The Fellowship of the Rings minifigures: 2012 vs. 2023
Posted by CapnRex101,
10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell features an incredible selection of minifigures, including the complete Fellowship of the Ring. This group also appeared in 2012, spread between various sets from the original range.
Eleven years separate the original versions and those designed today, hence some updates are inevitable. This article accordingly compares the previous minifigures with their successors.
The minifigures from 2012 shown on the left, with those from 2023 on the right.
Frodo Baggins
The most significant difference between the original Hobbits and their modern equivalents is the use of dual-moulded legs, representing their bare feet. Additionally, the variation between these torsos shows how LEGO printing has developed, with crisper lines.
Both iterations of Frodo display expressions depicting the character's reaction to being stabbed with a Morgul-blade. Again, the design style has shifted and seems less exaggerated. Also, both minifigures wield Sting and the updated weapon incorporates a narrower blade, with a textured grip.
Samwise Gamgee
Sam's attire has been updated, but maybe more interesting is the hair element shared between them. The mould remains the same and includes brilliant texture, which is testament to the high quality of the original piece. However, the hair colour has been darkened and I think dark orange is effective.
Meriadoc Brandybuck
Ironically, Merry's hair has changed in the opposite direction, with medium nougat replacing the earlier dark orange. The pattern on the waistcoat has changed colour too, now featuring metallic gold paisley decoration, rather than yellow.
Peregrin Took
The different styles of torso decoration between minifigures are interesting, as the new versions are cleaner than those from 2012, which captured more creases. The variation looks particularly noticeable on Pippin, whose scarf was originally far messier and whose buttons are now hidden behind his lapel.
Gandalf the Grey
While the Hobbits take advantage of the dual-moulded legs introduced since 2012, Gandalf the Grey incorporates the dress element released in 2018. The original minifigure included standard legs, which are more versatile for play, but the wizard's revised appearance is substantially more detailed.
Aragorn
Aragorn is the only member of the Fellowship not wearing his travelling attire, instead recreating the character's formal garb from the Council of Elrond. However, the earlier minifigure highlights another alteration in torso style, as the new minifigures lack flesh printing on their chests. Given the continued colour matching issues, this decision was sensible.
Boromir
Boromir's minifigure has undergone a surprising degree of change since 2012, despite featuring the same attire. Once again, the torso design is visibly simplified, while the legs are now entirely dark blue. I understand the reasoning behind the original dark bluish grey section, but prefer the uniform colour.
Both minifigures are equipped with Boromir's shield, displaying the same pattern. Here, the new design is more detailed than the older one, partly because the smooth shield allows more space for printing. The golden ring around the boss is particularly appealing and accurate to the films.
Legolas
On contrast to Boromir, Legolas' costume remains quite similar to the original, albeit with certain updates to the colours. The dual-moulded legs are certainly welcome and I like how the modern hair component extends over his shoulders. Even so, I still think the blonde colour seems rather pale.
Gimli
Gimli was arguably the most impressive of the original Fellowship of the Ring minifigures, given the exceptional decoration on his helmet and the complexity of his beard. I am surprised that the older helmet has been replaced, although the new piece looks fantastic too. The beards differ as well, but the most significant change is the use of medium legs, of course.
The helmet is interesting, as metallic gold replaces bronze in some areas. This blend of colours looks wonderful, but I wish the moulded armour panels from the 2012 helmet had been retained for the new one. Also, the helmets are interchangeable, despite the bushy beards underneath.
I think minifigure designs took an enormous step forward around 2011 and 2012, becoming far more intricate and more focused on accuracy to any source material. However, this comparison shows another interesting update since then. The use of dual-moulded parts was inevitable, but the simpler torsos seemingly reflect a conscious change in style.
Facial expressions have also become less comical on the whole, while features like cheekbones are de-emphasised. The retention of some features is notable too, as the Hobbits' hairstyles are unchanged and Gandalf remains familiar too, despite the modern robe.
