New Lego Lord of the Rings Rivendell set is heckin' massive... and very expensive

LEGO The Lord of the Rings Rivendell being built — (Image credit: LEGO)

A huge Lego Lord of the Rings Rivendell set has been revealed, but this enormous ode to the movie trilogy will cost you - it's weighing in at almost $500.

Announced following Lego's tease of its first proper Lord of the Rings set in a decade, this new 'Icons' kit will be available from March 8 for $499.99 or £429.99 in the UK. Lego Lord of the Rings Rivendell is made up of 6,167 pieces overall, which isn't all that far off the company's biggest releases. (The Ultimate Collector Series Millennium Falcon has more than 7K, for example.)

Along with the Council area where the Fellowship was formed, this kit features Elrond's Study (with "famous paintings from the history of Middle-earth," according to the press release) and the room where Frodo wakes up after his encounter with the Nazgul. However, that isn't everything. Instead, that's just section one. The second part recreates an Elven tower festooned with statues of figures long-past, while the third lets you build a gazebo and bridge over the valley's river from that moment when the Fellowship set off on their quest.

With all that to build, it's only right that the kit has an equally mighty number of minifigures. Unlike many of the best Lego sets, 15 are featured here. The full Fellowship (Gandalf, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, and Aragorn) is included along with Elrond, Arwen, some elves, a dwarf, and Bilbo Baggins himself… complete with the terrifying face he pulls that scarred a generation of children.

Image 1 of 4

LEGO The Lord of the Rings Rivendell set minifigures laid out in a line, with the main Rivendell building in the background — (Image credit: LEGO)

Naturally, plenty of accessories are included as well. A Lego version of the One Ring, Sting, the broken shards of Narsil, the Fellowship's weapons, and numerous props from the movie can be found within the (presumably heckin' massive) box.

"We know many of our fans have been anticipating a set like this for a long-time," Lego design master Mike Psaiki said, "but a great Lego The Lord of the Rings set is never late, it arrives precisely when it means to! It was important to us that we created something really special in this recreation of Rivendell. We aimed to add as much detail as possible and create an engaging experience throughout the build to delight fans recreating scenes or proudly displaying Elrond’s home. We are really pleased with the final design and how we have brought Rivendell to life in brick form."

This is the first Lego Lord of the Rings kit in years; the last sets were released in 2013. Follow-ups based on The Hobbit closed out the range in 2014, and it's been radio silence ever since.

If you're signed up for a free Lego VIP membership, you'll be able to get your hands on the Lego Lord of the Rings Rivendell set early between March 5 - 7. This offer also comes with a free Frodo and Gollum Brickheadz set.

Fans based in the UK can also head over to the Leicester Square Lego store to meet the creators of this Lego Lord of the Rings Rivendell set and get their own copy signed on March 5 between 12.30-1.30pm GMT.

For more brick-based shenanigans, try these must-have Lego Star Wars sets or the best Lego Super Mario sets. As for those wanting to save some money, don't miss these Lego deals!

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news.