BBTS has some preorders listed, and there's quite a bit there.  There are 3.75" single packed figures and 2-packs.  Plus there are also about half a dozen 6" scale figures listed, too.

Quote from: Nicklab on June 19, 2012, 03:03 PM

The TPM vehicles are in the packaging with Darth Maul on the box.  With two different packaging looks, I think you want to put vehicles from Episode I in a package with that Episode I theme.  That's the Maul box.  And in the years to come IF we see theatrical 3D releases of the rest of the PT and OT, I think it's a fair bet that vehicles from that year's movie will be in movie themed packaging, and not a more general package design.

Nick - using your logic, wouldn't Hasbro want to put figures from the Phantom Menace on card-backs with Darth Maul on the card?

So why did the Movie Heroes line launch with EP3 Shocktrooper, Darth Vader, Super Battle Droid, General Grievous, a ROTS Clonetrooper w/a Jetpack, a re-release of a horrible EP3 Yoda, an AOTC Red Battledroid, a re-release of the "Geonosis Battle" Destroyer Droid and a re-release of EP3 Electronic Lights & Sounds R2-D2?

And to make matters worse, the remaining four figures, which were TPM specific - EP1 Battledroid, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Maul were all represented in the Vintage line.

Let's just run through the Movie Heroes / TPM 3-D line and see how much product is on those Darth Maul cards & boxes.  I've added an EPISODE I tag to EVERY Episode I themed item in the line:


MOVIE HEROES BASIC FIGURES

WAVE 1
___  MH01 - Shock Trooper
___  MH02 - Super Battle Droid
___  MH03 - R2-D2 EPISODE I
___  MH04 - Battle Droid (TPM version) EPISODE I
___  MH04 - Battle Droid (AOTC version)
___  MH05 - Darth Maul EPISODE I
___  MH06 - Darth Vader
___  MH07 - General Grievous
___  MH08 - Obi-Wan Kenobi (Episode I) EPISODE I
___  MH09 - Yoda EPISODE I
___  MH10 - Qui-Gon Jinn EPISODE I
___  MH11 - Clone Trooper (Episode III Jet pack)
___  MH12 - Destroyer Droid EPISODE I


WAVE 2
___  MH13 - Jar Jar Binks EPISODE I
___  MH14 - Anakin Skywalker (Pod Racer) EPISODE I
___  MH15 - Darth Maul (Spinning Action) EPISODE I
___  MH16 - Obi-Wan Kenobi (light-up lightsaber) EPISODE I
___  MH17 - Padmé Amidala EPISODE I
___  MH18 - Qui-Gon Jinn (light-up lightsaber) EPISODE I

WAVE 3
___  MHtbd - Anakin Skywalker (light-up lightsaber)
___  MHtbd - Boba Fett
___  MHtbd - Darth Vader (light-up lightsaber)
___  MHtbd - Imperial Sandtrooper
___  MHtbd - Luke Skywalker (light-up lightsaber)

---

EXCLUSIVE FIGURES

2012 DISCOVER THE FORCE - WALMART EXCLUSIVE
___  DTF01 - Aurra Sing EPISODE I
___  DTF02 - Darth Maul EPISODE I
___  DTF03 - Destroyer Droid EPISODE I
___  DTF04 - G8-R3 EPISODE I
___  DTF05 - Gungan Warrior EPISODE I
___  DTF06 - Mawhonic EPISODE I
___  DTF07 - Obi-Wan Kenobi EPISODE I
___  DTF08 - Qui-Gon Jinn EPISODE I
___  DTF09 - Ric Olie EPISODE I
___  DTF10 - Naboo Pilot EPISODE I
___  DTF11 - Tusken Raider EPISODE I
___  DTF12 - Yoda EPISODE I

---

MULTIPACKS

SITH 2-PACKS TARGET EXCLUSIVE
___  EMERGENCE OF THE SITH - w/ Darth Sidious & Darth Maul EPISODE I
___  RISE OF DARTH VADER - w/ Anakin Skywalker & Darth Vader EPISODE I