Do you think the new minifigures represent an improvement, or do you prefer the older versions in some cases? Let us know in the comments.
Our in-depth review of 10316 The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell is available here.
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69 comments on this article
CapnRex101: Corporate needs you to find the differences between this picture and this picture
Me: they’re the same picture
In all seriousness, this goes to show how great the original LotR line was
Honestly, most of those 2012 minifigs were ahead of their time. I didn’t realize how detailed they were until now.
Some improvements,
Surprised to see how different Boromir is, Thought he looked very similar when the initial images came out. and the duel molding on the hobbit's feet is a huge improvement
But think some are a bit of a step back. Gimli's helmet, Pippin's simplified torso stand out.
And Legolas as well, though some of that may be nostalgia for the old figs.
I know this is just Fellowship but why didnt you include Elrond and Arwen in this as well? would only have been 2 more and would be quite interesting, those are another two where I think the originals were better (though dont think Arwen's face is right on either) so would have liked to see side by side.
think the limiting to one uniform elven hair piece hurts some of them as it has to be more generalised.
I like the new ones better. The Hobbits' torsos vary more between them, and of course the dual molded legs are key. The only one that's taken a step backwards in my opinion is Legolas. He didn't look right then, but he looks even less right now.
And the biggest travesty of all is, HOW hasn't Gandalf been given a properly moulded staff, yet? That brown pole is garbage.
To be honest, with the exception of dual moulded legs, I definitely prefer the original figures.
Might just be the nostalgia talking, but I feel they capture the likenesses of the actors far better, and the graphic style seems less flat and lifeless, with a greater level of intricate detail.
I actually find many original torsos more detailed. I’m also not a fan of the dual molded hobbit legs, they look like they wear shorts..
Fantastic review, it’s the question I didn’t know I wanted answer! It’s very interesting to see the simpler art style on the newer ones compared to the ahead of its time 2011-12 ones!
The design of Lego figure prints changes constantly but there has not been a too drastic change since around 2011. There was a period around 2009 or 2010 where some faces have been retired and replaced by new faces in a more coherent style. Since 2011 it seems that all print variations feel like they are up to the same standard, just put emphasis on different design elements. The newer figures look weirdly clean sometimes though that is still valid for some of the more regal and clean characters like the elves. I noticed back in the 2010s that when they introduced cheekbones they got overused rather fast and given to characters with very round faces more often than not so I very much like that the last few years turned to more sensible approaches.
The Hobbits give the best vertical slice of how I perceive faces in this past decade: Frodo has all his details omitted which is bad. Merry turned more cartoony when the original face showed enough character without becoming a caricature. Pippin omitted the neutral face for two grimaces which makes him stand out like a sore thumb in most scenarios and Sam is truly identical to before.
So I prefer somewhat older faces more but newer clothing prints are pretty much always good alternatives to older clothes and don't feel too out of place. The newer hobbits might represent the start of the journey where they were cleaner and the older Hobbits creases fit their weariness from their travels.
@Zoniax I agree about the staff. Lego could do a great staff that isn’t too detailed but has the overall shape from the movie. A missed opportunity.
I really do not like the use of Han Solo's face for Legolas, it doesn't look right. Same goes for the hairpiece, that is not Legolas, that is Lepin-las.
It would have been nice to have arm printing or some hairy Hobbit leg printing. The dual-molded Hobbit legs are nice, but a bit too clean.
On the whole, I agree that the older graphic work captured a more detailed, worn aesthetic. The new work is also a little too neat and clean.
"On contrast" hurts my ear. Personally, I like to be in the contrast.
It's interesting, and well noted, that the graphic design department is taking a 'showing skin is bad' approach to the grievous color-matching issue. Perhaps by the time the U.S. lands another astronaut on the moon, Lego can finally sort out how to match the color of their paint and plastic.
It's weird that I like the 2012 better than the 2023 expect Aragon and Gimli.
