The Christmas wish of many AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO) are coming true, well at least they will next year. 
That’s right folks, LEGO Lord of the Rings is finally becoming a reality. The LUG (LEGO Users Group) forums are burning with all the back and forth chatter, Facebook is buzzing with the news, and as my friend Wes coined “It is as if a million wallets suddenly cried out, and were suddenly
silenced.” 
Building Sets Based on Epic Film Trilogy and Forthcoming Theatrical Release Slated for 2012
Warner Bros. Consumer Products and The LEGO Group announced today a partnership that awards the world’s leading construction toy brand exclusive rights to develop build-and-play construction sets based on THE LORD OF THE RINGS™ trilogy and the two films based on THE HOBBIT™. The multi-year licensing agreement grants access to the library of characters, settings, and stories for THE LORD OF THE RINGS property, as well as films The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again.
LEGO® THE LORD OF THE RINGS construction sets are slated for a rolling global launch beginning in June 2012 in the United States, with LEGO THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY scheduled for later in the year.
“Only LEGO, with their expertise in the construction category, is capable of doing justice to the incredibly imaginative environments depicted in the world of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and the two films based on THE HOBBIT,” said Karen McTier, executive vice president, domestic licensing and worldwide marketing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “These films give life to amazing worlds and characters and we are thrilled to bring fans these products that deliver an imaginative play experience befitting of these beloved properties.”
The LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS collection will translate into LEGO form the epic locations, scenes and characters of Middle-earth as depicted in all three films, including The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
In late 2012, LEGO THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY will give fans of all ages a chance to build and play out the fantastical story and new characters of the legendary Middle-earth adventures depicted in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey from Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, slated to premiere December 14, 2012.
“Our collaboration with Warner Bros. Consumer Products has delivered numerous worldwide successes in the construction toy aisle with lines like LEGO HARRY POTTER and LEGO BATMAN, introducing us to loyal audiences who love great stories, strong characters and the toys that they inspire,” said Jill Wilfert, vice president, licensing and entertainment for The LEGO Group. “It’s particularly exciting to now be able to create sets based on the fantasy worlds and characters from THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and the two films based on THE HOBBIT, not only because we know they will foster collectability and creative play, but also because these are two properties that our fans have been asking us to create for years.”
Information about the sets and collectible minifigures from both collections will be unveiled at a later date at TheLordoftheRings.LEGO.com.
So the rumors that have been floating around about a TT Hobbit game are probably true. I really can’t see LEGO not putting out a video game to tie-in with the movie and sets.
The really interesting thing — and you have to take it with a grain of salt — but many years ago a friend of mine (who now works for Weta but didn’t at the time) told me that a friend of his said (that’s right, this is third hand) LEGO was offered the license for the LOTR movies the first time but they turned them down because LOTR was too violent. Perhaps because Hobbit is a friendlier, less violent story (I’ve always liked it) LEGO thought it was appropriate. More likely, its because LEGO sees that they really missed the boat last time.
