The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

A Movie Trilogy Worthy of an Epic Package Design

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, the fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book by J. R. R. Tolkien, is still considered to be one of the biggest and most ambitious movie projects ever undertaken. The entire movie project took eight years to complete, with the filming of all three movies done simultaneously. When ToyBiz approached our design consultancy to develop the packaging program for The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, we knew our solution needed to be as unique and timeless as the films themselves, generating excitement for both kids and avid collectors. 

The project commenced with a crash-course on all things Tolkien. We researched all previously existing packaging for consumer products related to his works. And our design team read the story cover-to-cover before beginning design development.

Structure Design

If imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery, then we’re very flattered, indeed. Our structural solution for The Lord of the Rings action figure packaging spawned countless parodies throughout the toy industry. But, it was only one of a handful of structure design concepts we developed for this packaging program. Our initial presentation ranged from a simple blister card with inserts, to a platform structure, to one designed to look like a leather-bound volume, with a cover that opens to reveal the product.

The chosen solution is a thermoformed half-cylinder structure with an outer paperboard wrap. The product is glorified and framed by a die-cut window in the outer wrap, with the top of the package remaining open to allow ambient light to penetrate from above.

Package Design System Development

One of our most important objectives for this packaging program was to create a visual branding system that would differentiate between products from each movie, while establishing design architecture that would maintain a cohesive look across the packaging for all three films. We developed various package design system solutions, honing in on the one we felt best met this objective.

The foundation of our design solution for the packaging program is the map of Middle-Earth, overlaid with a monochromatic montage of film-specific characters and key scenes comprised of imagery provided by Weta Studios. We developed a digital rendering of the ring to frame the product window, and incorporated full-color, product-specific character photography and character name to indicate which product is enclosed.

Once the package design system was confirmed, we aligned a specific color to each film’s packaging. Our color choices were influenced by the individual films’ storylines and settings. To add further value and appeal for collectors, we leveraged the space within the hanging panel at the top of the package to depict the members of The Fellowship from each film, in silhouette.

Brand Integration

The entire line of The Lord of the Rings product developed by ToyBiz ranged from action figures to weaponry, each requiring a unique package structure configuration. We extended the package design system to action figure twin-packs as well as closed, window and tray boxes. In this design development phase, we established solutions for violators, “try me” call-outs and photo insets.

Brand Standardization

Upon completion of design development for this packaging program, we created a packaging style guide as a tool to standardize the look for The Lord of the Rings packaging, as it pertains to the movie trilogy, across all licensed product categories. The guide illustrated the appropriate usage of design elements, typography, color palettes and character imagery for the property’s long list of licensees.