The LEGO The Lord of the Rings theme, first introduced in 2012, is a licensed product line based on the film trilogy and associated with J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth universe. The original run of sets was retired by the end of 2015, but the theme has been relaunched in recent years with large-scale collector sets.
Theme History
The initial wave of sets was released in 2012 to coincide with the LEGO The Lord of the Rings video game and continued in 2013 with new sets. A separate, related theme based on The Hobbit film trilogy was also released, featuring complementary sets and characters.
The theme saw a resurgence in 2023 under the LEGO Icons and BrickHeadz lines, with highly detailed, large-scale models aimed at adult collectors.
Key Sets and Locations
The theme features iconic locations and scenes from the films, complete with numerous minifigures of key characters such as Frodo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and many others.
The Mines of Moria (9473): A popular set from the original 2012 wave that recreated the iconic battle scene with a buildable Cave Troll.
The Battle of Helm's Deep (9474): This large 2012 set featured the fortress of Helm's Deep and included eight minifigures, with an 'exploding' wall feature.
Tower of Orthanc (10237): An exclusive set from 2013, this detailed 2,359-piece model of the iconic tower included five minifigures, including the unique Saruman and Gríma Wormtongue.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RIVENDELL™ (10316): Released in March 2023 as a LEGO Icons set, this massive 6,167-piece display model features 15 minifigures and highly intricate details of the Elven home.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: BARAD-DÛR™ (10333): Released in June 2024, this imposing 5,471-piece fortress model includes a light-up Eye of Sauron and ten minifigures.
Video Games and Media
The license also extended to successful video games developed by Traveller's Tales:
LEGO The Lord of the Rings: Followed the storylines of the original three films and used dialogue taken directly from the movies.
LEGO The Hobbit: Based on the first two Hobbit films.
LEGO Dimensions: The "toys-to-life" game included a Lord of the Rings level pack and fun packs with playable characters like Gollum, Legolas, and Gimli.