Weta’s Third LOTR King of the Dead Statue Finally Nails It

Sometimes, even having the world’s biggest advantage doesn’t make for the perfect statue. Weta, in addition to manufacturing collectibles, is a special effects and prop company best known for Peter Jackson ‘s Lord of the Rings films. When they first made a statue of the King of the Dead, as seen in The Return of the King, they had all the best reference material since it made the original screen version. What they didn’t know was how it would look in the final film, all green and glowy. Their first statue looked like what they saw on set, not what was created in post-production.

Green Glow the Rushes, Oh!

They got a second shot with a mini-statue that used translucent resins and perhaps went a bit far in the other direction. The ghostly green, it definitely had. But the skull face lost a bit of the humanity, looking more like an effect than an actor.

For their third crack, 20 years on, they can now truly say that “with advances in fully translucent resins, state-of-the-art 3D printing, and the ability to apply paint beneath the statue’s surface, coupled with our deep knowledge of the character and access to film resources, we have created the most authentic King of the Dead collectible to date.” Among other details, they actually sculpted the skull beneath his face.

Capturing a hint of lost humanity, ghostly glows, and spectral weightlessness, this 1:6 scale statue stands a full 16.7 inches tall and is limited to a total run of 700. At $599.99 , he may not sell out fast — but he probably will sell out.

A non-refundable deposit of 25% is required just to prove you’re serious, but payment plans are available for up to six installments. Expect delivery around the first quarter of next year.

Or you can wait to see if they try for a fourth time!