BATTLE PACKS
___  GEONOSIS ARENA BATTLES - w/ Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jango Fett & Battle Droid
___  REPUBLIC CLONE TROOPERS - w/ Bomb Disposal Clone Trooper, Clone Trooper Hardcase & Clone Trooper Cutup
___  REBEL HEROES - w/ Han Solo, Chewbacca & C-3PO
___  BESPIN BATTLE - w/ Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker & Boba Fett
___  DUEL ON NABOO - w/ Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Qui-Gon Jinn EPISODE I


EXCLUSIVE BATTLE PACKS
___  POD RACER PILOTS - w/ Mars Guo, Gasgano, Boles Roor, Clegg Holdfast & Teemto Pagalies EPISODE I
___  MOS ESPA ARENA - w/ C-3PO, Anakin Skywalker, Sebulba and two Pit Droids & flags EPISODE I
___  ROYAL STARSHIP DROIDS - w/ R2-B1, R2-D2, R2-N3 and R2-R9  EPISODE I
___  DARTH MAUL RETURNS - w/ Darth Maul, Nightsister & Savage Opress

---

CLASS I VEHICLES
___  Sith Speeder with Darth Maul EPISODE I
___  Naboo Royal Fighter with Obi-Wan Kenobi EPISODE I
___  BARC Speeder with Clone Trooper
___  STAP with Battle Droid EPISODE I
___  Republic Assault Submarine with SCUBA Clone Trooper
___  Attack Recon Fighter with Anakin Skywalker
___  Republic Attack Dropship with Clone Pilot


CLASS II ATTACK VEHICLES

WAVE 1
___  Anakin Skywalker's Pod Racer EPISODE I
___  Sebulba's Pod Racer EPISODE I
___  Sith Infiltrator EPISODE I
___  Armored Assault Tank (AAT) EPISODE I

WAVE 2
___  Republic Fighter Tank
___  Anakin's Jedi Starfighter (Delta II)
___  Naboo Starfighter EPISODE I


CLASS II ATTACK VEHICLES - EXCLUSIVES
___  Trade Federation Droid Starfighter EPISODE I
___  Dewback EPISODE I


LARGE VEHICLES - EXCLUSIVES
___  AT-ST

---

The MAJORITY of the Movie Heroes offerings have SOME sort of Episode I connection or appeared in that movie in some way, shape or form.  As for everything that falls outside that realm, what do you propose that Hasbro do?  Launch ANOTHER line look?

Out of the currently announced 23 Movie Heroes figures, 13 of those characters appear in THE PHANTOM MENACE.  And ALL of the characters in the WalMart exclusive Discover the Force line (which has the same line look at Movie Heroes) are from THE PHANTOM MENACE, too.

As for the crossover between some of the TVC, DTF and MH lines, guess what?  They're CORE CHARACTERS.  Plus, there have been countless thousands upon thousands of forum posts over the years with collectors either asking for characters like Qui-Gon on a Vintage style card, or showing collector mockups of a PT character on a Vintage card.  THAT is why you have Qui-Gon, Darth Maul, Obi-Wan and Battle Droids on TVC cards, too.

Nobody is disputing that Hasbro has put out far too many Jedi Starfighters.  But guess what?  There's only one that's been announceed in THIS line, and only one that's been offered in the TVC line.  It will take time for old inventory to sell through.  But Hasbro's vehicle strategy seems rather clear, too:  Use existing tools for the bulk of the line, with SOME retooling (the AAT), and SOME repainting (Republic Fighter Tank, Vulture Droid), and perhaps ONE new vehicle (Naboo starfighter).

As for the topic of THIS thread?  We're just going to have to wait and see what happens with the Mandalorian Shuttle.  It's a new tool.  And the storyline of CW season 5 may give it a second chance at life on the shelves.

I definitely agree on Tarfful.  That figure was OKAY for 2005.  But compared with the Sneak Preview Wookiee, it fell a little bit short.  And while the Wookiee that I voted for was Merumeru on my own list, I could totally get behind a Tarfful resculpt.

