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So, Whats Next?


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I'm really interested in Firefly/Serenity (some legal issue or another), Dark Knight and Watchmen (some poor marketing plan or another) and the A-Team (have they even thought about this?) Oh, and making sure Star Trek lives on for a very long time.

--MaNa

Legal issues with Serenity? I know they had a license to do action figures and WAY back Chuck said that they could do minimates but they didn't think they'd sell... I would need to rummage through old Q&A's. IF you know more please tell? :)

Trekker:

I think as a one off the Wizard of OZ would make a great 5 pack ( Dorothy - plus Toto as a one piece accessory, Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion, WickedWitchWest?) kids would love it and it would have enough kitschyness to be sold in Hot Topic and all those other video store type places. I can see this as being the WTF follow up to DSS!

Isn't it an MGM film too?

T.

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One word.

GWAR.

:lol:

They certainly would be more noticeable in one's collection than Serenity figures. Though if I were to pick a theatrical music-'Mates, I would prefer "Bowie through the ages"

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One word.

GWAR.

:lol:

They certainly would be more noticeable in one's collection than Serenity figures. Though if I were to pick a theatrical music-'Mates, I would prefer "Bowie through the ages"

Hell, I'd pay good money for an Aladdin Sane minimate!

Man, I wish DST would make rock minimates again. Then they'd go for 2-incher versions of one of those eyecatching bands with "timeless appeal" (Just look through the Musicmates thread for ideas: the Beatles, Hendrix, Elvis... Red Hot Chili Peppers ;)) so there would always be a market for 'em. They can even package them in boxes that recreate famous poses/album covers of the artists in Minimate form (a la Giant Size X-Men boxset) and catch eyes on the shelves.

If THAT won't be promising enough to attract casual buyers, then I don't know what will.

*ends wishful thinking mode*

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My affection for Bowie is documented here somewhere & Ziggymates would be welcome. A Kiss box-set is imminent from kubrick which I'm thinking of getting although they'll probably sit in the same cardboard box with my (is it 3?) packaging versions of their Minimate versions such is their non-appeal to me. I will continue on the 'what kubrick has produced' theme because they have also released another Sex Pistols box-set & 2 Beatles box-sets recently ,3 if you include the 2 feet tall monstrosities that you can snap up for a mere $2500+ . It seems then that Music themed articulated figures sell !

Nostalgia sells well in an economic downturn & that's not my opinion but a fact which I'll happily argue with anybody if they feel inclined. In bad times people hark back to the good times & surround themselves if they can with memorabilia from their own particular heyday & may be inclined to shun current contemporary themed 'stuff'. 'Escapism' & 'memorabilia' will sell well in a depression & people will still find the money to .....escape & remember ...& who can blame them. Music is way up there in the 'escapism' stakes.

We are in a recession & we will perhaps descend into a depression which we'll all come through eventually because one thing in life is absolutely certain - things do get better & never believe different. In the meantime hang on to some if not all of those non-essential but much-loved treasures which may remind us of the good times.

Put me down for a case of Monkees . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuHbLs2zcDw...feature=related

Edited by buttheadsmate
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i know people have said this before but Bond Movie box sets all the way

really? white dude in a tux over and over again?

man I just do not think it would sell

Who would have thought clint Eastwood dressed as a cowboy would sell 3 boxsets and let's face it sell well and all the different marty mcflys that we've had and the bttf minimates have sold amazingly well too

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i know people have said this before but Bond Movie box sets all the way

really? white dude in a tux over and over again?

man I just do not think it would sell

Who would have thought clint Eastwood dressed as a cowboy would sell 3 boxsets and let's face it sell well and all the different marty mcflys that we've had and the bttf minimates have sold amazingly well too

James Bond would work but the emphasis would have to be on the villians 'Jaws',Goldfinger, Blow-Job & Oddfeld ;)

I loved the 'Spaghetti Mates' & the BTTF stuff & they did sell . I wonder how many of each were produced however? I have my suspicions .

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i know people have said this before but Bond Movie box sets all the way

really? white dude in a tux over and over again?

man I just do not think it would sell

Who would have thought clint Eastwood dressed as a cowboy would sell 3 boxsets and let's face it sell well and all the different marty mcflys that we've had and the bttf minimates have sold amazingly well too

James Bond would work but the emphasis would have to be on the villians 'Jaws',Goldfinger, Blow-Job & Oddfeld ;)

I loved the 'Spaghetti Mates' & the BTTF stuff & they did sell . I wonder how many of each were produced however? I have my suspicions .

Don't forget the girls, Christmas, pussy, goodhead...etc

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I love the Bond movies, but even with the villains, I'm not sure that they would always work as Minimates (for reasons discussed in the "BSG dead!" thread). Most of Bond's villains are guys in suits. Maybe a couple of "all star Bond" 5 packs (2 Bonds, 2 villains, one chick per pack), but I think that series' of 2 packs, or even specific movie-based 4-5 packs might be problematic, as we might see too much generic looking "filler."

Edited by karamazov80
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Also- does anyone know why they haven't picked up the Halo license yet? Besides figures, many of which would be repaints, they could have a whole line of vehicles!

