Comic-Con may have come and gone but we’re not quite done with it just yet. Today we have…
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Comic-Con may have come and gone but we’re not quite done with it just yet. Today we have our Comic-Con Middle-earth tour. In this video we take a look at Weta Workshop, Vanderstelt Studio, Middle-earth Enterprises, and Cliff Cramp Illustrations. All of them had some awesome Middle-earth themed items.
Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Middle-earth Tour”
In this review/unboxing I try something different as we take a look at the very cool figures from Diamond Select Toys. These awesome figures come with 16 points of articulation and a price tag of $30. They do a great job of capturing some awesome details and likenesses of Frodo, Merry, and Pippin. I think if you’re a hardcore collector you will want some of these in your collection for sure, and if you collected the Toy Biz line they’re a must.
Over the last few years one of the most in demand exclusives to get at San Diego Comic-Con has been the print sets our friend Jerry Vanderstelt has at his booth and I have no doubt that this year won’t be any different.
This years set is titled Winged Fury, and captures three of Jerry’s prints in a never before released size of 12×16. The three prints that make up this set are the Fell Beast, Smaug, and The Balrog. I personally have all 3 as individual prints and I cannot wait to add this set to my collection. They are exceptionally well done. This limited edition, 350 print run, at a price of $40, will not last past the end of SDCC on July 27th. Fans going to Comic-Con can pre-order theirs right now, if they’d like, and simply take their receipt to booth 1931 to pick it up. The online pre-order will be limited to only 150 copies, with the final 200 being sold exclusively at the show. Get yours now because you do not want to risk not getting it once the show starts.
Our friends at Asmus Collectibles and Sideshow have teamed up for one of the best representations you’re going to find of the character Saruman the White. This 1:6 falls under Asmus Crown Series, which as you know means they’re going all out on the details and goodies.
As you can see in the picture and product page, this is a solid likeness to Sir Christopher Lee in his role of Saruman the White. This collectible doesn’t come up short on accessories either, with multiple hands, Saruman’s staff, Palantir, and a fantastic dual sided Orthanc base, allowing you to recreate two different scenes we saw Saruman in. Saruman comes in at a price tag of $395 and is expected to ship in the back half of 2025.
Here’s what the official press release tells us:
Bring the magic of The Lord of the Rings to your collection with Sideshow and Asmus Collectible Toys.
Saruman the White is a treacherous and powerful wizard who allies himself with Sauron in pursuit of the One Ring. From his chamber in the tower of Orthanc in Isengard, Saruman communes with the Dark Lord through a palantír, betraying old friends like Gandalf the Grey in his efforts to destroy the Fellowship of the Ring and enslave Middle-earth.
Inspired by the character’s appearance in The Lord of the Ringsfilm trilogy, the Saruman 1/6 Scale Figure by Asmus Collectible Toys evokes the commanding presence of this mighty wizard in exquisite detail.
The Saruman 1/6 Scale Figure captures his iconic, regal appearance as portrayed in the films with numerous points of articulation, intricately layered fabric costuming, and accessories for recreating his most notable scenes.
This striking figure sports a detailed portrait with synthetic hair for a realistic finish. It also features moveable eyes, allowing fans to adjust his keen gaze.
Accessories include four pairs of interchangeble hands, the palantír orb, and Saruman’s staff of power with its distinctive white orb set upon a black crown.
Collectors can enjoy a variety of display options with the double-sided Orthanc-inspired environment base, which includes a section of balustrade plus an independently displayable altar with a luminous feature that pairs with the translucent palantír orb for a sinister effect.
A new power is rising in your collection. The Saruman 1/6 Scale Figure by Asmus Collectible Toys is available to pre-order now from Sideshow.com.
If, like myself, you’re a fan of the Classic Series of statues by our friends at Weta Workshop, then this latest release is sure to be something you’ll want to add to your collection.
The latest statue in this series available for pre-order is none other than Boromir himself. This amazing piece portrays Boromir in one of his most iconic moments in the films; when he finds the One Ring in the snow, and internally has to decide if he will give it back to Frodo. Like the other Classic Series statues this is an open edition, with a price tag of $399, and will be shipping to fans at the end of this year.
Breaking news: rights to bring The Silmarillion to life have finally been released, but it’s not to any of the media giants you might have expected.
Ever since Prime Video started work on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, there has been much speculation and anticipation as to whether the Tolkien Estate would finally sell the rights to bring The Silmarillion stories to life. In an exclusive reveal, our friends at Middle-earth Enterprises have told us that it looks like that will happen now; but it is the folks behind The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale who have gained the long sought-after permission.
The recent revival of the musical, which features music by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä, and Christopher Nightingale, with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus, has proved such a hit that it seems to have persuaded the Tolkien Estate that more live Middle-earth on stage could only be a good thing. The latest musical production began at The Watermill Theatre in the UK, in 2023; it has since played in Chicago, Auckland, and is currently touring in Australia, to great acclaim.
In addition, composer Paul Corfield Godfrey has in recent years been given permission by the Estate to release recordings of his operas based on The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. This indicated to some that there was a move towards allowing more performance work based on the Professor’s writings; but this most recent announcement will nonetheless no doubt take folks by surprise.
The same composition and libretto team who brought us The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will now be creating The Silmarillion – An Adventure Three Ages in the Making (working title). It is as yet unconfirmed who the stage director and design team will be for this epic show, but we do know that producer Kevin Walrus is on board. He expressed his excitement to us, and hinted at the possibility for a series of shows:
We are thrilled to build on the global momentum that we’ve already seen in our world tour of The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale production, with this expanded opportunity to play in the realms that Professor Tolkien created. Our first task will be to decide how many shows these new landscapes allow us to produce!
Rumour is that the production will open in New Zealand, sometime in late 2027. Middle-earth Enterprises’ Fredrica Doritos told us:
We know that the epic stories of the early ages of Middle-earth, found in The Silmarillion, are beloved by fans. The great drama, romance, peril and poetry of these tales makes them perfect for the stage; and the track record of the team who created The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale means that we know these sagas are in safe hands. We can’t wait to see Eru Ilúvatar and Manwë brought to life on stage. What song of Lúthien Tinúviel was powerful enough to lull Morgoth to sleep? Perhaps we’ll hear such a song in this stage show. We hope the fans will be as excited as we are, to see Fëanor forge his gems on stage.
We’ve also heard that artists already known for their Tolkien-inspired paintings may be brought in to be part of the design team. Could some of the folks whose masterpieces we’ve been enjoying in Middle-earth March Madness be part of these future shows? Certainly TORn friend Donato Giancola would make epic scenery designs; and Kip Rasmussen’s ‘Eru and the Gods singing the First Song of Creation’ would make a wonderful show poster.
We here at TheOneRing.net are very excited by the news of this forthcoming stage production (or productions!), and staffers have started speculating as to exactly which stories will appear on ‘the boards’. Look for more content to explore our thoughts; and of course we’ll bring you updates as we receive them.