Who Should Get the License?

deckard24

New member
Good point Lon, I've been saying the same thing for a while regarding the mass appeal of Indy with Ford now as a 65 year old action hero. The younger demographic meaning little kids who bug their Mom and Dads for Star Wars toys at Target, I just can't see throwing tantrums because their parents won't buy them a 3 3/4'' replica of a 65(50 something in the movie) year old archaeologist. Indy will need to be treated differently, Sideshow, NECA, and some of the other more adult collectors outfits would be better suited.

I do know that if I had a kid,and Hasbro had the license they'd be getting Indy toys whether they liked it or not, just because it's Indy lol!!! I can see it now, "NO you can't have Spiderman only INDY!!":D
 

Shortie

New member
Hasbro dosen't do 12" figures anbymore so it is possible that Hasbro gets the license for 3 3/4" figures (which I hope for to go with my SW figures) & they're other stuff geared towards kiddies & collectors alike, while Sideshow does statues * 12" figures (which I also hope to go with my SS SW figures).

Who knows most kids didn't buy the SW figures before 1997 when the OT was re-released & interest was brought back into SW maybe Indy might have the same fate.

Actually Hasbro has alot of minor chracters (by minor I mean like 1 second appearances) with the main characters in their SW line. Not so sure on the Spider-Man figures though.:sick:

Oh yeah that "65 year old man" could be put into his ROTLA, TOD& LCself too if those movies get new figure lines.

Who knows where the license will go, but there will be much more interest in Indy very soon but "Anything Goes".:p
 

Lon

New member
Indy may very well take the high-end route. Look at James Bond. Most of the collectibles that come out for that franchise aren't really marketing toward children. Sideshow puts out great James Bond collectibles and that company certainly would do Indy justice.

There will definitely be collectibles and merchandise for Indy. I don't think we have to worry about that. Just maybe not an action figure line.
 

Shortie

New member
Katarn07 said:
I've drooled over their Pirates figures and am still debating whether or not I wanna order their David Bowie as the Goblin King. They are quite pricey and other than those things, nothing really interests me. But if it were Indy, I'd be all over them. Much better quality than Hasbro, who ever since the end of the Episode I line has annoyed me to no end with what they make and how they distribute it.
I understand about distribution, but what they make!!!?? They're doing an awesome job currently, miles above TPM line.
 

Viper

New member
I just hope that whoever makes them don't toss it down the drain like they did with SW figures, by making those retarded toddler figures, that are like 2 inches tall, disproportionate, and have smiles bigger than their legs.
Makes me think of Barbie dolls; if Barbie was life-size with the same proportions as the doll, she would be like 7'5" and her neck would be so long that it would snap.
 

JimmyPSHayes

New member
As long as it's not Mattell. They have a tendency to sink their action figure lines themselves. Also, it's a well-known fact that Lucas likes to have all his properties under one roof, so my bets on Hasbro.
 

Katarn07

New member
Shortie said:
I understand about distribution, but what they make!!!?? They're doing an awesome job currently, miles above TPM line.

Really? Read deckard's response. He knows what I'm talking about.

deckard24 said:
I agree Hasbro is obnoxious with their repackaging of the same damn figure ten times over in diff. boxes

However, in their defense, this year's lineup seems pretty solid. I love the VOTC stuff and am not shamed to say I get two of each. One for the pretty packaging, another for the awesome figure. I also am digging all of these McQuarrie Concept figures. The stormie was a repaint, but the rest of it's new. Also there are a few new cantina aliens, but a lot of it looks like repackaged stuff to me.
 

Shortie

New member
Re-packing? The basic line has no re-packs this year, there's kit-bashes though, there is new sculpts/ versions of main characters & all. There is a "Saga Legends" line which is re-packs but fans picked most of them.

Viper, the original ROTLA figures were the same size as the SW figures are now/back in the day.

But I do really want to see SS or Medicom Toys get the license for 12" figures.
 

Sakis

TR.N Staff Member
I don't care much about toys but when it comes to high collectible items like the lightsabers Master Replicas made for Star Wars fans this is something I'm really waiting for. Although, MR's rights to produce Star Wars collectibles expire at this year's end I'm wondering who's going to be the Lucasfilm's new partner in this area of collectibles. Without a question MR's work was really exceptional, I own two lightsabers and if my budget allowed me I would have bought the entire collection. I'm still waiting THE Holy Grail replica and I'm sure I'm not the only one.
 
When did Hasbro get the license? I ask because as of a week ago the only two companies with signed licenses are Disney and Cinemaquette. This from a very reliable source.
 

Vlad Dracula

New member
They got the license in 1997. It was a package deal when they re-did the SW license. At that time they were given the rights to all 3 IJ movies and Indy 4.

So far the only thing they have done with the License has been the Disney toys.
 
