Statue New LOTR Maquette Line Announced!

[DinoDB1975]

Sigh...the collector in me is rejoicing, the sole breadwinner father in me isn't.

I can't collect as much as used to. I recently decided to sell all my Sideshow 12" LOTR figures, and sold all except one. With this announcement, part of me wishes I had sold off my SSW collection as well when the going was good.

At least I see my oft wished for Boromir in Gondorian Armor in the design stages...

And that Strider looks awesome. I love the Aragorn PF, but my favorite incarnation of Aragorn will always be his Strider persona in the leather duster. That would have looked great as a PF.

 

[woodsy]

If you look on the Sideshow website, there are currently 4 dioramas that are still in stock. Every other diorama you can still get on a waitlist for. Only Crack of Doom is completely sold out.

The Dioramas are not selling well. Therefore, I think the Dioramas are about to get phased out. We may have already seen the last one.

So... You replace the Dioramas with the 12 inch maquettes.

That's what I think is happening. Personally, I love the Dioramas because they are dynamic poses where characters interact with each other. If the dioramas continue, then great. But if the maquettes will be produced at the cost of the dioramas being discontinued, I would prefer the dioramas because the maquettes are stand alone characters and both the PFs and the Wetas are stand alone. Dioramas are unique because they show interaction between characters.

Having said that, I think the new maquettes look very nice. The poses look like they will be very dynamic action poses with a little bit of background or base with a bit of the environment as opposed to plain black bases. So I think they look very good.

I just wish that the maquettes aren't being done as a replacement for the dioramas.

Are you delusional? Every one of those waitlist items are sold out. There may be one or two of those items that, if you're lucky, might become available, but for all intents and purposes they are long gone. That leaves 4 that aren't sold out and one of those, the Treachery of Saruman has only about 10 remaining. Hardly what I would call an unsuccessful line. You stick with you're gut feeling, I'll wait until SS actually comes out and confirms this....something tells me I'll be waiting a very long time.

 

[jlprjlpr]

Are you delusional? Every one of those waitlist items are sold out. There may be one or two of those items that, if you're lucky, might become available, but for all intents and purposes they are long gone. That leaves 4 that aren't sold out and one of those, the Treachery of Saruman has only about 10 remaining. Hardly what I would call an unsuccessful line. You stick with you're gut feeling, I'll wait until SS actually comes out and confirms this....something tells me I'll be waiting a very long time.

Like I said, I love the dioramas and hope they continue. Therefore, I hope you are correct and I am delusional. However, look at the PFs, those are all either sold out or wait listed, nothing is in stock except for the Gandalf the Grey regular editions. So 4 dioramas still being in stock means the dioramas are not doing as well as the PFs.

I would like them to continue the PFs, the dioramas, and the 12 inch figures, as well as start the new maquette line.

But I'm concerned that just as the 12 inch figures have been put on hold, the same may happen with the dioramas to make room for the maquettes.

 

[woodsy]

Like I said, I love the dioramas and hope they continue. Therefore, I hope you are correct and I am delusional. However, look at the PFs, those are all either sold out or wait listed, nothing is in stock except for the Gandalf the Grey regular editions. So 4 dioramas still being in stock means the dioramas are not doing as well as the PFs.
I would like them to continue the PFs, the dioramas, and the 12 inch figures, as well as start the new maquette line.

But I'm concerned that just as the 12 inch figures have been put on hold, the same may happen with the dioramas to make room for the maquettes.

There's no doubt the PF's are selling better, but keep in mind, it is SS's most popular LOTR line. And it doesn't hurt that the PF's by and large have been of extremely high quality as of late.
As for the 12" dolls, being on hold is a polite way for SS to say the line is dead. That may change in the future, but it is a reality for today. The bottom line is they didn't sell. That cannot be said about the dio's, PF's, or LSB's.

 

[The Mike]

When I saw Maquette I hoped they'd be 1:3. Still interested but not all in.

 

[figurefan]

Not to flood the thread with unofficial info, but a long time ago someone made this Elendil concept design for the old Weta line, I'm pretty sure its not official in any way, but I always loved it, and would much prefer it to like a screaming sword raised version. Just thought I'd share. Paying attention, Sideshow?

Also, as far as pricing is concerned, a little more research shows the Adam Hughes Marvel maquettes which are roughly 1/6th (maybe even 1/5th) are only $150, so there ya go.