@B_Space_Man said:
" @Zoniax I agree about the staff. Lego could do a great staff that isn’t too detailed but has the overall shape from the movie. A missed opportunity. "
I ordered a great staff (perfect mould of Gandalf's real staff) off a 3rd party website, no way I'm dropping $500 on Rivendell and keeping that "pole".
I like the simpler, more readable graphics better than the over-detailed graphics. The new figures have more color contrast and places of visual rest. Personally, I think going back to a little more simplicity and contrast in the graphics is the better way to go, more in line with the minifigure's simplified shapes.
One does not simply change the beloved lego Minifigs.
Ty for this, great to see old VS new.
Still good to use together (except the hair), old ones for the travel and battles and the new ones for council stuff when the had time wash their cloth.
It may be nostalgia, but I think I prefer the original torsos, particularly on the hobbits. So much more wrinkles and details in the shirts and scarfs.
I kinda want to put old Legolas' head on the new one to see if that looks better? Same with Aragorn.
The new Gandalf and Boromir are great. Gimli is interesting because his new beard shows off more of his torso than the previous one. Might try mixing and matching parts between the two to see which one I might prefer.
This was a great article. I can't decide which I like better. I definitely have nostalgia for the older minifigs, but I like the new ones too. I guess I'll just have to have them all.
The differences between the minifigures are interesting, I prefer some aspects of the 2012 figs, and some of the improvements in the new fellowship.
With the hobbits, it feels like the old torsos are overcomplicated, while the new ones are a bit oversimplified. I prefer the look of the old Frodo and Pippin torsos, and the new Sam and Merry ones, but they are overall very similar. I like the new dual molded hobbit feet. Merry and Frodo swapping hair is a bit strange, I think I’ll give them both the nougat hair, as it is more movie accurate. The new and old hobbit heads are both great, I’ll use each depending on the circumstance. I like how the new ones are more happy and goofy, while the old ones capture the actor’s likenesses a bit better.
Gandalf is very similar, I prefer the old cape and head, but the torso and legs/dress will depend on the circumstance. The new Aragorn and Sam have different outfits, so their use depends on the situation. I prefer the ranger Aragorn, although the council outfit is useful in Rivendell. Sam’s new outfit is useful for while in the shire, while his old outfit is good for his outfit further into the journey. I think the old Aragorn and Boromir heads capture the actors better, although the new Boromir might be useful if I want to switch his hair to the more accurate reddish brown. I’m unsure on which outfit is better, there are certain aspects of each design I prefer better, so I’ll wait to see it in person. I like the new Boromir shield, although the older feels more ‘Lego’ to me.
I overall prefer the old Legolas, the new head and hair are terrible for Legolas. I’m not sure on outfit, but it fortunately looks like either legs can go with either torso, so you can mix and match to what turns out back. Hopefully I can someday get the dual molded olive green and dark brown arms from the cmf viking, they would look great. The new Gimli torso is great, I’ll have to see which helmet and beard is better. The old beard is a bit too long, and the new is a bit too short, along with the dark orange being a bit strange.
The new weapon molds for Frodo, Boromir, Aragorn and Gimli are great. I’ll keep the other three hobbits with the dark pearl gray barrow shortswords, and Legolas with the two elven daggers. I made a custom staff for Gandalf with reddish brown 3957, minifig hand, and translucent gem.
Thank you for posting this article. I enjoyed it.
As for old vs. new, I have no preference. I like them all, and am delighted to see new LEGO LOTR minifigures in production.
I'm just gonna copy and paste what I wrote on the Rivendell announcement article, where I did my own comparisons based on the pictures:
I think I definitely like better the new versions of Boromir, Merry and Pippin; aside from several small details feeling more authentic too, their new expressions also feel to me like they capture the movie portrayals of the characters more accurately. Elrond and Legolas too; I like better that Elrond's crown(?) is printed on his head this time, and while I wasn't convinced by Legolas' new design at first, when comparing the two, I feel like his original minifigure's expression looks uncharacteristically severe and disapproving, so for me the new version works better. The dual-moulded legs definitely improve all the Hobbits, too.
