Hot toys Snowspeeder Pilot Luke Skywalker

[TaliBane]

Also all the unrest in HK pre-COVID too. These are really unique times.

But yeah - you do wish Sideshow was still a leading force in the 1/6 SW game. You realize that the lead company being from a country that doesn't really get SW at all (even if the company head does) is perhaps part of the problem.

It's funny that you'd think with a population the size China has - FOUR times larger than even the U.S. - you'd have a decent amount of SW fans even if the percentage-of-population number was low, certainly enough to sustain HT SW figs (ie even just 1% of China's population is still 15 million people.) So they must really, REALLY not like SW.

 

[Wor-Gar]

So they must really, REALLY not like SW.

If China only really opened up to it in the new Millennium... there's not too much to like.

 

[TaliBane]

If China only really opened up to it in the new Millennium... there's not too much to like.

Yeah I think I read somewhere that OT SW really had no wider distribution in China at all in the 70s /80s or even well into the 90s.

God help you if the ST was your big screen intro to SW and the PT your small screen appetizer.

 

[MyenShi]

But yeah - you do wish Sideshow was still a leading force in the 1/6 SW game. You realize that the lead company being from a country that doesn't really get SW at all (even if the company head does) is perhaps part of the problem.

It's funny that you'd think with a population the size China has - FOUR times larger than even the U.S. - you'd have a decent amount of SW fans even if the percentage-of-population number was low, certainly enough to sustain HT SW figs (ie even just 1% of China's population is still 15 million people.) So they must really, REALLY not like SW.

I agree. I wish Sideshow would fill in the gaps that Hot Toys can't and won't. There's a lot of figures they could make that would sell well.

And yes, they really, really do not like Star Wars. The country never saw widespread release of the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy just left no lasting impression on them. Without any nostalgia or attachment to the universe, nobody cared.

The box office numbers were abysmal.

The Force Awakens
Total: $2 billion
US: $936 million
China: $124 milllion

Rogue One
Total: $1 billion
US: $532 million
China: $69 million

The Last Jedi
Total: $1.3 billion
US: $620 million
China: $43 million

The Rise of Skywalker
Total: $1 billion
US: $515 million
China: $20 million

 

[Wor-Gar]

Those movie really took a nose dive.

I love Rogue One, but it means nothing without the OT in hindsight.


I can totally understand China just disregarding the modern films and having no interest. Especially against a far better modern franchise, the MCU.

 

[TaliBane]

I agree. I wish Sideshow would fill in the gaps that Hot Toys can't and won't. There's a lot of figures they could make that would sell well.

And yes, they really, really do not like Star Wars. The country never saw widespread release of the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy just left no lasting impression on them. Without any nostalgia or attachment to the universe, nobody cared.

The box office numbers were abysmal.

The Force Awakens
Total: $2 billion
US: $936 million
China: $124 milllion

Rogue One
Total: $1 billion
US: $532 million
China: $69 million

The Last Jedi
Total: $1.3 billion
US: $620 million
China: $43 million

The Rise of Skywalker
Total: $1 billion
US: $515 million
China: $20 million

Amazing how each consecutive Disney SW film earned about half of its predecessor in China - from $125m all the way down to $20m. And not over the course of a decade or so, but over just 4 years.

I'm imagining Bob Iger standing over some chief exec from Disney's Asian division slapping them screaming "Twenty ****ing million?! Are you ****ing kidding me?"

 

[Cocoboloboy]

After seeing the surprise HT brought with Clone Wars Anakin I’m really looking forward to some official pics of this one.

 

[Asta]

What are the odds that Sideshow intentionally made this figure look as bad as possible in their own display? Or that HT just kept the best prototype for their own?

From ToysTV live stream (images captured by Chi-lenn Wong):

 

[Cocoboloboy]

They would gain nothing by making HT’s version look bad. Theirs is long old out and they are the HT distributor for this area.

 

[DioramaMaker]

What are the odds that Sideshow intentionally made this figure look as bad as possible in their own display? Or that HT just kept the best prototype for their own?

From ToysTV live stream (images captured by Chi-lenn Wong):

Lord knows that I'll rake Sideshow over the coals for some of their antics, but I don't think there's anything malicious here. Unless they are planning to announce a snowspeeder Luke rerelease tomorrow, they have no skin in the fight as their figure is out of print as of now. I think I said it in another thread, but Sideshow is weak at posing prototypes, even their own products. Most places that don't have a HT liaison there to hold their hand don't deliver on secret base or Asian territory cons. That proto you posted pictures of looks absolutely awesome. He's using the correct hand to hold the grappling gun, something SS didn't pay enough attention to. If I look at half the **** people pose their displays like, I have no doubt that Sideshow rushed it and didn't take the time to address the small nuances that you need to to make these things pop.

