Big Items of the Future!

[Nicklab]

Emily from Hasbro was already fielding questions about "What's Next" for this deluxe playset concept.  And she gave a great answer - they want to look at locations that are connected to strong story moments that might be populated with multiple characters.  The palace (Jabba's, Bib's or Boba's) fits that bill.  And it sounds like the Cantina is a prime candidate, too.  From a design standpoint, they were saying that the depth of the playset is a consideration that factored into the planning of the palace playset.  They were cognizant of the depth of standard shelving and designed it accordingly.

If I were to bet on this range of playsets going forward?  I would say the Cantina is in a prime position.  It's so beloved by Star Wars fans, and it's transcended the fandom to become an iconic cinematic moment.  And then it has turned up again in The Mandalorian twice.  And given Obi-Wan's line to Luke on the streets of Tatooine that "This place can be a little rough", I get the distinct impression that it could come into play in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

Other scenes that fit that criteria?  A Star Destroyer bridge - see every Imperial figure you own, Darth Vader and the bounty hunters to fill it out.  Someone mentioned the throne room from the second Death Star.

I agree with Muftak about sections of the Death Star.  That's one place where I think the $50 playset range can offer up a lot of different scenes, offer up an army builder figure, and have the playsets interact with one another.
-DETENTION BLOCK HALLWAY - make the POTF2 version look like trash and take this one, complete with a cell.  Pack-in figure - Imperial Navy Trooper
-DEATH STAR CORRIDOR - Basic corridor with the light panels and a blast door.  Pack-in figure - Imperial Stormtrooper

Those two seem like the no-brainers.  Do they go with a location like the DS Overbridge?  Or a gunners station?  Those are a departure from the hallway concept that worked for the Tantive IV.

[Rob]

The best part about a potential Cantina playset is that they'd probably revisit that scene for new figures to go with it.

[Nicklab]

It sounds like the palace is going to be that kind of a centerpiece for planning the basic figure line going forward.  It's an opportunity to make some figures that work in conjunction with that location, between ROTJ and TBOBF.

That's something that did actually happen, albeit to a limited extent, following the release of the Sail Barge and the Jabba's Palace Adventure set.  We got 8 figures that work in conjunction with those settings.  There were a couple of figures released that work with the Carbon Freeze Chamber.  We got those Rebel Fleet Troopers that would fill out the Tantive IV hallway.  And there are the TVC deluxe releases that will work with the Nevarro Cantina, as does the Walmart exclusive Death Star Droid.

[Rob]

There was a Death Star droid in the Navarro Cantina?   I haven’t watched it in awhile and am fuzzy on the details.  I wouldn’t mind grabbing an extra to put there if that’s the case.

[Nicklab]

There was a Death Star droid in the Navarro Cantina?   I haven’t watched it in awhile and am fuzzy on the details.  I wouldn’t mind grabbing an extra to put there if that’s the case.

Chapter 7 of The Mandalorian (season 1).  The droid is tending bar when Greef Karga brings Mando in to the Client.

There's another one in Chapter 16 walking around on Moff Gideon's light cruiser.

[Rob]

Brilliant.  Thanks!  I should start paying more attention for stuff like that since Hasbro doesn’t do a lot of background stuff these days.

[Jedi Idej]

I want the cantina owned by Maz Kanata just so we can get those aliens.

[Dave]

I want the cantina owned by Maz Kanata just so we can get those aliens.

1000% yes!  Hasbro will never do it, but that would be fantastic. 

Maybe Hasbro's logic will allow us to get an Ewok Villiage.

[Jeff]

The best part about a potential Cantina playset is that they'd probably revisit that scene for new figures to go with it.

*nods in agreement*

Mos Eisley Cantina with TVC pack-in Garouf Lafoe.  Then work Tzizvvt, Solomahal, and Reegesk into the TVC basic line.  Then give us a EE exclusive TVC Ackmeena.  Then give us a fan channel carded figure 3-pack of Baniss Keeg, Arliel Schous, and Yerka Mig.  Then give us an Amazon 4-Pack of TVC carded Ponda, Greedo, Momaw, and Takeel in Kenner deco colors.  And a Hasbro Pulse 6-pack of Cantina Band Members using the new TVC Figrin D'an figure as the base.