On the other hand, I much prefer the older versions of Aragorn, Arwen and (aside from the legs) Sam. Aragorn's new face looks good, but I prefer his original outfit and more serious expression; Arwen just feels a little bland here, especially since she uses the same hairpiece as all the other elves while her original minifigure had a unique piece. And Sam... well, if the orange shade for the hair that was used for Merry last time was changed to lighter here because it was too dark for him, it also feels too dark for Sam as well... though that is perhaps a product of making each Hobbit have a different hair colour. His original's slightly more rumpled look and determined expression, too, feel more authentic to me; although I guess since those are a product of his and Frodo's journey to Mordor, it makes sense that he doesn't display them yet in this earlier scene.
Gandalf, Gimli and Frodo, I don't have strong feelings about either way; their changes don't feel either better or worse to me.
The new Hobbit legs are the only real improvement in my opinion. The original figures didn’t leave a lot to be desired as they were.
Thank you so much for the comparisons and the great review!
LEGO has undoubtedly done great work here... but, like many others, I'm not convinced that all the changes are improvements. I absolutely agree that this also shows just how darn good the mini figures from the original LotR sets really were!
The dual-moulded legs for the Hobbits was an obvious update and probably the most significant of the positive changes. Similarly, the use of appropriately printed skirt pieces for Gandalf and Elrond also makes much sense and works well, particularly since the more limited functionality is overcome by the very cleverly created seated versions of both characters.
Folks have mentioned Gandalf's staff; I can see their point but I'm more wiling to accept the generic piece. To me, the more egregious failing is the continued use of grey for Gandalf's hat! It was specifically described as "blue" in the book and also clearly blue in the movies too, even if it was a more washed-out and faded blue. Sand blue would have been a much more appropriate colour here and would have been a suitable "upgrade" from the original run of Gandalf minifigures. I had wondered if they would opt to use the more detailed wizard hat that was recently introduced; the hat would have been fine but the incorporated hair component would not really have been right for Gandalf so I'm glade the opted to stay away from this as the original wizard hat from the early-'90s works perfectly well here!
I'm not convinced about the need to swap the hair colours around between Sam and Merry. It often seems to me that far too many minifigures representing characters from movie franchises end up with hair in shades of orange when this does not meet on-screen appearances and there are now enough shades of tan and brown for this to be avoided. With this in mind, I still don't think that Boromir needs to be a Ron Weasley red-head!
While we're on the subject of hair, the single style of elf hair piece seems very limiting. Dual-moulded may be an improvement but the top of the head looks oddly "bulbous" from some views in this new version. Given the number of elves, they had the opportunity to do more with this.
The bright pale yellow was never quite right for Legolas (or any of the other blond elves) there was an opportunity here to re-set this to the lighter of the tan shades but I can understand why they may have wished to maintain at least some continuity with the older LotR minifigs. Given that the marked "cheekbones" from the original face prints for both Boromir and Aragorn are copied over to the new versions almost entirely unchanged, the lack of a specific new face print for Legolas feels like a particular cop-out. The original Legolas head was, perhaps, a little too stylised but for a set of this price to use a generic head here is very poor.
Don't get me wrong, I really like the Rivendell set; it's impressive and the minifigures are genuinely good but some of the choices are decidedly odd. The answer for me is that I will inevitably end up using a mix-and-match approach which blends available elements from the original LotR mini figures with those from the set until I feel I have achieved the optimum combination for several of these characters.
Why did they recast Orlando Bloom with Alden Ehrenreich?
Hmm, definitely some decent improvements overall, but a lot of the time I found myself preferring the older figs. The simpler designs on the hobbit torsos just look really flat compared to the bulges and stresses on the older ones, and I know some people were put off by cartoony faces but I thought it was a good way of getting impression across on a minifig face
I prefer old Legolas' hair, but these are some great updates!
I am shocked about how wonderful and detailed the older minifigs are. These are still excellent. I like the improvement of the torsos and legs of both Boromir and Aragorn. Legolas’ hair and face is superior on the older minifig, although I think the new torso and legs are fantastic.