My source (a recent former LFL employee from merchanising division) says that Hasbro does not have the license but they will likely take it to remain in LFL's good books. Many share the sentiment that young boys are not going to buy toys of a 55+ year old adventurer. And we Indy fans come nowhere close to numbering the legions of SW fans. A much smaller fan base that would be better served with speciality comic shops than big box stores. Unless we'd like to see them clearanced very quickly. Target, Wal-Mart and Toy R Us are not patient when it comes to product sitting on their shelves. I was in a Target store 3 weeks after the new SW Coin Album with Vader figure was released. And it was 50% off already.

On a different topic - where did the info come from that Hasbro does the Disney stuff? I ask because I was told back when they first came out that it was Applause (and thus the poor likeness)... if Hasbro can do the great things they've been doing with the SW figures for the past 5-6 years then what explains the poor quality of the Disney ones?
 

Vlad Dracula

New member
The contract

"Agreement Between Lucasfilm Ltd. and Hasbro, Inc. dated October 14, 1997


(i) any theatrical motion picture based on or related to the
character "Indiana Jones," including without limitation:
Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and any prequel or sequel
theatrical motion picture based on the "Indiana Jones"
character including the sequel theatrical motion picture
currently in development and tentatively entitled "Indiana
Jones IV" and intended to star Harrison Ford and be directed
by Steven Spielberg;"


http://contracts.corporate.findlaw.com/agreements/hasbro/lucas.strat.1997.10.14.html

Hasbro owns Applause. Even though the packages don’t say it. They Disney toys were made by Hasbro. Only the 12 inch Gi Joe Indy is actually marked Hasbro.

I also disagree with kids not wanting Indy toys and evidently so does Lego.
 
Great contract - that expires before the new film is released. And all it does it grant them first kick at the can to negotiate a deal. They actually hold no rights other than the 1st right to negotiate a contract to produce merchandise. Notice the 'if' part.

3.1. If Lucasfilm desires to license the rights referenced in
Subparagraphs 1.1 and 1.2 hereinabove with respect to any theatrical
motion picture which is an element of the Property, then Lucasfilm shall
notify Hasbro in writing. Lucasfilm shall concurrently make available to
Hasbro at Lucasfilm's premises all materials then extant regarding such
motion picture, including script, artwork, casting, to the extent
available.


Hasbro was at the Indy Summit held at Skywalker Ranch back in March. So were other figure manufacturers. But no one has struck a deal (that I know of as of 3 weeks ago)... not even Lego.

Don't get me wrong - I'd love to see Indy stuff all over the stores. But I'm being realistic in that we don't have nearly the following that SW does - and that means the manufactureres will tread carefully.

When was Applause acquired by Hasbro?
 

Katarn07

New member
Bruno said:
Great contract - that expires before the new film is released.

Hasbro renewed the contract for SW toys until 2015 I believe. If it's a renewal of the same contract (meaning a renewal of the Indy license), or a whole new contract I am not sure. That renewal is old news when I actually followed up on Hasbro's SW line.

And I for one hope it's not all over the stores. I hate toylines that flood the aisles.
 

Vlad Dracula

New member
Bruno said:
Great contract - that expires before the new film is released.

You asked when Hasbro first got the license. So I did a quick websearch and dug up the original contract. Like Katarn07 said, they have renewed the SW contract past the the Dec 2007 date. Which may or may not also grant them the other Lucasfilm properties up to the new date as well.

This is all public info.

They also have the rights to Willow, but I really doubt they will do anything with it.

At the time Applause was owned by Hasbro. Not sure if they still are.
 

Gobi-1

Well-known member
I hope Hasbro has it.

Companies like McFarlane and NECA make nice "collectables" but they're not really toys you can play with. I want some Indy action figures I can display around my desk. Not something I'll have to put up on a shelf.

Not that I'm knocking the high quality collectables, they're nice and I hope to be able to afford to buy some myself.

Action Figures = Hasbro
Building Sets = Lego
12 Inch Dolls = Sideshow
Bust and Statues = Gentle Giants

Basically all the companies they are currently making Star Wars products. They're making great products from the low-end to the high-end and every age group. I'd like to see them take a shot at Indy.

:whip:

If Hasbro does get the license I hope they make figures from all four films just not Indy 4.
 

Katarn07

New member
Vlad Dracula said:
At the time Applause was owned by Hasbro. Not sure if they still are.

I believe they still would. Wikipedia lists some of the companies Hasbro owns, but doesn't list that one. I can see why. They never were a big thing outside of collectibles. And even then, they're not as popular as the figures were.
 

Shortie

New member
I wouldn't worry Gobi-1. Hasbro seems to be doing a fare job with balancing out the SW movies. 4 Indy films shouldn't be much of a problem. Though I wouldn't expect toys for the first 3 movies next year. That seems to be what Hasbro did with the SW prequels (Not many to none figures of the otehr films that year the movie is released).
 
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