Feb
2013
The International Toy Fair kicks off in New York City tomorrow, and the Jaegers from Pacific Rim will be there in full force.
It used to be a tradition that every summer film would receive a slew of merchandising, but over the years that has trickled off as kids have turned more to the Internet and video games. It seems that Legendary Pictures thinks it has a property on its hands in Pacific Rim that could win over kids, and I think they may be right.
Pacific Rim will focus on humanity building giant robots known as Jaegers to take on an invasion of giant monsters called Kaiju. Giant robots? Giant monsters? Fighting? What 12-year-old boy isn’t going to go insane for this movie? Heck, what adult male’s inner 12-year-old boy isn’t going to go insane for this movie?
Beyond the action figures there will also be mobile games, model kits, prop replicas, statues, books and Halloween costumes. As merchandising pushes, this is the largest I’ve seen for a brand new property in some time. Sure you see it on things like Batman, but he has a track record to base it on. Unproven licenses don’t get these sorts of backing any more as no one wants to take a risk. Heck, brand new properties rarely even come to the screen any more as every thing is based on a comic book, novel, video game or something else.
Check out larger images of the toys along with some new stills released this week for the film.
Pacific Rim hits theaters on July 12, 2013.
LEGENDARY PICTURES ANNOUNCES FAR-REACHING LICENSING DEALS TO SUPPORT SUMMER EVENT FILM PACIFIC RIM
Worldwide Merchandising Program Encompasses Toys, Apparel, Books, Video Games and More
Burbank, CA – February 8, 2013 – Legendary Entertainmentannounced today wide-reaching licensing partnerships tied to one of the biggest motion picture events of the summer, Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures PACIFIC RIM, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Legendary has secured a strong list of major licensees in all key categories in advance of Toy Fair, February 10-13 in New York. Legendary has also released exclusive images of the Jaeger toys available now on Facebook.
This broad-range merchandising program includes best-in-class consumer products brands and covers major manufactured goods categories spanning from apparel to board games to Halloween costumes.
“As anticipation mounts for the release of PACIFIC RIM, Legendary Entertainment is committed to collaborating with a world-class lineup of licensing partners that will serve as the foundation for a strong merchandising program,” said Joel Chiodi, Legendary’s EVP of Theatrical Marketing. “The responses from licensees and retailers have been phenomenal as they embrace the unique opportunity that this property presents.”
Legendary’s top-shelf list of leading licensees includes marquee publishing brands, such as the National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA), which will supply PACIFIC RIM-branded collectible action figures, model kits, prop replicas, posters, puzzles, board games and apparel worldwide. In the video game category, Legendary has carved an agreement with Jump Games to supply mobile and tablet games globally, as well as with Yukes Company for downloadable console and PC games worldwide. Cryptozoic Entertainment will oversee trading cards and trading-card accessories on a worldwide basis. Titan Books will handle worldwide novel adaptations; Legendary Comics will oversee the worldwide distribution of licensed Graphic Novel adaptations; Insight Editions will be responsible for the global distribution of the “Art Of” book; and Brown Trout Publishers will handle calendars in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia. Rubies Costumes will manufacture PACIFIC RIM Halloween masks, costumes, animatronics and Halloween décor for the global market and Sideshow Collectibles will supply higher-end museum-quality replicas and statues from the film worldwide.
Please visit the following links to view images on Facebook:
Legendary: http://on.fb.me/ULJEvC, Pacific Rim: http://on.fb.me/ULJRyZ
About PACIFIC RIM
From acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, comes the epic sci-fi action adventure Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures PACIFIC RIM.
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.
Oscar® nominee Guillermo del Toro (PAN’S LABYRINTH) directed PACIFIC RIM from a script by Travis Beacham (CLASH OF THE TITANS). Thomas Tull, Jon Jashni and Mary Parent are the producers, with Callum Greene serving as executive producer. The film stars Charlie Hunnam (TV’s Sons of Anarchy), Idris Elba (THOR), Rinko Kikuchi (THE BROTHERS BLOOM), Charlie Day (HORRIBLE BOSSES), and Ron Perlman (HELLBOY). The ensemble cast also includes Max Martini, Rob Kazinsky, Clifton Collins, Jr., Burn Gorman, Larry Joe Campbell, Diego Klattenhoff and Brad William Henke.
Del Toro’s behind-the-scenes team includes Academy Award®-winning director of photography Guillermo Navarro (PAN’S LABYRINTH), production designer Andrew Neskoromny, editor Peter Amundson, and costume designer Kate Hawley. Slated for release in May 2013, the film is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.













Adding to the potential pain felt by
Color me absolutely not surprised, but apparently toy manufacturer Hasbro has been talking to
You have to give it to Hasbro, they sure know how to sucker a collector back into their world.
The thing is, we have no clue how big a role any of the new characters play, but they are sure to get toys. Two of the worst instances of this in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was a Decepticon named Sideways who was in the film merely to be killed off by Sideswipe in the opening minutes, and the other was an Autobot named Jolt who was seen in the background of I believe two scenes. Not only did he get one toy, but he got two.
Apparently Warner Brothers has a lot of faith in the Green Lantern movie because the studio is already moving forward on a sequel.
Once again, government knows what is best for us.
The other day, my UPS man was asking me about the 32 different R2-D2 figures that sit on the power strip above my desk at work. Yes, I have 32 of them up there, only two of them are actually “R2-D2″, the rest are various
It is fairly obvious I am not the only one who loves the little guys as back in July of 2003, during production of Revenge of the Sith, fan club members (yes, I was a member at the time so I could watch the production web cams) were allowed to vote on the color scheme of a new droid,
I’ve waited 30 years for a better Millennium Falcon toy. The picture to the right shows what’ I’ve been waiting for.
Okay, fine, I’m just a big kid, I don’t care! It’s 2 & 1/2 feet long, will retail for $150… I have to save up for it and figure out where the heck I am putting a toy that big, I’m open to suggestions!
Back when I was writing in the 1990′s, it was almost always about toys, more specifically action figures. At the time I was considered one of the leading experts in the industry on action figures of the 1970′s and 1980′s, but I always had a soft spot for G.I. Joe, specifically the 3.75″ line.