I like both versions of the minifigs and there is just slight changes that weren’t necessary. I like the older torsos for the hobbits. However, I hate the hair change for Merry and Sam—the older figs had the hair color correct. I also prefer the 2012 version of Gimli overall and don’t see the use of medium legs necessary at all.
Thank you for a great article and comparaison. This was the a very excellent review.
Could we see Gimli / Gandalf without beards?
@EpicMindvolt said:
"Honestly, most of those 2012 minifigs were ahead of their time. I didn’t realize how detailed they were until now. "
Absolutely.
And seeing them next to the new versions I've got to be honest, I prefer the older version of the torsos, each and every one of them. The new ones look like such a downgrade to me.
And that's not nostalgia talking, since I never had any of the original LOTR sets, nor was I even aware of most of them back in the day.
Dual molded legs are nice and all, but all those simplifications are killing the new ones for me. Zero interest.
Across the board modern leg molds have provided direct upgrades. They give dwarf and hobbit minifigs inherent distinctions and allow more stylized detail for robed characters.
Frodo and Boromir's new face prints definitely better capture their actors' likenesses and mannerisms better.
The changes to Gimli's unique molds seem unnecessary but the minifigure still looks good regardless.
Legolas needs a better hairpiece; both minifigs don't really capture his hairstyle properly. I understand that this was most likely a matter of parts budget, consolidating all of the new elf minifigures to share a single mold, but I overall prefer the original minifig.
MY favourite is Pippin - I think that the new figure captures his personality better.
The new ones seem worse and less detailed.
Would love to see a comparison between the weapons from then and now, as I reckon I'll have to try and get some of them on Bricklink
As someone who pulled up pictures to compare and contrast as soon as this set was revealed, this article was greatly appreciated!
As essentially a collector of minifigures, I prefer newer releases to be discernibly different from their previous counterparts. This makes cataloguing and display more accurate. In this particular case, newer moulding technology and printing techniques have enabled nuanced details between the older and newer versions. I like both renditions and will definitely be adding the new versions to my stand-alone collection.
I’ve said it before… articles like this set Brickset apart from other Lego fan sites. Nicely done!
You have got to give Lego Dimensions some credit, since some of these minifigures were brought out again in 2015 with what I think were the same designs, rather than saying that these were just from 2012.
The side-by-sides largely convince me that there isn't a real quality distinction between the original figs and the current ones--just differences in style. I overall like the original torsos better and would mix and match the heads (Gimli is the only cut-and-dried better fig, for me--those in-betweener legs are perfect).
What I find interesting, though, is the love the dual-moulded legs are getting. They're... fine. I guess I appreciate the Hobbits' bare feet getting representation in the minifig, but I didn't really find it lacking before, and the actual effect for me doesn't QUITE work: the ratio of skin-to-pant is just too much: they all look like they're wearing shorts.
I'm sorry, the new Legolas face & hair just looks GOOFY. Not Legolas
Like others have said, most of the changes aren't that drastic, and the characters are generally accurate either way. Gimli's midlegs are a definite improvement as well as Boromir's clothing. The others don't stand out to me either way except Legolas. The new element gives him too much forehead, and I prefer the older look. It's possible that it is nostalgia that makes me think that, but elves were definitely better done in the original line. There needed to be different elven hair styles between characters.
@ozbrickcreator:
Besides Doubledoor in the Starter Pack, they did three Fun Packs, comprising Gimli, Legolas, and Gollum. Gollum was a repeat of the Hobbit deco. The other three used their original 2012 outfits, but all had different heads (so Bricklink lists their Dimensions versions separately). Gandalf and Gimli had unique face prints that have never been used again, while Legolas got switched to a different existing head. They did introduce a lot of new decorated minifig parts, primarily because there were so many new IPs represented, but they also made completely new minifigs for existing themes, and tweaked a lot of faces to make “unique” minifigs.
