1/6 Hot Toys - The X-Men License - Interview with Chan

[Brainiac]

It does not have to be rebooted...they just need to make a movie every so many years. No where does it require a reboot..

They where initially doing a 4th raimi and Toby Spider-Man but at the last minute opted to reboot. But it's not contractual.

no its not but thats Sony movies for you, they never put much effort into them so they end up rehashing the same ol stories over and over again

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

View attachment 126868

I'd buy up everything from X-Men Days of Future Past

Hopefully Chan and Hot Toys see the love of the franchise and get their skates on

I still find it scandalous and somewhat inept of whoever is in charge of these things that a film which is at worst number 5 of the biggest grossing films of 2014 (at best No. 2) has no merchantising whatsoever associated with it and I think whoever can produce custom figures/costumes from DOFP will make a tidy sum.

Misney owns at least 50%+ of profits from any merchandise but have been sitting on them so as not to help Fox movies. The hilarious thing is even without Merchandise X-Men Days of Future Past outgrossed all others

The fact that they already have the green light from some of the actors makes me think we’ll definitely get at least two figures/characters. They might want to release them around X-Men Apocalypse to capitalize on the hype.

Either way, if we get at least two figures, I’ll be satisfied.

Same. Surely they must've noticed that this is the highest grossing and almost highest rated CBM of the year

Not really worth the effort... they are better off just canceling it and moving on with bigger and better projects.

Like X-Men Apocalypse

I just need this

Thats all I need to be happy

I'd take them and much more.

The studio in question is not Marvel but Fox and Marvel still has to approve any product put out that is a license from an X-Men movie. And we've been hearing from other companies that Marvel is not granting those approvals for even comic versions of X-characters.

Yet a other reason to hate the Disney takeover.

Well Toys R Us has an X-Men Marvel Legends wave that was just released, and we do have Days of Future Past Minimates coming soon. So, X-Men related merchandise is being released, though maybe not on the order of your Iron Men and Spideys.

A drop in the ocean compared to the amount of merchandise other Marvel properties, both movies and comic are getting.

They've got to know that Fassbender would pull in quite a bit of money, c'mon, who didn't like that last scene in the stadium?
Both Future Erik and Charles would be big sellers no doubt as well as Beast and Mystique, just because it's not Iron Man doesn't mean it won't make money.

no its not but thats Marvels movies for you, they end up rehashing the same ol stories over and over again

Fixed.

 

[murdomac]

I don't that much about the ins and outs of merchantising but I had thought it was the film/TV show whatever that sold the merchantising not the other way round? So putting out DOFP figures is'nt going to make people go and see the movie.

I suppose Fox would get 50% of whatever the rights were per figure but it would seem Disney would prefer to have 50% of nothing rather than 50% of something, both these companies need to put their toys back in the pram and think less about themselves and more about the customers.

 

[hunterelf]

basically there's a paragraph that says marvel(disney) has a deal with sony on the licensing on spider-man products, which means both sides get paid.
however for xmen (days of future past) they have no such deal, so you didnt see any toys spawn from that movie.
Here's a nice read for you guys
Why Marvel wants the X-Men to fail


This anxiety came to a boil late last month when Tom Brevoort, Marvel's Senior Vice-President of Publishing, was asked by a fan on Tumblr why there wasn't more of an effort to market the X-Men when there are projects like a Guardians cartoon on the way:

"Why isn't there any X-Men cartoons? Why wasn't there any licensing for DOFP. WHY isn't there Goldball toys or any new X-Men toys? Oh and of course No real X-News at the Cup o Joe panel. Thanks foe [sic] your time."

Brevoort responded, stating that Marvel didn't see the need to promote the X-Men (or other titles that the company isn't getting the full revenue from):

You're talking about issues involving licensing and animation, and those are questions you'd need to ask to our people that oversee those areas.

I will say two things, though, both of which are pretty self-evident, I think.

1) There are only so many hours in the day, and so many initiatives you can have going at once,. So you need to pick and choose where you want to spend your time and your efforts.