[Jesse James]

Basically agree with all the thoughts presented so far…

I’d love a Cantina in some form or other.  The Palace was a must buy when I saw it, and far more appealing to me as a display for Jabba goons than the barge is.  It makes me seriously consider selling my barge to be honest. 

The Navarro cantina is something of a letdown to me, but a Mos Eisley Cantina in a similar format to this Palace would be slick.  I too would like something like a Destroyer bridge like this.  So far all the playsets they’ve done have hit clearance… pretty steeply too.  While it’s cool for stocking up, it’s making me wonder how this Palace is gonna turn out.  I think if they do smaller runs it may sell out and that would be kinda funny to me given how much fit throwing I’ve read about the price. 

It’s a really nice looking “centerpiece” type or product though.  Much more than just a playset, but a real eye catcher on a display wall. 

[Nicklab]

I saw a social media post from Jayson that the preorders for the Throne Room were already 1/3rd of the way to the sold out milestone.  I'd love to hear what those numbers are, but I also understand the need to protect sources.

I think that looking at movie scenes where we already have a number of existing figures from that source material could point us in some interesting directions.  There's a great database at the Galactic Figures site that breaks movie scenes down with characters that can be slotted into those.
https://galacticfigures.com/MovieScenes

Clearly, the Cantina is one of the top scenes in terms of the number of distinct characters that have been made into figures.  And from the standpoint of a locale that is key in moving the story forward, the Cantina is as strong of a setting as you're going to get.  Next would probably be Jabba's palace and the Sail Barge.  But with a bunch of these settings where there's a large number of characters that have existing figures, they're just talking - the Jedi Council chambers, Yavin briefings, the Home One briefing from ROTJ, etc.

[Muftak]

I saw a social media post from Jayson that the preorders for the Throne Room were already 1/3rd of the way to the sold out milestone.  I'd love to hear what those numbers are, but I also understand the need to protect sources.

Over on Rebelscum someone has been looking at the Pulse order page's source code and gleaned the available quantity was 19,750 with around 7,500 preordered so far. I think that is where numbers are coming from at this point. 20,000 sounds like a realistic MOQ for the set judging by where successful HasLabs have been landing recently.

When I shored up what my OT collection was going to be back in 2008 I broke them down by scene to make themed shelf displays for them all. I wound up with basic scenes: Cantina. Tatooine Desert, Hoth, Cloud City, Death Star/Star Destroyer, Home One, Yavin, Jabba's Palace. I wound up skipping Dagobah and Endor because I just didn't have enough figures for those spots to justify the space. But some of those other environments wound up being pretty big because so many figures needed to fit there. A Cantina playset designed with all the released figures in mind will be really big as a shelf display--I solved this by doing the bar as one shelf and the booths and alcoves on a different one.

The weird thing about this Throne Room is most of the display space in the set is behind the throne. It will look weird, but probably you can keep most of the "floor" figures on display in the Barge if you have that.

[Jesse James]

I would consider that fairly insanely low for a Star Wars item that required massive tooling investment (if that is the case).  That’s much more in the realm of what “boutique” toy line runs are like.  And they often do sell out.  Would be curious how it compares to the other sets out.

[JediJman]

I would consider that fairly insanely low for a Star Wars item that required massive tooling investment (if that is the case).  That’s much more in the realm of what “boutique” toy line runs are like.  And they often do sell out.  Would be curious how it compares to the other sets out.

Really?  I don't know if I'd say insanely low for a big ticket item like this. I know these are Haslab numbers, but 20k seems like it's right in the range of other big new development projects.

Marvel Galactus 32k
Razor Crest 28k
Marvel Sentinel 22k
-------TBOBF Throne Room 20k -------
GIJoe Skystriker 16k
Transformers Unicron 10k
Khetanna 9k

[Mister Skeezler]

I feel like the Sarlaac would be a great environment, since it "connects" with the Sail Barge and Skiff(s), with all the figures related to that. It also appears in new media (BOBF), and Return of the Jedi's 40th anniversary is next year.

My other choice would be the Emperor's throne room, since we just got a new Emperor for that, along with the window. It's super toyetic (all of Luke and Vader's 3rd act action was here), and it could be an avenue for them to "complete the 96" by including Sim Aloo, who would absolutely tank of pegs by himself.