I’ve seen instances where a minifig deco gets called back into service,
And ends up being not quite identical, suggesting they discarded the old printing pads and had to create new ones. If they made two distinctly new faces, I have to wonder if the torsos are truly identical. They may also have minor variations that haven’t been noticed yet.
I prefer the new but the old are still quite good. Lego did an excellent job with the Lord of the Rings theme. The design and printing of minifigures throughout the theme are just awesome still.
Unfortunately most of the changes are not as good as the original figures.
However the new Dwarf Helmet allows for more variation in my Battle of 5 Armies MOC.
Mostly negative thoughts about the new figures....
Boromir is definitely not red headed. They should have given him brown hair to match his beard.
Sam is not Red Headed and should also have had brown hair.
Hobbits definitely have buttons on their jackets and they should have been retained.
Gandalf should have grey eyebrows.
Sting does not have a hole in the blade. Bad molding TLG....
But any new Lord of the Rings sets are a good thing. :)
As a yellowist, I find the new hobbit legs are a turn for the worse. If there were easily available equivalents with yellow feet, I wouldn't mind so much. But the odds of LEGO ever producing K2 (dual-moulded) dark reddish-brown short legs with yellow feet for an in-house line are slim :~(
I'm mixed on some of them. The dual moulded legs are a good addition. Overall I'm glad that the whole fellowship was included, was afraid that only a subset would be present (they were split over multiple sets in the previous wave).
I prefer all the old figs, but the new ones are good too, so that's good for new collectors. Legolas' head looks weird, and they just can't get Sam right, can they? He doesn't quite have the same haircut as the other hobbits, but the variation is so slight that I get why they don't make a different hairpiece for him. Also, while his old head was good for the Shelob scene which it was made for, I always wanted something more neutral or optimistic, to capture his general mood. Percy Weasley's face doesn't quite cut it, although I have used Ron Weasley's face from the second CMF series, which I think looks better.
Old ones are better. Torso designs on the new ones are too tight, lineweight is too light, not much style or flow. Only improvement is the double molded legs.
I much prefer the older versions overall. The dual-molded legs don't really work for me, the older torsos have a more consistent and interesting style, and the older heads are far better than the new ones (the one exception being Boromir; I always though his face print was questionable). I understand it makes sense for their faces to exhibit more positive attitudes because they're in Rivendell, but I think the older versions do a better job of reflecting the somber tone of the trilogy as a whole.
@granto said:
"Overall I'm glad that the whole fellowship was included, was afraid that only a subset would be present (they were split over multiple sets in the previous wave)."
They were split, but the total RRP of the four sets needed was only $173 USD (~$225 accounting for inflation). And that also included a cave troll, a couple extra Frodos, Gollum, a couple Moria orcs, and a couple ringwraiths.
Overall I'm happy with the new figs and think they are an improvement, with the exception of the torsos of the hobbits, I much prefer the older more detailed, scruffy, creased take for those 4.
@CCC said:
" @leviness said:
"I’m also not a fan of the dual molded hobbit legs, they look like they wear shorts.."
Yes. They would look better if it was just the feet that were flesh. As they are, the flesh section is just longer than the trousers, whereas in reality the trousers should be significantly longer."
My thoughts exactly, and it seems that it would indeed have been possible as the very first dual molded short legs had the feet plus just a little above in one colour, then another colour, then the same colour as the feet again, see for example 71005-2: Bart Simpson. Instead make just the feet in one colour and the rest in another, not sure if that's ever been done?
@Zander:
So you’ve got two choices. Swap out the legs for solid-color versions, or invest in fine-point yellow Sharpies (the only way you can tag the inseam).
@binaryeye:
LotR wasn’t bad, but I think you had to buy the entire first wave of Hobbit sets to get all 15 of that group.
@MrClassic:
They’ve done two versions of dual-molded mini legs. One has matching shorts and shoes, with a second color band in the middle, which was created for Bart Simpson. It would not work here at all, since Hobbits famously don’t wear shoes, nor do they typically seem to go around mooning everyone they encounter. The other is this half-and-half, which was created for Dobby. It’s what you’re getting. There is no 2/3-1/3 option at present. I’m not holding my breath for one, either.