2) If you had two things, and on one you earned 100% of the revenues from the efforts that you put into making it, and the other you earned a much smaller percentage for the same amount of time and effort, you'd be more likely to concentrate more heavily on the first, wouldn't you?


there you have it. no xmen toys in the future until marvel gets back the license.

 

[Mr Walker]

2) If you had two things, and on one you earned 100% of the revenues from the efforts that you put into making it, and the other you earned a much smaller percentage for the same amount of time and effort, you'd be more likely to concentrate more heavily on the first, wouldn't you?

Yeah, but let's be realistic here; how much effort does it take to draw up a licensing agreement? Marvel has done tens of dozens of them over the years. It would seem to be money for jam. A freaking paralegal should be able to put one together.

I'm a little surprised, to be honest. It wasn't that long ago Marvel filed for bankruptcy.

 

[hunterelf]

lawyers can be expensive and agreements will take time.
btw, the article is saying marvel is trying to shift focus from the xmen to the inhumans pretty evident from the recent events in the comics(killing off xavier and wolverine)
it's just logical in their part to down play the franchise in favour of another, hell i'd do the same.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

According to THIS

Misney get 50%+ of revenue from movie merchandise. So they would get the majority.

More importantly there's no sense in blocking X-Men cartoons, X-Men comics merchandise, X-Men video games and not showing X-Men on the covers of pencil cases when they own 100% of all of those.

It's just movies they don't own, that's just one out of the many mediums with them controlling the rest

It's petulant to bury X-Men in all those areas just because they don't control movies.

 

[Brainiac]

no its not but thats Marvel movies for you, they end up rehashing the same ol stories over and over again

Fixed.

 

[Motuxmen]

According to THIS

Misney get 50%+ of revenue from movie merchandise. So they would get the majority.

More importantly there's no sense in blocking X-Men cartoons, X-Men comics merchandise, X-Men video games and not showing X-Men on the covers of pencil cases when they own 100% of all of those.

It's just movies they don't own, that's just one out of the many mediums with them controlling the rest

It's petulant to bury X-Men in all those areas just because they don't control movies.

There are other merch with xmen on them. I bought a some backpacks and folders and other school stuff for my daughter for back to school just last week. There's Lego xmen. They do things with the brand. But they can not do anything movie related. Without an agreement in place.

As for the idea that all they need to do is write up a license agreement and that's all the time it takes, that is not the case. Marvel is involved with the design and approval of nearly all licensed products. So when efx makes a Thor hammer or Cap shield, even though it's under licenses, marvel is still heavily involved.

As for them having done license agreements in the past, so why not now...the largest difference is up until 2008ish and iron man marvel didn't have a studio branch. So they had no choice but outsource everything. But now they have an in house studio. Aside from xmen, spidey, F4 everything else is in house. That is why things have shifted.

As for them having filed for bankruptcy not long ago...now they are a lot better off in the publication department, but also have one of the most successful movie studios in the world. On top of that, they are now part of disney. And unless there's a massive global change they don't look like they will be in much need of money anytime soon.

 

[Josette]

Marvel rehashing the same things over and over? Huh? Their movies within their connected universe all bring something different to the table in tone and atmosphere, and they've expanded their universe big time with GOTG. You've had space misfits, a buddy comedy, a WWII era adventure, a political thriller, a Shakespearean fantasy..... Ant Man is said to be heist movie.

I would like a few X-Men figures, too, but at this point I've pretty much accepted that customs are going to be the only way to really get them. I'll be surprised if HT continues to pursue trying to get approval for X-Men when there are so many other up and coming franchise films for them to work with. No sense in getting any hopes up, to me.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

There are other merch with xmen on them. I bought a some backpacks and folders and other school stuff for my daughter for back to school just last week. There's Lego xmen. They do things with the brand. But they can not do anything movie related. Without an agreement in place.

As for the idea that all they need to do is write up a license agreement and that's all the time it takes, that is not the case. Marvel is involved with the design and approval of nearly all licensed products. So when efx makes a Thor hammer or Cap shield, even though it's under licenses, marvel is still heavily involved.

As for them having done license agreements in the past, so why not now...the largest difference is up until 2008ish and iron man marvel didn't have a studio branch. So they had no choice but outsource everything. But now they have an in house studio. Aside from xmen, spidey, F4 everything else is in house. That is why things have shifted.

