LEGO Lord of the Rings and LEGO The Hobbit sets have been a dream come true for many LEGO fans who are also enthusiasts of Tolkien’s books and Peter Jackson’s films. However after giving LEGO fans some nice sets and minifigures for a couple of years, it looks like the LEGO Lord of the Rings and LEGO The Hobbit series is soon going to come to an end. However there is one last hope…
There is a petition to “Save LEGO the Lord of the Rings!” by the “LEGO the Lord of the Rings Rescue Team” posted on change.org. At this point they are basically just collecting signatures to be able to prove to LEGO that there is indeed enough interest to continue the theme. Below is the actual petition, and if you would like to add your signature and your comment on why you feel the theme should continue you can visit the petition here: Save LEGO Lord of the Rings! and you can also follow the petition on Facebook and share it with your friends.
LEGO the Lord of the Rings is a licensed theme of the popular toy company. It appealed to both LEGO and the Lord of the Rings fans over the past two years. Unfortunately it looks like there will be no more LEGO Lord of the Rings construction sets, while there is still so much left to explore. Please help us raise awareness to save LEGO Lord of the Rings.
The Golden Deal
Back in 2011 the LEGO Group (TLG) announced the multi-year agreement with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to turn the characters and locations of the Lord of the Rings into the plastic toy we all know and love. Finally this popular franchise would be made into LEGO construction sets. This was, according to LEGO.com: “…not only because we know they will foster collectability and creative play, but also because these are two properties that our fans have been asking us to create for years.”
These fans have been getting fantastic LEGO Lord of the Rings sets from the summer of 2012 until June 2013, depicting scenes from all three movies: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Aside from being popular among children, the introduction of this theme has also drawn many AFOL’s (Adult-Fan-of-LEGO) back to their favorite childhood toy, commonly referred to as “returning from their Dark Ages”.
An Incomplete Theme…
But now the future of LEGO Lord of the Rings looks rather dark itself. With no new sets for over a year and the LEGO The Hobbit theme ending in October 2014, closely followed by the last Hobbit movie (The Battle of the Five Armies) this December, chances for LEGO Lord of the Rings sets are close to non-existent.
To many of us the LEGO Lord of the Rings theme feels incomplete. This is due to the lack of several major characters, creatures, buildings and locations. Some of the most striking oversights are LEGO versions of the complete Gondor faction, the city of Minas Tirith, the Balrog of Moria, the Witch King with his iconic helmet and several important characters like Éowyn and Faramir. Even Sauron, the main villain of the story, doesn’t have his own depiction in LEGO form.
One Last Wave?
Many fans would love this theme to continue forever, but a lot of us feel that most of the gaps could be filled with just one last wave. Only one last batch of sets could deal with the most important characters, settings and stories that are now left out. In this manner TLG could complete this theme in a proper way to honor the Lord of the Rings franchise and satisfy fans of both LEGO and the Lord of the Rings.
If you love LEGO and if you like the Lord of the Rings, please take your time to sign this petition. It only takes a minute. Let the world now what LEGO Lord of the Rings meant for you and why you want it to continue. Which crucial sets are still missing? Let your voices be heard!
To be honest, I’m not sure if this campaign will work. There is no harm in adding our signatures, but most likely LEGO has already made up their mind about the future of the theme. Like any business, LEGO looks at facts and numbers to decide which theme to continue. They listen to what we say with our wallets not our words. My understanding is that the LEGO Lord of the Rings and LEGO The Hobbit lines aren’t doing that well. I believe this has to do with the books mostly appealing to older kids than LEGO’s general clientele, and also, most of the sets being disappointingly small.
One of the most memorable aspect of the books and the movies are the scenes of huge battles, great forts, amazing cities and sweeping vistas. Then you look at the LEGO sets for some of those scenes, and the first thing that comes to mind is that they are puny compared to what they supposed to represent. Sure, the LEGO Lord of the Rings and LEGO The Hobbit lines gave us a lot of the important characters – so we can definitely be grateful for that. If someone really wants to, they could now build up some of the iconic scenes, and in fact many people have done so (see: The Best LEGO Lord of the Rings Dioramas Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).
