


    J0rgen
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    Fizyx said: I think Minas Tirith is definitely one of them.  

    I think they can do plenty of Minas Tirith sets without needing to do a giant set. Any of these could be done as part of a larger theme with a few walls to represent Minas Tirith without actually doing Minas Tirith as a whole.

    Witch King and Fell Beast vs Gandalf
    Pippin lights the beacon
    Faramir departs for Osgiliath
    Faramir, Denethor and Pippin in the Tower Hall
    Aragorn (as king) and the White Tree of Gondor
    pxchrisMaffyDSearchlightRG
  • Switchfoot55Switchfoot55 Member Posts: 3,272
    Sign me up for the last one in a heart beat!
    Marshallmario
  • sipusssipuss Member Posts: 232
    CCC said:
    I think they can do plenty of Minas Tirith sets without needing to do a giant set. Any of these could be done as part of a larger theme with a few walls to represent Minas Tirith without actually doing Minas Tirith as a whole.
    (...)
    Mini modulars that can be combined like Hogwarts sets. I'd like that.

    BrickchapSearchlightRG
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    I'd prefer the first! I MOCed the second. I wouldn't mind something like the Battle of Five Armies set to represent Minas Tirith. A few white bits of wall but a decent number of figures. It wouldn't but a very good representation of Minas Tirith, but more (a few thousand) white bricks can sort that without making the set overpriced but giving us the same minifigs as in a much smaller set.
    Brickchap
  • J0rgenJ0rgen Member Posts: 580
    - Gate + Grond
    - Outer wall section + siege tower
    - Inner city and Citadel + Witch-King on fell beast
    - Theoden vs. Oliphant

    That would be the ideal way to get all this, but I expect we'll get it all (except the oliphant) in one big set. Unless it's Bag End.
    Brickchap
  • BrickchapBrickchap Member Posts: 1,263
    Great ideas! Yeah with the new elephant piece it would be cool getting those war elephant things which I assume are called Oliphants? in a smaller set.
  • CCCCCC Member Posts: 20,526
    J0rgen said:
    - Gate + Grond
    - Outer wall section + siege tower
    - Inner city and Citadel + Witch-King on fell beast
    - Theoden vs. Oliphant

    That would be the ideal way to get all this, but I expect we'll get it all (except the oliphant) in one big set. 
    It would be a shame if it was lots of little sets in one, Assault on Hoth style, instead of being sold as little sets as it stops people assembling their own mix. If you want one fell beast but four oliphants you cannot buy the required small sets.
    Brickchap
  • binaryeyebinaryeye Member Posts: 1,831
    Brickchap said:
    Great ideas! Yeah with the new elephant piece it would be cool getting those war elephant things which I assume are called Oliphants? in a smaller set.
    As with many things Tolkien, they have multiple names. Their name by those who used them was mûmakil, the Gondorians called them mûmak, and the hobbits called them oliphaunts.
    BrickchapMarshallmario
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