Kickstarter/ Crowdfunded releases should absolutely be considered as a way forward for Asmus now that they’ve ran through all the main cast in their primary outfits (although I’m 100% in for armoured hobbits, Gondorian armoured Boromir and Faramir & Black Gate Aragorn.)
Crowd funding could open the door to many less prominent characters who otherwise would be too risky like army building soldiers; Gondorian ceremonial guard, Numenorians, Rohirrim, Easterlings, Haradrim, Galdhrim, even orcsand Uruks and maybe even some very important but difficult to make igures like Sauron who is long overdue!
Wargs and rider sets, a Treebeard bust/torso that you can sit Merry and Pippin on, and just think of all the throne sets!
Denethor with the steward throne, Cursed Theoden on his throne with Grima, Elrond at the council throne the plinth for the Ring, Thranduil and his enormously overcompensating throne!
There are so many more possibilities when you don’t have to gamble on what may or may not be profitable.
Those sets would not be cheap and collectors wouldn’t expect them to be but when the options are ‘pay slightly more or never get one at all’ I think most will dip a little deeper into their pockets.
Man, all this just showed me how much more money I’m willing to throw at LOTR figures and it’s scary!