However I do find it a bit odd that LEGO decided to introduce intricate brick-built castles with these lines. You may or may not know this, but LEGO fans have been complaining for some time about the use of large pre-made pieces like castle and rock walls that you can often see in official LEGO Castle sets. These pieces basically allow to build much bigger structures with less parts and time involved to build them, and they also cost less. The downside is that they can make the structure a bit boring and repetitive. But most buildings do have repetitive sections, don’t they? 😕
While I agree that some LEGO sets could benefit from using smaller pieces and interesting building techniques, I don’t thing that should have been the LEGO Lord of the Rings or LEGO The Hobbit lines where size is really important. Some well-placed large pieces would have made the structures so much more impressive without having to raise the price. LEGO can make very impressive castles and forts – it is unfortunate that the LEGO Lord of the Rings and LEGO The Hobbit lines are not going to be known for that. And while LEGO gave us many of the important characters in minifigure form, there are so many more missing – like it is mentioned in the petition.
So while it may be true that we are not be buying enough of the sets for LEGO to feel inspired to continue the line, I also feel that LEGO didn’t give us enough to be inspired about either. I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan who grew up with the books and love the movies, and I was one of those people who couldn’t wait for the sets to come out – it was a dream come true. However I ended up buying just the minifigures on the secondary market and a couple of the smaller sets. The so-called large sets simply do not inspire me. They are nothing like what I remember from the books and movies, and this mainly has to do with their small size. The only sets I feel LEGO did a great job with are the #79003 LEGO The Hobbit The Unexpected Gathering (nice size, reasonable price, great details), and the #10237 LEGO Lord of the Rings The Tower of Orthanc (but this set is out of a lot of people’s price-range).
Perhaps if thousands of us sign the petition and we stock up on LEGO Lord of the Rings and LEGO The Hobbit sets before the end of the year, the company would consider continuing to offer more. If you are interested to check out all the currently available sets you can find them at the LEGO Lord of the Rings and LEGO The Hobbit section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? Should LEGO continue the LEGO Lord of the Rings line? Do you like what they have offered so far or feel disappointed? What sets and minifigs would you like LEGO to make? And do you think signing the petition would help? Feel free to share and discuss in the comment section below! Would love to hear your opinion on this! 😉
And you might also like to check out the LEGO Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit section for more news, reviews and discussions, or select from these posts:
- LEGO The Hobbit – Revelation of Smaug
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO Dol Guldur Battle
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO Council of Elrond
- Brick Breakdown: LEGO Tower of Orthanc
- The Best LEGO Lord of the Rings Dioramas Part 1
- The Best LEGO Lord of the Rings Dioramas Part 2
- The Best LEGO Lord of the Rings Dioramas Part 3
It will be sad to see it go and somewhat surprising even. It seems to me that LOTR MOCs are very popular, even more so than Star Wars MOCs. But it had a decent run and we got some decent sets. I hope the theme will continue but you know the saying ” want in one hand and take a poo in the other and see which fills up faster” =P
If you’ve got no hand free for balancing, wouldn’t that have you falling backwards?
I hope LEGO continues on with the LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT sets, even if LEGO makes small sets . Like army building sets . I am still waiting for the nazgul.
I two!
These Lego themes have been a bummer for me. I have none of the sets, but I plan to buy Helm’s Deep from Bricklink or somewhere. I’m not sure what got me into the theme, but I read all the books (the Hobbit was first), and finished the RotK late August last year, right after watching the movies. So I entirely missed the first wave, and the second wasn’t so interesting. And then I saw the Hobbit sets…the first was good, but the rest are bad. Mostly due to their influence from PJ’s demented trilogy. 😕 But I am Definitely getting the Unexpected Gathering!
Also, funny, but I just got done reading this discussion about LotR/Hobbit: http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/14742/can-the-hobbit-sets-be-considered-a-sales-flop-for-lego . The LotR problem is on Page 3.
But if I ever become a Lego Designer, I’m gonna make sure that in either 2022, 2027, 0r 2032 comes out with a TON of LotR sets. I have my list. 😉
That’s an interesting discussion, and I agree with most that is being said. And I’m counting on you to fix this… 😉
I agree with most said there as well. Though do those points also count towards the books? Just today my mom told my 9-year-old brother he couldn’t read it because he was too young. 😕
Also, I finished my article, but I’m wondering if I can paste the pictures I want on the document, in their place.
I prefer that the pictures are attached, and you just make a note in the document where the pictures go. It is a lot easier to work with as first I have to upload the text, then insert the pictures. So if they are already embedded in the word document, I have to first take the pictures out, then put them back in.