I'm not a LOTR or Hobbit fan, but I definitely prefer the original torsos/legs. The only one I'd say is an improvement is Gandalf. Personally I don't like the simpler torsos and as mentioned the lack ofthe armour plating on Gimley's contemporary helmet is a drawback. I do think the new faces in many cases are more accurate to the actors, but yeah, older is way better. (oh almost forgot, the leg choices of dual moulded and half legs for Gimley are an improvement, although I think the originals were fine)
I was still in my darkages when the original sets came out, so no nostalgia here, but like a lot of the commenters here i prefer almost all of the old minifigs! I am happy to be able to get these figures, but the 2012 ones where simply epic. You cant really improve on perfection ;)
@CCC:
Just from examining parts, and thinking things through, I believe what happens is they use a mold where the first half of the shot is formed, one section retains the part while another pulls away, a third section replaces that one, and the second color is injected to flow around and fuse to the first section. There’s a distinct groove where the two colors touch, with very little overflow (short-sleeved arms being the only instance I’ve noticed), and no loose connections. The Bart legs do appear to be a 2-shot mold, with the shorts and shoes being molded in one step, and being connected by a narrow core through the knee section, which just gets a ring added around the core in the second step. What you’re suggesting would require a triple-molded design (which I don’t think they’ve ever done to date), or a new dual-molded 2:1 design.
The new Gandalf is the only one that feels like a clear upgrade because of the printed "legs". Most of them aren't upgrades at all save for occasional details here and there. They're all very solid minifigures though, but certainly a bit surprising that the new ones are worse in many regards.
All of the new ones looks worse imo, and I also prefer the old legs for the hobbits.
I actually like the majority of the old figures better than the newer ones, and I never thought I would say that. The new ones aren't bad, they are great as well, but overall I still like the old ones more. A few exceptions in my opinion are Gandalf, as I never really liked his plain legs and wished he has a robe. I'll likely pick one up on Bricklink but we'll see how high that price goes! The other is Boromir, and only partially. I actually like the body print mostly better on the old minifig as I liked the separation in color in the pants, vs the now total bright blue body. His face and shield are definitely better in the new figure though.
Also hope to pick up some of the weapons on Bricklink as well, such as Boromir's and Aragorn's swords.
The figures look great. If you didn't have the originals these would make great replacements. But for me, I'm finding a hard time to justify that $500 on Rivendell. Yes, the set looks amazing and I'd love to have it, but the figures aren't a draw for me this time. So I guess I could sell the figures to make money back or find a set without figures to buy.
It looks like a digression to me overall. The earlier faces had the look of the actors and better expressions, except for Frodos & Legolas, theirs are less dramatic now. Gimli & Gandolph's expressions now looks comical compared to 2012. The best improvement is the dual molded legs.
LOL, could it be that the Sam and Merry actually don't have different hair than the originals? It's still one of each color.
Still, I liked this review very much. Can't wait to line up the minifigures myself!
Question - is there an explanation or comparison anywhere of the dual-molded methodology, versus a painted or printed minifigure?
I’m not exactly sure you can compare the different versions of Aragorn since he’s not wearing the same attire. I have to admit though I favor the new designs, they look more cleaner and crisp as far as in appearance and detail.
As I was looking through the photos I thought oh the new ones look really nice there's so much more detail on the torsos and then I realized the ones on the right were actually the new ones and I was like, whaaaat they simplified them so much! Also I don't like the all blue for Boromir's legs on the new one. what's w the hole in the sword? does the old mold also have it and it was just on the opposite side in the photo? I think Gandalf and Legolas are the only ones that looks nicer. Gimli looks cool and the shorter beard lets you appreciate the torso but I think the old one still wins.
