Why did DST not get the Terminator Salvation license?

[Danny]

Hi all,

I was just musing (as I sometimes do) about the rubbishy Playmates toy offerings for Terminator Salvation. They look like figures from about 15 years ago!

We all know that DST got the T2 license, which they have creatively used to get key T1 characters in the line too. I would say in terms of recognition it's a massive license, and the way the T2 Minimates have sold at TRU has borne this out.

But why did DST not go for the Terminator Salvation license? It was a current, summer movie like Wolverine, with certainly enough characters in the film to sustain several waves. It could have been marketed alongside the T2 Minimates.

I know that the two films (T2 and T4) are owned by different companies but I feel it would have been worth DST pursuing at the time, but knowing now that the film was a commercial and critical failure in the US (my personal view is that I absolutely loved the film, and it's done very well here in the UK in terms of box-office returns), have DST been canny in avoiding it?

Would you have liked to have seen Terminator Salvation Minimates? Do you think they would have sold at retail? Who would you have liked to have seen Minimate'd? For me, Marcus is the obvious choice!

[Punisher]

Now, I liked the movie, so I'd love a boxed set containing....

John Connor (comes with pistol and assault rifle)

Kyle Reese (shotgun and alt head that features goggles and bandanna mask)

Marcus in blue trench coat (has swappable pieces that created a t-shirt battle-damaged version)

2.5'' T-600 (Comes with signature Gatling gun and removable rubber skin mask

[drgnrbrn316]

It could be that the T2 license was cheaper to acquire than that of a potential blockbuster. Plus, T2 may be more recognizable, since Arnold IS the Terminator in many fans eyes, as opposed to anyone else they throw at the part. Maybe the Marvel movies are easier to obtain, since they already have a foot in the door with the comic 'mates. Of course, they did Spirit 'mates, and that was a current movie that wasn't Marvel, so my theory does have holes.

Arguably, I'd say they backed the winning horse though, as I liked T2 far more than I did T4/TS/whatever.

Of course, if they had made 'mates, I could have done with John, Kyle, Marcus, and some robots for them to fight. Heck, they could have worked a naked Arnold into the mix and satisfied a couple of collectors who want to see that happen (you know who you are). I just don't see this is a long term license. The characters weren't overly memorable and don't yield themselves to the countless variations that a line needs to thrive. T2 is already getting stale with the various slight damage changes to the T-800. I doubt Marcus could do much better.

[DiFabio]

Would I like to see Salvation minimates? No.

I'm content with their current T2 offerings. I'd rather have General John Connor, Biker T-800, and the T-1000 than Salvation John Connor, Marcus, and Kate Brewster. To me the first two films are more iconic and warrant the stylized minimate figures. Speaking of which, I wish they could delve deeper so they could obtain the T1 licesnse (Imagine a punk Terminator, a better Kyle Reese, Sarah Connor, Police shootout cops and or Lt. Traxler?) but the Flashback Terminator and Kyle Reese are better than nothing.

Salvation was okay to me, but I have no interest in collecting merch from it. The older films are much more interesting in my opinion.

I'm happy with what we have. Here's hoping the current T2 line up goes strong so we can get more mini figs, even obscure ones like the Voights, Tim, and the Pescadero staff.

Edited June 19, 2009 by DiFabio