Wētā Workshop, known to many for their work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, has joined forces with games giant, Games Workshop, the creators of the world’s most popular fantasy miniatures hobby, Warhammer. Wētā Workshop will craft officially licensed, 1:6 scale premium Warhammer statues that will strike a chord with fans around the globe.
Wētā Workshop’s Consumer Products division has grown significantly in scale and reach since its inception nearly 20 years ago. When started, it was a way to keep the company’s creative crew employed between the feast or famine provided by film projects.
Today, it employs a dedicated team of almost 40 people while utilising the creative talents of the wider Wētā Workshop team. Their products adorn shelves all over the world, connecting Wētā Workshop to a pop-culture fan base in the tens of millions. The Wellington-based company has grown 38% year-on-year and despatches almost 200,000 collectibles annually to fans around the globe, many being prized, limited-edition items.
While The Lord of the Rings remains a fan-favourite (and this year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of The Return of the King), the company has diversified into a wide range of popular franchises, characters and brands ranging from comic-turned-hit television series, The Witcher, to Warner Brothers’ DC Comics heroes, and the newest addition, the ever popular Games Workshop’s Warhammer.
Kim Faiga, Head of Consumer Products at Wētā Workshop says “It’s a really exciting time for us. Teaming up with Games Workshop presents a huge opportunity to go beyond screen-based fan groups. Our artists are going from strength to strength, pushing their own artistic boundaries to deliver best-in-class collectibles which are loved by fans all around the world. The new range of Warhammer collectibles has got the team fizzing.
“The opportunity to bring these two creative giants together and to be able to work with Games Workshop is a dream come true and an opportunity I’m immeasurably proud to be a part of,” says Jules German, Creative Director at Wētā Workshop Consumer Products division and self-confessed Warhammer fanatic.
“Wētā Workshop are world renowned, and we are thrilled to be collaborating with them to create amazing 1:6 scale officially licensed statues for Warhammer 40,000 and Warhammer Age of Sigmar. The quality and detail are going to blow people away, and we can’t wait to share what they’ve been working on in the coming months.” said Owen Rees, Group Head of Licensing of Games Workshop.
ENDS