@CCC said:
" @Zander said:
"As a yellowist, I find the new hobbit legs are a turn for the worse. If there were easily available equivalents with yellow feet, I wouldn't mind so much. But the odds of LEGO ever producing K2 (dual-moulded) dark reddish-brown short legs with yellow feet for an in-house line are slim :~( "
I would have thought yellow head fans would like the newer ones, as they have removed the flesh printing from the torsos (unlike the older ones). "
@PurpleDave said:
" @Zander:
So you’ve got two choices. Swap out the legs for solid-color versions, or invest in fine-point yellow Sharpies (the only way you can tag the inseam)."
I created a Yellowship of the Rings when the first LotR sets were released using a yellow Sharpie and Humbrol Satin Cote for durability: https://brickshelf.com/gallery/AmperZand/Fantasy/yellowship_of_the_ring_landscape_small.jpg
@CCC The new torsos are appealing because, as you say, they have no necklines that require recolouring. They will likely be extremely dear on the secondary market though, so not worthwhile.
@PurpleDave Using a Sharpie to recolour LEGO is very much a case of the lesser of two evils. While I will just about consider it for elf ears and a bit of decolletage, larger areas are more than I feel comfortable with.
I guess I will stick with the Yellowship as is.
@Zander:
I tried to stick to stock parts. I even cut out strips of sticker border to make a white band on a minifig head for Batman's eyes. I even bought five misprints of the first Catwoman's head because they were printed on yellow heads. Then I got the first Poison Ivy and Bane minifigs. Gave that up real quick. If you screw up, or simply want to take them back to original condition, a quick wipe with rubbing alcohol will take the Sharpie off, while leaving the official print intact.
Interesting. The only real improvements to me are Gandalf's new detailed dress piece, Boromir's shield, the dual-moulded legs and Gimli's overall look, even though the new helmet looks like a knockoff version of the original.
Other than that I pretty much prefer all the original torsos over the new ones, except maybe for Legolas'.
The majority look improved on the whole., especially those Hobbit feet.
Gandalf's new, reused face is a backtrack. A hat and hair mold would've been appreciated.
Would've liked to see Aragorn try the Aquaman/Thor hair in dark brown (maybe black hair insead).
I prefer old Boromir.
Legolas's new face and hair doesn't capture the onscreen character.
Since I have the old, I can mix and match to my heart's content!
All these new minifigs editions are welcome, except Legolas which was much better before, and the swapped hairs of Sam and Merry (will swap them again)!
Very good comparison, thanks!
I love all of the new molded pieces— the weapons, dual-molded legs, and accessories— but I feel strongly that the original prints (primarily the faces) were much more accurate in their representation of the actors. The original Legolas had appropriate characteristics of Orlando Bloom. I don’t see any of that in the new one. It’s a wonderful set overall but I’m admittedly a little disappointed with the prints on the minifigs.
Gotta say I definitely prefer the originals overall, but it’s definitely a mixed bag.
For the hobbits, the use of dual molded legs is a huge improvement for sure. But I feel like they had Sam and Merry’s hair right in the originals, don’t understand why they’d flip them now. Merry and Pippin’s faces are also a little too cartoony for me.
Gimli’s beard color and shape was way better before. Also, his eyes don’t fit his beard and helmet very well at all. Love the medium legs though and the new helmet is great even if it was a bit superfluous.
Legolas is by far the biggest disappointment. The face does not fit him at all, and the one-size-fits-all approach to the elf hair in this set is just not very good. I don’t remember ever seeing his hair go over his ears in the movies.
Aragorn is solid, although the arms are clearly gray in the movie not nougat. Not a big deal though because I do think the colors blend very nicely on the minifigure
Boromir I think is the one that was definitely improved in every way from the original. The face looks better and the body printing is just a lot cleaner.
The dress piece for Gandalf looks great but I think his face looks horrible in my opinion. His eyes just look too youthful.
As someone who owns all the originals, the minifigures are not a huge draw to the set for me, but I also don’t think that they’re that disappointing either. At the end of the day, I’m getting this one for the set more than the figures though