 

[Asta]

They would gain nothing by making HT?s version look bad. Theirs is long old out and they are the HT distributor for this area.

Pride. Plus they do like re-releasing figures to cash in on HT releases. I wouldn't put anything past a company like Sideshow.

But it looks like HT kept the better version for themselves anyway.

The ToysTV live stream is still running, so I can't go back and look at the figure myself. I caught a glimpse of the base and thought it was a glossy white top with a plastic snowdrift pushed over it, but I'm not sure. It could well be the same clamshell topper.

EDIT:

The stream just finished.

https://www.facebook.com/ToysTVhk/videos/311738936542338/

They focus on Luke from 16:40.


Here's the HT base:




It differs from the Jawa plastic topper in that the side is plain, and the top overlaps it. There's also a shadow between the top and the snowdrift.

I think it's a regular base with a plastic snowdrift.

 

[subzro]

What are the odds that Sideshow intentionally made this figure look as bad as possible in their own display? Or that HT just kept the best prototype for their own?

From ToysTV live stream (images captured by Chi-lenn Wong):

None, Last year people were complaining about the poses. HT brought their own people to do it and there are even photos of Howard setting up some and people still blamed Sideshow for bad posing.

Not to mention how much money they make from selling HT it would be dumb to even do something like that.

 

[Asta]

Lord knows that I'll rake Sideshow over the coals for some of their antics, but I don't think there's anything malicious here. Unless they are planning to announce a snowspeeder Luke rerelease tomorrow, they have no skin in the fight as their figure is out of print as of now. I think I said it in another thread, but Sideshow is weak at posing prototypes, even their own products. Most places that don't have a HT liaison there to hold their hand don't deliver on secret base or Asian territory cons. That proto you posted pictures of looks absolutely awesome. He's using the correct hand to hold the grappling gun, something SS didn't pay enough attention to. If I look at half the **** people pose their displays like, I have no doubt that Sideshow rushed it and didn't take the time to address the small nuances that you need to to make these things pop.

They also pulled the visor down completely.

Doesn't look like Sideshow even tried with this figure.


I really hope this means HT listened to the complaints about the Jawa toppers:

 

[Sixth Scale Man]

Hmmm...scales tipping back to HT for this one! What a rollercoaster. I like the weathering and that he's got the grappling gun and grenade. Nice detail. Also, I'm liking the gloves.

 

[Asta]

Hmmm...scales tipping back to HT for this one! What a rollercoaster. I like the weathering and that he's got the grappling gun and grenade. Nice detail. Also, I'm liking the gloves.

It's definitely looking like a double dip now.

 

[TheDucky]

My reaction to everyone flipping their views on this figure saying it?s good after now seeing a properly futzed proto vs a poorly posed, poorly futzed proto.

Alright, carry on with this dissection now.

 

[Asta]

My reaction to everyone flipping their views on this figure saying it?s good after now seeing a properly futzed proto vs a poorly posed, poorly futzed proto.

Alright, carry on with this dissection now.

It's not just futzing. It's literally a different figure with completed weathering.

Plus it hasn't been sabotaged by the numpties at Sideshow.

Comparison:

 

[heon123]

Hope the weathering is just as good on the final. Looks quite incredible.

But that base is dire.

 

[Asta]

Hope the weathering is just as good on the final. Looks quite incredible.

But that base is dire.

The base doesn't look finalised in the HT display since the top isn't flush to the edge, but it looks like they're in the process of making it more like this style:

However, when HT first showed their Jawas they looked like this way too, with add-on drifts:

 

[Hoody999]

What are the odds that Sideshow intentionally made this figure look as bad as possible in their own display? Or that HT just kept the best prototype for their own?

From ToysTV live stream (images captured by Chi-lenn Wong):

Just watching it now !! So awesome !

Parka material better / more accurate : CHECK
Puffy collar : CHECK
Weathering : CHECK
Awesome weathered helmet : CHECK

Cheap alu foil snow base : CHECK

No but seriously this is looking $1M at the moment. They obviously sent SS their very first prototype, and kept the updated one for themselves.

So bought !!