On the issue of certain mates not selling well (I'm mostly referring to Serenity), couldn't DST do some kind of market test, with maybe one two-pack of popular characters, and judge the sales from there? If they think Serenity mates wouldn't sell well, they've never met Whedon fans...

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Also- does anyone know why they haven't picked up the Halo license yet? Besides figures, many of which would be repaints, they could have a whole line of vehicles!

The experience with the C3-Mates apparently turned AA off to vehicles. As noted in the BSG thread, if anything, you would have expected some form of ship to go with all the pilots that they released, but it never happened

On the issue of certain mates not selling well (I'm mostly referring to Serenity), couldn't DST do some kind of market test, with maybe one two-pack of popular characters, and judge the sales from there? If they think Serenity mates wouldn't sell well, they've never met Whedon fans...

Every license has its hard-core fans, but big sales require the ability to transcend that, and to attract more casual fans. In terms of Whedon alone, look at the Buffy Palz, which were discontinued long ago but, last I checked, are still available on AFX and can be picked up dirt cheap off of EBay.

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I think that one very smart move on the part of AA was limiting to a box set apiece and not a series for BTTF, FFDM, etc. but without major pulls like

Ghostbusters

GI Joe

Star Wars.

I mean what else could be a long runner?

Bingo. I've been thinking that for a while. Aside from Marvel, which has long legs due to the comic book collector's "completist mentality" Timbo mentioned, I think it's just too difficult to keep a series going for any property. Look at almost any movie toyline, and they last maybe three waves, then the company moves on to something else.

I don't have the sell-through numbers to prove it, but I'd wager the first boxset for BTTF, FAFDM, 24, and even Rocky cleared out pretty well, then saw diminishing returns with subsequent sets. I know there's a bit of a gamble here; DST probably spends a lot on licenses, and wants to milk them for all they're worth. However, it seems like it's the initial novelty of "little block figures of that movie you used to like" that's driving sales for Mates with the general audience.

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This is a fantastic discussion thread. Kudos to all who are talking about this calmly and rationally as we try to think about what could be next, not just as personal wishlists (City of Heroes 'mates dammit!!!) but what may sell in these troubled times.

To echo BHM's nostagia-driven thoughts on the downturn if I were DST I would be looking at snagging licenses for more 80s films - maybe The Goonies or Lost Boys or something. Keep it to individual box-sets, keep it simple, hit the core characters of the films. Make sure you get the Hot Topic market too.

And Tim's idea of a Wizard of Oz set is fantastic. I'd say that would sell as the film and the characters are very iconic. It's also a ready-made boxset OR 1 wave if you choose to do it that way.

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Trekker:

I think as a one off the Wizard of OZ would make a great 5 pack ( Dorothy - plus Toto as a one piece accessory, Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion, WickedWitchWest?) kids would love it and it would have enough kitschyness to be sold in Hot Topic and all those other video store type places. I can see this as being the WTF follow up to DSS!

Isn't it an MGM film too?

T.

Yes it is an MGM film and the more I think about it, the more sense it would make and the morie I like it. And as a five pack to get most of the mojors, this sounds like an almost perfect set. Hell, I KNOW I'd get these because my MOM would want them and she barely ever cares that much for minimates (she likes them because they're cheaper than regular figures and you can get a lot of them for a little.) This really sounds like a good idea. I wonder if DST has considered it?

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If we're talking MGM then I'd love to see two Magnificent Seven boxed sets.

Set 1:

  • Chris - Yul Brynner
  • O'Reilly - Charles Bronson
  • Harry - Brad Dexter
  • Lee - Robert Vaughn

Set 2:

  • Vin - Steve McQueen
  • Chico - Horst Buchholz
  • Britt - James Coburn
  • (villain) Calvera - Eli Wallach
magnificent-seven1.jpg Edited by MINI_MYTE
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If we're talking MGM then I'd love to see two Magnificent Seven boxed sets.

Set 1:

  • Chris - Yul Brynner
  • O'Reilly - Charles Bronson
  • Harry - Brad Dexter
  • Lee - Robert Vaughn

Set 2:

  • Vin - Steve McQueen
  • Chico - Horst Buchholz
  • Britt - James Coburn
  • (villain) Calvera - Eli Wallach
magnificent-seven1.jpg

:buttrock:

("me too" post :) )

Apart from being one of the all-time great westerns, there is actually a fair degree of variation in their looks here. This could make for a great addition to the Western-'Mates we already have, and who doesn't want Steve McQueen, Yul Brenner, James Coburn, and Charles Bronson-'Mates?

(though I would also lobby for "Once Upon a Time in the West"-'Mates)

post-1827-1231373628_thumb.jpg

post-1827-1231373719_thumb.jpg

Edited by karamazov80
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You know one thing keeps bounding around in this thick melon of mine....everytime when asked in the Q&A Chuck and Matt, say...minimates are not a collector's toys but designed for kids. BHM was talking about nostalgia....

well i can only think of one license that would be great for nostalgia...fit the minimate 2 inch translation and speak to children of the 80s inner child

Masters of the Universe.

Now i realize this is a Mattel holding...but I could see a box set. Or even several waves of this license selling.

thoughts?

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