WETA: Sauron 1/6 - 2021

[FrodoEyes]

There are some screenshots and behind the scenes photos where it is smaller, so it seems there are different reference materials available.

 

[Chainedstream]

There are some screenshots and behind the scenes photos where it is smaller, so it seems there are different reference materials available.

Do you have any of the screenshots you are talking about? Multiple costumes seems plausible, but in the Fellowship we only see Sauron with the large “skirt”, which this statue is supposed to replicate.

 

[rayeknor]

Until the Prime 1 statue the only representation getting both the skirt and pauldron cloaks right was for years the Games Workshop miniature, wich might have the skirt a little too big even.

 

[Chainedstream]

Thanks for the input! The more I look at the Prime 1, the more excited I am to order it. Sadly, I have no place whatsoever to place that giant piece. Also doesn’t fit my budget. If you are on the fence between Weta's or Prime 1's Sauron, I say go for the latter. Mixed media too, like the good old days with Sideshow Premium Format

 

[rayeknor]

Prime 1 armor looks too shiny to me but otherwise yes it's a more accurate piece. Weta doing the right color scheme this time tips the scale their way for me overall.

 

[Chainedstream]

Prime 1 armor looks too shiny to me but otherwise yes it's a more accurate piece. Weta doing the right color scheme this time tips the scale their way for me overall.

Agreed. I think the painting techniques are much better on Weta's statue compared to Prime 1.

With regards to the "issue" with the Weta statue: I contacted the Workshop and they said multiple actors had to use the same set of Sauron's armour. In the Mount Doom scene, a shorter actor was used which caused gaps in the armor. To fill these, they enlarged the mailed "skirt", giving a different impression. The one Weta has done, this time and 20 years ago, is said to be the correct set of armour they did for the movie. I guess it is the one we see in other shots, but because we only see the lower body in one scene, it is impossible to compare the settings and differences.

 

[SwedishHeat]

Didn't WETA design the character in the first place?

I'd think they're the keepers of how the character is supposed to look.

 

[marker2037]

Agreed. I think the painting techniques are much better on Weta's statue compared to Prime 1.

With regards to the "issue" with the Weta statue: I contacted the Workshop and they said multiple actors had to use the same set of Sauron's armour. In the Mount Doom scene, a shorter actor was used which caused gaps in the armor. To fill these, they enlarged the mailed "skirt", giving a different impression. The one Weta has done, this time and 20 years ago, is said to be the correct set of armour they did for the movie. I guess it is the one we see in other shots, but because we only see the lower body in one scene, it is impossible to compare the settings and differences.

That's some nice investigating. Thanks for the info.

 

[Chainedstream]

Didn't WETA design the character in the first place?

I'd think they're the keepers of how the character is supposed to look.

Yes, they did. But they also made Sauron at Mount Doom, which is the only time we see Sauron's whole body. Which means that the large mail "skirt" we see in that shot is how Sauron is supposed to look in a "Fellowship" setting.

Weta created the look of Sauron, therefore they have access to a library of knowledge other companies do not. But my gauge with this is that even if they do a character's outfit as close to their in-warehouse outfit as possible, they still have to check the movies for how it actually looked on screen, if they want to create a screen-accurate statue.

 

[rayeknor]

The only thing that irks me is the cloak material from the shoulder front missing, but its not a big miss, statue is still awesome.

 

[xb24]

Only less than 48 hrs before PO closes at least on Weta's website I think.

 

[xb24]

Weta replied in a fb post with a closer look at the paint

 

[Pork Chop Express]

Paint app looks great, better than everything else to date.

Heavy Metal!

 

[rayeknor]

Haha love it. If only they would add the cloak flowing from under his shoulder pauldrons in front like he has in EVERY shot in the film, and a piano..

 

[Chainedstream]

Ordered… This will be my centerpiece of the collection.

But I still have some issues with it, like a guy on Flame of Udûn pointed out, the armour of this statue more resembles that of the ROTK Sauron that was never made onto the screen.

Paint apps and sculpt are spot on and probably the best to date compared to other statues.

EDIT: wrote ROTJ… Too invested into Star Wars, I reckon.

 

[nexus]

On the fence with this one. It looks great but $1K is quite a bit. It should display great with the 1:6 Asmus LotR figures, and I don't think the character needs to be articulated. However, I believe Asmus said they'll be producing a figure. I am planning to sell my SS Sauron since I've sold off most of the LotR PFs. I guess I need to figure it out soon.

 

[Pork Chop Express]

I'm interested to see what Asmus may have in the works for Sauron. Whatever happened to their Azog figure?

 

[rayeknor]

Asmus might do a Sauron figure next year they said on this very forum. I'm sure it would look great but this new weta statue looks to be the quintessential Sauron so far what with the details and first ever correct armor paintjob.

 

[marker2037]

I ordered mine. Didn't want to miss out again on a 1/6 Sauron. I've always swooned from afar at everyone who had the original SSW.

 

[xb24]

Ordered as well. I dislike the price but I probably won't get another Sauron statue. I hope they do Azog, Lurtz and Nazgul on Steed (didn't like the last one)