 

[woodsy]

I have no doubt they'll be higher, but 1/6th statues costing $200 and above is a bit ridiculous. At most I would imagine an average of $175, and even then, lithe figures like Arwen could well be $150 or under. They may surprise you. A good example is the Cloak and Dagger "Dagger" Comiquette, which was $175 for the non-exclusive version, and it stood 17 inches high. The figure also has a pretty substancial cloak base. Doing the general math, I suspect the new LOTR figures to be in the $150 range.

It is certainly possible that my $175-200 prediction is a worst case scenario. I would be very happy if you are correct and I am wrong, but I'm not holding my breath. I guess time will tell.

 

[woodsy]

I agree and disagree, somehow. Weta's line had plenty of pieces that could be improved upon, especially in the likeness department, and in this regard I think SS will knock them out of the park. The Strider wip already looks miles better than all 3 full-figure Aragorn Weta pieces, for example. However Weta's figures had a much more realistic, reserved approach to most of them. I'm hoping SS doesn't go crazy over the top action pieces, like the Gandalf, which looks like a pass for me as well. Gandalf is a quiet character at heart, SS's concept drawing looks like it should be shooting lightning like Emperor Palpatine. Which is a shock after their perfect Gandalf the Grey PF. Legolas also looks way too animated and contorted imo, I find it hard to imagine a scenario in which he would be looking that uncomfortable. But the Boromir, Aragorn and Arwen are surefire winners. Gimli could be hit or miss, I'll remain optimistic for now.

Like others I hope they attack gaps in the Weta line as well, like Faramir, Denethor, Elendil and Isildur. But if this is meant to be a new start to the 1/6h Weta line (they did mention it would be a long line), then that's great as well, since newcomers would be hard pressed to get any main characters for decent prices out of the Weta line. And chances are most of the SS pieces will be superior sculpts.

I couldn't agree more. The less than adequate likeness of too many SSW pieces caused me to sell off most of those, and if the WIP Strider is any indication of what we can expect then these new maquettes will blow their counterparts right out of the water.

 

[The Ringer]

I am so stoked for this line. The only thing that worries me is the other LOTR lines Sideshow carries. I know they are already at a snail pace but these might even slow it down more, but only time will tell.

 

[The Ringer]

Also, it would be nice to know if this line also included creatures.

I can only imagine some of the awsome things they could do with this line in the creature category.

Every Troll

Treebeard

Wargs

Horses

Eagles

Sauron

this line just seems limitless, unfortunately my wallet is not the same way

 

[The Ween]

Hopefully they won't have any flaking paint problems either.

 

[tomandshell]

The PFs are enough for me, for now.

Of course, if this line offered me the chance to get a complete Fellowship, then I'd be 100% dedicated to it. But the chances of that happening are...

 

[figurefan]

But the chances of that happening are...

...about 1000 times better than it happening in the PF line...lol

 

[tomandshell]

I definitely don't expect all nine in the PF line. I just get the ones I like.

If I could get a full set of nine Fellowship maquettes, I'd get on board. But I don't want to start yet another incomplete lineup.

 

[Entropy]

I'm kind of getting a Star Wars: Unleashed vibe from these, notably Gandalf. Hopefully they can avoid the over-the-top excesses of that line.

 

[figurefan]

I'm kind of getting a Star Wars: Unleashed vibe from these. Hopefully they can avoid the over-the-top excesses of that line.

EXACTLY, that Gandalf and Legolas are like WTF, SW Unleashed.

 

[The Ringer]

I do hope they are not too over dynamic. Legolas isn't as bad because he actually moved like that in the movies but Gandalf looks like he is doing some kind of low pelvic thrusting.

 

[Entropy]

It's that wizard pelvic thrust that makes him the "ultimate representation".

 

[woodsy]

I do hope they are not too over dynamic. Legolas isn't as bad because he actually moved like that in the movies but Gandalf looks like he is doing some kind of low pelvic thrusting.

Granted, that Gandalf pose might take a bit of getting use to, but I don't have the slightest problem with that Helm's Deep Legolas. It looks to me like he's about to ride a shield down some stairs.....

 

[Entropy]

Yeah, Gandalf is the only one that looks weird. I'm fine with the concept of him "ripping with power", but try standing in that pose yourself without feeling or looking like an idiot. Seriously, who poses like that? It's like a cross between Zoolander and Capt. Morgan.