If Stern is going to stick with a single color DMD on LOTR VE, there is no way it should sell for anywhere close to the price of The Hobbit. There just isn't enough hardware there to make it cost as much. Not a wide body, no LCD, probably not color changing coded playfield LEDs etc...
Just stick with the previous minor improvement changes like they did with Iron man to keep the cost down, and if Stern wanted to add some flair, they could put in a Color DMD.