As for them having filed for bankruptcy not long ago...now they are a lot better off in the publication department, but also have one of the most successful movie studios in the world. On top of that, they are now part of disney. And unless there's a massive global change they don't look like they will be in much need of money anytime soon.

Don't get me started on Lego. Only two sets two years apart but countless Iron Man and Avenger sets

 

[lerath666]

Yeah, i think it's best if HT just cut their losses here.
With sideshow announcing comic book figures, i've lost all interest in movie figures. And i'll bet i'm not the only one.

 

[pturtle]

Nope, a sideshow Magneto could never compare to a Hot Toys Fassneto figure, and Sideshow is very hit and miss, lets see how Deadpool and Wolverine turn out first.

 

[karamazov80]

I might be with lerath, but what we've seen so far with Marvel doesn't instill me with much confidence. Deadpool seems kind of thrown together, and Wolverine is a new "interpretation" on the order of what they did with their Joes. I would be a lot more interested if they treated these the way they treated Superman and Batman.

Then, of course, there's the dreaded prototype to production disparity that has plagued Sideshow recently. I am, foremost, a fan of comics though, and comic movies second.

 

[Taibhse]

basically there's a paragraph that says marvel(disney) has a deal with sony on the licensing on spider-man products, which means both sides get paid.
however for xmen (days of future past) they have no such deal, so you didnt see any toys spawn from that movie.
Here's a nice read for you guys

...I will say two things, though, both of which are pretty self-evident, I think.

1) There are only so many hours in the day, and so many initiatives you can have going at once,. So you need to pick and choose where you want to spend your time and your efforts.

2) If you had two things, and on one you earned 100% of the revenues from the efforts that you put into making it, and the other you earned a much smaller percentage for the same amount of time and effort, you'd be more likely to concentrate more heavily on the first, wouldn't you?

there you have it. no xmen toys in the future until marvel gets back the license.

Botton line: Nothing is going to be done that helps generate revenue for the licenses Marvel want back from 20th Century Fox.. equally Fox would want merchandising deals that make it more economically viable to retain those licenses.. therefore deadlock.

 

[Uncanny Web-Slinger]

2) If you had two things, and on one you earned 100% of the revenues from the efforts that you put into making it, and the other you earned a much smaller percentage for the same amount of time and effort, you'd be more likely to concentrate more heavily on the first, wouldn't you?

This comment makes me think.

It doesn't have to be a case of one or the other. They could easily do one like GOTG that gives them 100% revenue and another (DOFP) that gives them 50%+ revenue. In the end they'd get 150%+ revenue instead of just 100%

The funny thing is. Without merchandising X-Men Days of Future Past managed to outgross all the other marvel movies that had that extra promotion with the merchandise.

 

[Josette]

The funny thing is. Without merchandising X-Men Days of Future Past managed to outgross all the other marvel movies that had that extra promotion with the merchandise.

It's not like Marvel's hurting this year. The Winter Soldier made huge gains both internationally and domestically over The First Avenger.

Guardians of the Galaxy, a bunch of C list characters at best, are going to be in the highest grossing summer movie at the domestic box office - it's on track to finish with around $270 mil. More than DOFP (at over 232 mil) and TWS (near 260 mil). Marvel Studios are probably too busy dancing to "Come and Get Your Love" to worry about X-Men.

Nope, a sideshow Magneto could never compare to a Hot Toys Fassneto figure, and Sideshow is very hit and miss, lets see how Deadpool and Wolverine turn out first.

Absolutely agreed here. I'm keeping my eye on SSC's comic figure line, but I don't have much confidence in their ability with sculpts and paint. And I prefer having a HT Fassbender Magneto over a comic Magneto, not ashamed to admit.

 

[Motuxmen]

This comment makes me think.

It doesn't have to be a case of one or the other. They could easily do one like GOTG that gives them 100% revenue and another (DOFP) that gives them 50%+ revenue. In the end they'd get 150%+ revenue instead of just 100%

The funny thing is. Without merchandising X-Men Days of Future Past managed to outgross all the other marvel movies that had that extra promotion with the merchandise.

