Origins will have wide availability in 2021. Right now, supplies are limited and it only takes a small undersupply for instant sellouts and rampant eBay reselling. It's a runaway effect. It's very possible that these figures will just sit in 2021. Mattel's MOTU license reverts back to Universal in 2023, so the window for Origins and Masterverse are small unless one or both are super-successful.
Because Mattel sold it to them. Or more likely Universal bought the company that had bought the rights from Mattel.
Short version: Mattel sold the rights to Hallmark decades ago, but retained right of first refusal for MOTU toys through 2023 when all rights revert to the license owner. Through a series of acquisitions, the rights are now owned by Universal/Dreamworks. To make this relevant to the topic, Super7 can't make Classics-style MOTU figures right now because Mattel is exercising their right of first refusal. But come 2024, Mattel will no longer have that right.
So they sold their IP, made kinda OK toys (and I own my favorite characters from MoTU Classics), are now making kinda OK toys (only bought MaA and might buy Trapjaw from Origins) and will try to make next-level (for Mattel) toys before 2023 - at which point their current license ends. Seems like a too little, too late desperation move - which is Mattel all the way. I have high hopes and low expectations for Masterverse.
Only just over halfway through this video and Scott just jumps from "selling entertainment rights," describing it via _media_ (primarily via live-action movies), to somehow they have to pay a license to Classic Media to make the toys? The way I interpret that, in light of such a gigantic leap of logic, is that whatever studio can make a new cartoon/movie and let Hasbro make the toys for _that_ cartoon/movie, but I cannot see where Mattel is prevented from doing anything based on the classic line from which those entertainment rights sprung. It would be totally different if the toys derived from a pre-existing cartoon/movie, which is what I'd think would apply to/from any _new_ media produced under the entertainment rights that were sold.
Scott's explanations aren't precise enough to where you can hang your hat on his use of the term "entertainment rights". What he is actually describing is that Mattel sold the MOTU brand, but retained veto power of the toy segment for an extended period of time. You could easily label that transaction as "selling the entertainment rights" if you're Scott. He uses copyright and trademark interchangeably, too. I'm not sure I follow what you're saying. If what Scott says is accurate, then come 2024, Hasbro could hypothetically make MOTU toys, but they would not be limited to the new entertainment. They would be able to do anything and everything including re-making Mattel figures with Mattel packaging. And Mattel would certainly no longer be able to make new toys based on their old catalog. They would be out of the MOTU game entirely. Mattel could renegotiate and extend their arrangement before it expires. Hell, they could buy MOTU back if they were willing to pay enough money (notgonnahappen). We don't know what the future holds. It just makes sense that they're going so MOTU-heavy right now because the sun may be setting on their license. For all we know, they might need to show their willingness to utilize the license to extend the agreement -- like some kind of use-it-or-lose-it clause or they simply need to convince the big wigs at Universal that they're not going to just sit on the license if it was renewed.
I'm not sure why companies that originally just released DVDs of the cartoons (and then did nothing else) would be in a position to buy the entire brand. To me it's like going to McDonald's to order a burger and walking out with the deed to the building/land. Scott's confusion over so many terms just undermines his authority as former brand manager IMO. These things seem to get "complicated" more out of confusion than actual complexity.
Welp... gigantic box arrived today. Snake Mountain has arrived. My wife wondered if I had ordered an oven. Now to find space for it....
Wow! Congrats! I’m still WAITING for mine! Post your thoughts on the playset? But take your time to enjoy it!
Thanks! Yeah, I was very surprised. Never got a shipping notice or anything, just boom. When I get the thing cracked open I'll definitely post thoughts.
If you ordered it from Super7, you’ll probably get the shipping notice, next week. That’s how I think it’s gone with everything I’ve ever ordered from them. Item arrived before the shipping notice. Lol Congrats, btw. It looks like an awesome piece. Btw, did anyone else order from Entertainment Earth? I got a notice from them last week that basically said that they didn’t know when they were going to get it in. It even said it could be a matter of months. Lol
This may be a long shot, but does anyone have a neck barbell peg they’d be willing to part with? I was swapping heads out on Faker, but the barbell peg popped out of the body with the head. Trying to get the peg out of the head, it sheared in half. If I’m careful, I can balance the head on the neck. It displays OK, but the slightest jostle and it’s “Off with his head!” Really, I think pretty much any male figure’s neck peg would work. If someone can help a fellow out, hit me up.
I think I've seen those on shapeways but forget what they were called. They never use an obvious name on there to avoid copyright.
Sorry to read the bad news. Tbh that’s why I always use a hair dryer to heat the part (even though) its meant to be removable. I had my share of broken pegs...mostly from Mattel figures. I suggest you try shapeways like Tekkaman Blade recommended.