How do I attach the pictures to the email? They can’t be pasted on the email like on Word, I think. 😕
I put a link where I want the video, so I don’t have to attach that, do I? And I can’t get the Lego Shop pictures, either.
When you email the article, just hit “insert file attachment” and you can attach pictures, as well as the original word file (or you can just copy and paste the word file in the email – but it may loose some formatting if you do it that way). For videos a link is just fine – I will embed the video for you. And you don’ thave to send me official LEGO images. I already have them. However you could make a note in the article that you would like me to include a picture of a particular set. So say something like “insert picture of set #12345 here”, and I will do it for you. 😉
Ok. Though I am writing about a particular set (#42030). 😉 But I meant I couldn’t get the product listing for the set on Lego Shop. But I guess you can do that.
Yes, that’s no problem.
He could read them, I first read Hobbit and LOTR when I was 8-9 respectively.
I have issues with PJ’s trilogy, myself, but without that influence, it’s likely there wouldn’t have been any sets at all…
No, I meant that the sets were bad because PJ messed up the movies, and Lego couldn’t make good sets because of that. Of course, only Lego could come up with the Mirkwood Elf Army set.
So, yeah, since the movies is the incentive for creating a theme, that basically leaves us with the options of bad sets or no sets at all.
It may be to the point , where we have to build it our selves. Isn’t that what LEGO wants us to do in the first place? Be creative. I know some of the HOBBIT and LORD OF THE RINGS seemed incomplete( like they should have put more into the sets.) I say, lets use the sets we have and use it as a starting point to make it better.
It’s very difficult to make a witchking helmet. The minifigs are the thing you cannot do yourself.
Exactly!
The Hobbit line is coming out with a Witch King minifigure, and technically the Necromancer is Sauron, so there’s your two main bad guys, but I am disappointed about the lack of some representation of Minas TIrith, and no winged beast for the Witch King to ride, or Eowyn to kill him.
I have money ready for purchases but LEGO is unwilling to deliver?
I don’t understand capitalism anymore. There is high demand for all the figures we can see and play in the video game but LEGO does not produce them. Your list was spot on. I miss the Balrog and Witchking of Angmar. Some guards and warriors of Gondor are a must and some Eastlings to fight them. Why o why do they nothing? 🙁
You don’t have to make it like it looks in the movie . I made an Eowyn from scratch .It doesn’t have to be all in flesh color it can be made all in the everyday mini fig. color . If you have the trolls from the castle series , you have your Orcs.
Seeing the e-mail: “A great dread fell on him, as if he was awaiting the pronouncement of some doom that he had long foreseen and vainly hoped might after all never be spoken.” The verdict: “And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge.” My response: “His grief he will not forget; but it will not darken his heart, it will teach him wisdom.” I own every LOTR set except orthanac, which I plan to get soon.
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
I don’t get it. What email? And where do the first and third quotes come from?
I am on the e- mailing list. All the quotes are from the Lord of the Rings books. The first is from the seen where Frodo decides to take the Ring to Mordor at the council of Elrond. The third is a quote from Aragorn while healing Merry after the battle for Gondor. Maybe I took them a little out of context, but they sounded good 😉
Ah, I recognized the first quote, but couldn’t place it. And I thought the third was Aragorn, but, wow, did you take those from memory, or were you looking at the book? And they do sound good. 😉 Also, was the second also from the Council of Elrond? It almost sounds like the movie prologue….
I haven’t yet achieved the ability to quote things from memory like that, but I did know where to look for the quotes (not bragging or anything ;)). I think the second quote was from the council of Elrond and the prologue. Thanks 🙂
SHOULD it be continued? Judging by the positive feedback i’m hearing, i think it should be.
WILL it b continued? Doubt it. Tragic truth with lego licensed themes these day is that they are gone pecan goodbye within a few years tops lately except for the SW theme.
I’ve never heard the phrase “gone pecan.” That’s a really funny phrase.
“Gone nuts”?
Very good, Ike. The depth in the poems that Tolkien wrote are so good and its like a story with in a story. I love the back stories too. LONG LIVE MIDDLE EARTH!
I’m a debater, can you tell? This is what I wrote for the petition: I am signing this petition on the grounds that it will improve your company, as well as the society as a whole. The incredibly popular building toy, LEGO, impacts tens of millions of lives daily. The chance to introduce to the world an item that is based on one of the most powerful, life changing works of literature in existence is one that ought not be thrown away lightly. LEGO means “play well”, and the Lord of the Rings line awakens people’s ability to do just that, the power of the message to which you hold the keys will enable people, not only to play well, but to live well. A cost benefit analysis shows us that the money that is put into the Lord of the Rings line will multiply itself many times over in the popularity and influence of the company. I plead with you to make the wise choice concerning this serious matter.