Ah, but here's the rub, and how marvel sees it..why do two movies for 150 when for the same work they can do two for 200.

On top of that, don't would never agree to a 50/50 split and neither would marvel. So it wouldn't even be 150(just using your numbers and example), it would be 125 or whatever. And it's fox that has xmen and sony with Spider-Man correct?

As for Lego....again, it's all about what sells. If an xmen set sold as well as iron man they would make just as many. It doesn't. Avengers alone has nearly outsold (box office) all seven xmen films combined. Same with just iron man 3. Those just seem to main stream a bit better.

Don't get me wrong, wolverine is my favorite comic character. Has been from my first comic. I got my first wolverine tattoo when I was in high school, back before tats where mainstream. I was the only dude in my whole school with ink. Lol

Anyway, Lego and hot toys are not out to just prop up on character over another because they hate mutants or bald people or blue guys...it's about what moves the fastest with the highest profit margin.

 

[The Phantom]

According to THIS

Misney get 50%+ of revenue from movie merchandise. So they would get the majority.

More importantly there's no sense in blocking X-Men cartoons, X-Men comics merchandise, X-Men video games and not showing X-Men on the covers of pencil cases when they own 100% of all of those.

It's just movies they don't own, that's just one out of the many mediums with them controlling the rest

It's petulant to bury X-Men in all those areas just because they don't control movies.

Man, nothing changes but the date I see.

According to, "THIS"? What's THIS? I tried to click on it, and it wanted to download a file(?). So could you let me know what, "THIS" is?

Before you do that though, which personality am I speaking to?

Is it Nova, Uncanny Webslinger, Full Metal Hippie, or Iwantmyxmentoys? Which is it today?

Whoever you are, you've been trying to ladle this swill since last May, and you still can't get any traction. Let it go already.

I will say you've come a long way. Back then you were saying that DisMarv owned 100% of the X-Men movie merchandising rights (coincidentally AFTER you heard that was the deal with Spider-Man), now you're down to 50% (which isn't a majority by the way), so I guess that's progress.

For those of you just coming in, Whateverhisnameisnow tried to sell people on the idea that the reason there was no XM toys was because D/M owned 100% of the film merchandising rights. Even going as far as signing in under a different handle and using his own, "blog" as some sort of proof (if you don't believe it, read through the other Xmen figure thread that he started in this section and click on Full Metal Hippie's, "proof". And if do, do yourself a favor and check out the, "about" section. It's worth it).

But whatever. It wasn't the case then, and it's not the case now.

Doesn't the interview state the reason you're not seeing figures is because the actors have to sign off on them? Didn't Diamond also say that Jennifer Lawrence wasn't on board and that's why they weren't going forward with the maquette, or whatever they were soliciting?

Don't those two points connect? They're from two different sources after all. Isn't that enough?

And who says Dis/Marv is burying anything? There's still XM swag out there, just not enough to your liking, evidently.

It's funny, you and every other Disney/Marvel hater love to point out that Fox and Sony, "will never let those properties go, no way in hell!", so what should D/M do, cry in their beer, or should they promote properties that they can exploit?

Any company worth their salt would milk the Avengers for all they're worth right now. Who wouldn't?
Like it or not, right now they're hot.
They would be idiots if they didn't do that, or try to create new brands like they're doing with GOTG, and from where I sit, they're doing a pretty good job of it.

Yes, DoFP is the biggest grossing CBM this season (So far. The jury is still out on GOTG. It's already the best reviewed and had a better opening weekend), but 740+million is really not that impressive for a property whose comics, "sell through the roof". If they're as popular as some people think, DoFP really should have done better, especially for a Summer movie.

So instead of trying to start up old rumors, why don't you start a petition for XMen figures? If nothing is going to convince you that there isn't a conspiracy, then put your money where your mouth is.
If you get enough names, HT will have to answer one way or the other, right?

Give it a shot. If you think that there's such a huge market for these figures, prove it to them.

Prove it to everyone, once and for all.

 

[DiFabio]

Lawrence looks like a little kid as Mystique anyway.