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Here are Toy Fair 2019's coolest film and TV-inspired toys
We are currently in a peak timeline for amazing television and cinematic experiences. Pop culture has reached a zenith that has exploded from the screen to the shelves, and there's arguably been no better time to be a collector than these past few years. The best of Toy Fair's film and TV collectibles proved to be no exception to that rule, and showcased a wide range of awesome figures and collectibles based on classic shows like Scooby-Doo, '80s classics like They Live, and the modern masterpieces of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Update #2: Oh no, there goes Toy Fair-o, here comes Godzilla. Finally able to showcase its opening Godzilla: King of the Monsters figure assortment, NECA did not disappoint. The company's previous effort for the 2014 refresh were a fan favorite not just for their attention to detail and articulation, but for the friendly price point as well. The same will hold true here, as NECA's new wave will run in the $25 range, and bring all that great sculpting detail and articulation once again. Out of the gate, we'll be getting a new standard Godzilla (with his bigger dorsal fins), an atomic breath Godzilla (complete with a "lit" paint app), Rodan, and Mothra.
Both Rodan and Mothra come with unique display bases and stands that allow you to pose them in flying positions. Mothra is flying out of a cocoon-like shell from some kind of installation, and Rodan can be hoisted above an exploding complex of some sort. It's a clever way to give these kaiju a way to be boosted above Godzilla, while also providing a nice diorama effect if you have them all arranged for display.
No word on a King Ghidorah at the moment, but we can keep our fingers crossed that a more affordable option than the beautiful (but pricey) SH Figuarts version might be coming.
Curiously at this show, LEGO didn't have very much in the way of new Marvel, DC, or Star Wars sets. The few Star Wars pieces on display did look solid, including a few from the new Resistance animated series, but with Episode IX still under wraps, we won't learn much more about LEGO's true Star Wars plans until Triple Force Friday. That didn't mean LEGO showed up empty-handed. The new Toy Story 4 sets should make fans happy to finally get some Buzz and Woody action going, and the Jurassic World line looks absolutely bananas with sets that pit a mechanized T-rex against the real deal, and more.
The standout on the licensed end of LEGO's reveals was the new LEGO Ideas The Flintstones set, which perfectly captures the cartoon's personality in brick form. The set includes Fred and Wilma, Barney and Betty, Fred's car, and the Flintstone homestead. Gotta love the accuracy of the set also including the massive set of ribs Fred orders in the opening credits, too. The full set is actually coming out in just a few short weeks, and will retail for $60. That it doesn't come with a Dino is at least a little disappointing, but that a set like this was even possible to start with should be enough for most fans of the iconic Stone Age family.
Update #1: My Hero Academia fans can finally rest easy that affordable, articulated figures of their favorite students will soon be hitting shelves thanks to McFarlane Toys. While there are already a number of MHA (or Boku No Hero Academia) collectibles on the market, they are often quite expensive to import to the States. McFarlane's new line, which consists of a Midoriya, Bakugo, All Might, and Shigaraki to start, comes in at a much friendlier price point, around $20 each. They've also got loads of articulation, which is a change of pace from McFarlane's previous anime efforts.
Only Midoriya and Shigaraki were on hand in prototype form, but both looked excellent in these early stages, and should be a hot commodity when they arrive later this fall.
McFarlane also debuted its new Harry Potter line behind closed doors. We weren't able to snap any pictures, but got to see the painted prototype for Voldemort as he appeared in Deathly Hallows, Part II. The figure itself looks good, especially with its soft goods robe, and even includes Nagini as an accessory. While she is mildly articulated, her head does not come off.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione make up the rest of the first wave of wizard characters, and each of them comes with a translucent Patronus accessory too. None of those three were on hand in sculpted form, but concept roughs in packaging showed us a promising facsimile of the trio from the final Potter film. Buckbeak is also part of the line, though he won't be to scale with the humans. Instead, he and other mystical creatures from the Wizarding World will be their own scale for display.
It wouldn't be Toy Fair without NECA dominating the collector buzz throughout the show, and this year was no different. New figures from The Conjuring Universe, Alien, various horror licenses, and even Bob Ross made instant impressions. Of everything the company had on hand, however, it was two new Predator figures that captured our eye. NECA is releasing an original concept Predator for the first time in commemoration of its line surpassing 100 different Predator figures. Dubbed the Alpha Predator, this ultimate figure was developed collaboratively in the studio, with artist/sculptor David Silva conceptualizing the combined efforts and doing the bulk of the sculpting.
What resulted is a figure that harkens back to the "earliest" era of the Yautja, where tech wasn't as prevalent and the hunters had to rely on more primitive methods. NECA has created a backstory for the character that will be shared on the box, which also features all-new art from frequent collaborator, Jason Edmiston. As you can see, it's a figure unlike any other in the line, but it's also one that has some instant familiarity. There's also a bit of a nice easter egg element in the team using some of the original Predator suit worn by Jean-Claude Van Damme (before Stan Winston came in and gave us the iconic redesign).
The second Predator figure is part of a new retro-inspired line that will have a lower price of entry and explores actual cinematic iterations of the alien hunters that were never explored by Kenner back when it had the license. The figures have five-point articulation, and are styled to call back to that '90s vibe so synonymous with Kenner's product. First up is the Berserker from Predators, and he'll come with a spring-loaded shoulder cannon to complete the illusion. Alien is also being included in the line, with the Neomorph getting a freaky little toy later this year too. With a sub-$15 price point, these should open up the brand accessibility to more consumers, and with plenty of material to mine for new figures, shouldn't run out of potential characters anytime soon.
Original Story: Bless Hasbro and Marvel for finally giving us four of the MCU's most beloved characters: Grandmaster, Peggy Carter, Shuri, and Luis. The world is never going to complain about a new Jeff Goldblum collectible, and the Marvel Legends Grandmaster is probably going to be one of 2019's top-selling toys. That Korg will be part of the two-figure package is just icing on the celestial cake. Peggy Carter has been deserving of a figure since she appeared in The First Avenger, and we're glad she's getting a two-pack with the "rescue" version of Steve Rogers from that film. Luis is one of the MCU's most memorable supporting characters, and Hasbro's willingness to include him in a set along with Ant-Man and the Wasp's Ghost is a nice treat.
Shuri is the only of those four getting a standalone figure, and it looks absolutely perfect. The wait will have been worth it.
Outside of Hasbro, Mezco once again brought the funk with the One:12 Collective, with new figures based on 1989's Batman, They Live, and Captain Marvel, but it's the company's new 5 Points line that has us most excited. The 3.75-inch figures are a throwback to toys from the Kenner era of Star Wars figures, but feature licenses that have sorely been missing from collections for a long time, like Scooby-Doo, the Addams Family, and even the Six Million Dollar Man (complete with Bigfoot). The sculpts are wonderfully stylized, the size and potential pricing are on point, and we can't wait for this new wave to hit shelves (hopefully) later this year.
We'd be remiss in not talking about Tamashii Nations' new The Force Awakens Movie Realization figures, which bring Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma, and a First Order stormtrooper to the Tokugawa era. It's been a bit since we've seen a new, non-stormtrooper figure added to this line, but all three new figures look to continue the Movie Realization line's excellent design and craftsmanship. Kylo will look right at home next to either version of Darth Vader that you may already have on a shelf at home.
We'll be updating this post with more incredible figures and collectibles as Toy Fair 2019 rolls on, so check back in to ensure you don't miss out on any of the awesomeness.