Sounds convincing. Too bad LEGO isn’t just one greedy guy but a whole company of people with varying opinions. 😕
Okay, but seriously the collection feels empty and alone without Minas Tirith and Faramir.
They should continue it. My friends and I really loved the line. You would be surprised on how much a pack of 5th grade boys can own.
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I was dreading this! This was one of the best lines LEGO has ever created! I am such a huge fan of Middle-earth I’d hate to see it go!
There is so much they haven’t done! I agree wholeheartedly! “But alas! All things must come to an end”.
“Until the bricks are all alight…all shall fade…”
How do we sign the petition
The link is in the article. 😉
I love the lego LotR/Hobbit sets they haven’t done nearly enuf for the LotR line and is still so,e extra room for the hobbit the definatly need 2-3 more middle-earth eaves before ending the series and at least end it with a bang like making a balrog or something big, cool, and iconic.
I think personally that Lego killed the line by not giving us the same quality overall they do with Star Wars and even with Marvel/DC
Most of the sets are wall kits, very basic and are higher in price then the SW or Lego Original equivalent. The Minifigs are really a huge win, but you can’t rely on only them, the Minifig collectors go to Ebay or brick link or where ever.
I personally have 2-3 of each set but for the $200 tower, but I’ve loved LOTR since I was 9, and have first editions of most of the books (save hobbit) and these were the first products from the films I really wanted other then a few GW minis. LOTR is not only an amazing literary work, but it’s an adventure that really feels at home with lego to me. I’ve wanted LOTR legos since I first read LOTR as a small kid, I used to pretend my forest men sets were LOTR related and play with Lego in the LOTR world. To have the real thing is amazing, and I’m thrilled with the fact Lego made these sets… BUT… They have so much more to do.
The Balrog being first among those missing items. The Fell Beats and troll following closely on it’s heals. In all honesty, I would LOVE for Lego to just release more polybags or small boxes, such as they have with Chima, of some of the missing heroes. So many blanks could be filled if they would just put out a few figure sets we could buy up. Eowyn, Isildur? I’d buy these just like I did all the others and it would be quick and easy for Lego to do, and us collectors dying for more would get that love, just we did with the recent Bluray release (Bain isn’t coveted by any means but it was still neat). A small box with Orcs and goblins, a Elf army and Gondor knights…. these are sure fire sellers to adults and kids in large numbers. I know the Lego site sold out of the larger sets multiple times over Christmas, and I know someone at the local lego store who has told me one of the number one questions they get is when the new sets are coming out. I would be very happy if the figures at least were still coming and us LOTR fans weren’t completely shut out. Figure sets always sell, and would be a great way to fill out the line, then just a few small sets like a fell beast, Balrog, and tree beard would complete the big holes in the line. The Hulkbust set is $30, there’s no reason a set that size for each of these couldn’t be done, and if they really wanted to, they could always go back and do more creatures from the universe such as a cave drake etc.
The only “set” I’m really feeling is majorly missing from Hobbit is the Trolls, and that isn’t going to happen for whatever reason.
I did talk to someone at Lego last week when placing an order, I was told that they are not closing the line, but that they aren’t focussed on it with two other huge movies coming this year and with the DC/Marvel lines taking off so well. He didn’t know anything for sure, but said from what he understood the line was being left open (LOTR only, Hobbit is done, for no at least) and that at least 4-5 more sets have been talked about, including the Balrog and Fell Beast shown in the game promotions.
Of course this is just a service rep, but that it’s being talked about inside lego is a little hopeful in any case.
Anyway, I’d be stoked about just getting some more figures and those few creatures, we can always build the missing sets ourselves, we can’t however create official Lego figures for our collection.
Jack, that is very interesting. I hope that service rep was right. And I agree with your assessment about LEGO not giving this line the same attention that they have given to Star Wars. Lord of the Rings is an epic tale. I also grew up with it and was immersed in its world. The sets are puny compered to what I have envisioned in my mind. I understand that LEGO needs to keep most of their sets under a certain budget, but there could have been so much more done with this theme…
i have just read on wiki that there WILL be 3 more lego LOTR sets 🙂
Oh, really? That would be awesome! 😛