Finally! Something I’ve been saying to myself “should happen” is actually going to happen! Yes, toy makers LEGO have acquired the rights to produce action figures and playsets based on the hugely popular fantasy movie franchise (based on the hugely popular fantasy books) Lord of the Rings including the upcoming The Hobbit titles.
The deal grants LEGO access to the characters, settings, and stories of The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again. The first of these toys will hit store shelves next June, with new construction sets planned for the lead up to the release of An Unexpected Journey in December.
“Only Lego, with their expertise in the construction category, is capable of doing justice to the incredibly imaginative environments depicted in the world of The Lord of the Rings and the two films based on The Hobbit,” said Karen McTier, executive VP, domestic licensing and worldwide marketing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “These films give life to amazing worlds and characters and we are thrilled to bring fans these products that deliver an imaginative play experience befitting of these beloved properties.”
It seems only fitting that there will also be LEGO games based on LOTR. It’s the next logical step – TT Games have already produced a series of LEGO Batman, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars games based on the LEGO incarnations of the popular franchises.
2012 is a huge year in LEGO with DC, Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man and Disney’s The Avengers all getting their own playsets.
“Our collaboration with Warner Bros. Consumer Products has delivered numerous worldwide successes in the construction toy aisle, introducing us to loyal audiences who love great stories, strong characters and the toys that they inspire,” said Jill Wilfert, VP, licensing and entertainment for the Lego Group. “It’s particularly exciting to now be able to create sets based on the fantasy worlds and characters from The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, 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.”
Excuse me for a second – SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! – ahem.
(via Variety)