As for the Clone Commanders?  Softgoods kamas and super articulation combined with removable helmets would be pretty nice.  But they're lower on my priority list.  Ultimately, I'd rather get some never before made characters, or some of the varying looks for Palpatine.

I should have said "other" 

Has GG or Sideshow announced their exclusives?

Gentle Giant announced an Admiral Motti mini-bust as their SDCC Star Wars exclusive

I personally don't care about tri-logo versions compared with a US packaged release.  That's the freedom of being an opener, I suppose.  But if this winds up being super-rare, I can't understand this great aversion to a tri-logo release...even among MIMB collectors.

The tone from some sites definitely got belligerent at times.  With some of the Q&A participants there was this air of nastiness plus a sense of entitlement that was all wrapped up in a not-so-subtle undercurrent of "we know how to do your jobs better than you do".  All things considered, that must have left the Hasbro management team wondering why they were taking part in what had become an abusive relationship.  Forums are a great place for venting.  But that tone doesn't translate well when you're asking questions of the manufacturer.

In the grand scheme of things, Hasbro needs to keep coming up with new & good ideas that will appeal to this customers.  It's a business, and you constantly need to work to keep your customers loyal.  But what does a business do when someone gets unruly?  If you're a local business owner, you ask them to leave your establishment.  In the case of the Star Wars Hasbro Q&A, you let it slowly fade.

Maybe they'll revisit the concept at some point in time.  But frankly, if they do, I could see them making some very targetted exclusions of some of the past participants.  It's not difficult to write a probing question in the interest of getting answers.  But when you add all sorts of invective to it, why should anybody want to bother? 

Quote from: Nicklab on June 16, 2012, 06:39 AM

Got the EE cancellation email, too.  I suspect that these may wind up being offered in the next CW line look.  Especially since the Mando's were featured prominently in the CW season 5 trailer.

Wouldn't even bet a nickel on that. In theory that and the Droid gunship should return, but with Hasbro's lack of faith in CW toys and their inability to get their #$^% together...I doubt it.

The tools exist.  Hasbro is going to want to recoup some of that investment.  That means selling units.

The Droid Gunship showed up in trailers, too.  The tools for that exist as well. 

Hasbro made the bulk of their investment in tooling for both vehicles, and the only way to see the rewards of those investments is to sell the toys. 

You say that there's a lack of confidence in Clone Wars toys.  Really?  Because I see plenty of OT & PT vehicles from the SOTDS line still lingering on shelves, too.  I can still get an AT-AT pretty easily at retail.  The same goes for the Trench Run pack with the X-Wing & Darth Vader TIE at TRU.  Sales across the whole boys toys sector are DOWN.  Attempts to pin this just on the Clone Wars line are misdirected, and you're simply not looking at the bigger picture.

It seems far more likely that this was the scenario:  Entertainment Earth took orders and submitted them to Hasbro.  The number of orders must have been such that they did not meet a target number for orders that would factor in production costs, shipping & profit for Hasbro.  As such, the order was cancelled.  It seems far more likely that this vehicle will make it into the CLONE WARS (Yoda look) general vehicle line simply because the number of vehicles ordered across broader brick & mortar retail will hit that profitability number Hasbro needs to meet.

Star Wars has the benefit of a brand recognition that's tough to match.  I mean, we're STILL talking about it 35 years after the release of the first film.  The only other franchise that has had that kind of longevity is James Bond.

Rick McCallum really hasn't been saying anything crazy about what's holding up the show.  Simply put, it's money.  And advertising money in TV is down because of both the economy and the dillution of the audience by cable TV, Direct TV and services like NetFlix.  Disney might be the right fit if the show can get onto the ABC television network.  That might lead to big enough ad revenues that could cover production budgets of $5 million per episode.  But other networks could make just as much sense.  NBC Universal brings together the resources of a film studio, a broadcast network and multiple cable properties.  If they could set up a schedule where the episode premieres on NBC, and then it has repeat airings on a network like SyFy, they might be able to generate enough ad revenue to make this show happen.

And then there's the creative control issue.  McCallum has said that HBO would probably sign on for the show, but the degree of creative control and show ownership that HBO wants is a deal breaker.