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LEGO’s dark lord is apparently getting his own sculpture treatment, and honestly, I’m not sure if I should be excited or terrified about having Sauron staring at me from my shelf.
According to recent rumors, LEGO Icons 11373 The Lord of the Rings: Sauron Bust is expected to launch in March 2026 with 538 pieces and a price tag of around $75.
I mean, nothing says “home décor” quite like the physical manifestation of pure evil made out of colorful plastic bricks.
This isn’t LEGO’s first rodeo with bust sets. They’ve been steadily expanding their Lord of the Rings lineup over the past few years.
I’ve watched them go from Rivendell to Barad-dûr to The Shire, so apparently someone at LEGO headquarters decided we needed more Middle-earth menace in our lives.
The timing feels right, considering how well their previous LOTR sets have performed.
What really has me curious is whether this Sauron bust will include a minifigure. Let’s face it, collecting tiny plastic versions of fictional villains is basically my hobby at this point.
What We Know So Far
Sources indicate the LEGO Icons 11373 Sauron Bust will launch in March 2026.
The pricing appears consistent across regions at $74.99 USD and €74.99 EUR.
This release timing aligns perfectly with LEGO’s typical spring launch window for major Icons sets.
I expect pre-orders to begin sometime in early 2026, giving me plenty of time to convince myself I absolutely need another Dark Lord staring at me from my shelf.
The pricing positions this set squarely in the mid-range Icons category. For comparison, that’s significantly less expensive than the massive Barad-dûr set that launched in 2024.
Piece Count and Build Details
The 538-piece count suggests a reasonably detailed bust without being overwhelming.
I estimate the build time at approximately 1-2 hours, making it perfect for an evening of therapeutic brick-clicking.
LEGO has designed this as an 18+ collectors’ set, which means I can expect intricate details and advanced building techniques.
The piece count indicates enough complexity for interesting textures and features without the marathon building session of larger sets.
I’m curious how LEGO will handle Sauron’s iconic helmet design and flaming eye details within this piece budget.
The relatively compact build should still capture the Dark Lord’s menacing presence on my display shelf.
Sauron’s Design Inspiration
This bust will likely draw inspiration from Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, similar to other recent LEGO Lord of the Rings sets.
I expect to see Sauron’s distinctive spiked armor and imposing helmet prominently featured.
The challenge for LEGO designers lies in translating Sauron’s ethereal, fiery essence into solid brick form.
I’m particularly interested in how they’ll represent his glowing eye and the intricate metalwork of his armor.
Given LEGO’s recent success with character busts like Darth Vader, I’m optimistic they’ll nail the intimidating presence that made Sauron such an iconic villain.
The bust format allows for impressive scale and detail work.
Potential Minifigure Inclusions
The most exciting rumor suggests this set might include an exclusive Sauron minifigure.
This would be incredibly valuable, considering the existing Sauron minifigure from the Barad-dûr set currently trades for around $76.
I find it amusing that a single minifigure could cost nearly as much as the entire set. LEGO clearly understands the collector appeal of exclusive Dark Lord figures.
If included, this minifigure would likely feature unique printing or design elements specific to the bust set.
This strategy worked brilliantly for other Icons releases, making them even more attractive to collectors like myself who can’t resist limited editions.
Comparison With Other LEGO Bust and Helmet Sets
LEGO’s bust collection has been quietly building momentum, and I find it fascinating how they’re branching out from their helmet obsession.
The Iron Man bust (76327) comes with 436 pieces, while the Iron Spider-Man bust (76326) has 379 pieces.
At 538 pieces, the Sauron bust would be the beefiest of the bunch. That’s nearly 100 more pieces than Iron Man, which makes sense considering Sauron’s elaborate armor design.
The Marvel busts stand about 17 cm tall and cost around $60-70. The rumored $75 price point for Sauron follows this trend perfectly.
What’s interesting is how LEGO seems to be hedging their bets. They’re still releasing helmet sets like the Kylo Ren helmet (75415) and Jango Fett helmet (75408) from May 2025, so apparently they can’t decide if they want us building heads or whole heads.
I suspect the bust format works better for characters like Sauron, whose intimidating presence comes from that full armored torso rather than just a helmet.
Expanding the LEGO The Lord of the Rings Collection
The Lord of the Rings theme could really use some more attention from LEGO. This bust might finally be what fans have been hoping for.
Right now, the collection’s kind of sparse, especially when you stack it up against giants like Star Wars or Marvel.
The Barad-dûr set (10333) came out in 2024 and was a huge hit. It brought us the first Sauron minifigure, which is already fetching around $76 on the secondary market.
Clearly, Sauron content is in demand. A Sauron bust would give collectors a fresh way to show off their Middle-earth obsession.
Instead of a hulking tower hogging precious shelf space, you’d have a compact villain you could actually fit on your desk. That feels way more practical, right?
The rumored Minas Tirith set for 2026 hints that LEGO Icons isn’t done with this theme. Seems like a smart move—Lord of the Rings just doesn’t lose its charm the way some other franchises do.
I’m really hoping they throw in another exclusive Sauron minifigure with the bust, just like they did for Marvel. Fingers crossed.