The World of TMNT
Though playtime may be coming to an end for our turtles in a half shell, Playmates is planning a true grand finale year for the World of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, packed with major mashups and retro-styled figures and vehicles. The celebration is highlighted by two premium crossovers: the debut of TMNT x G.I. Joe and a continuation of the TMNT x Godzilla line, which are both designed to leave longtime Turtle collectors completely shell-shocked.
TMNT x G.I. Joe
For nearly 40 years, Playmates has been home to Mikey, Leo, Raph, and Donnie, along with their ever-growing cast of allies, villains, and side characters. Sadly, the company will lose its master toy license and exclusive rights to Mattel on December 31, bringing this era to a close. Throughout their toy legacy, the four mutant brothers have seen countless creative redesigns and memorable crossovers, blending these classic ’80s icons with other legendary properties such as Ghostbusters, Masters of the Universe, Cobra Kai, WWE, Stranger Things, and Star Trek, to name a few. Now, in one final hurrah, the turtles are being called upon to take down the evil terrorist organization known as Cobra. In a joint collaboration with Hasbro, the crossover between these two fan-favorite brands feels like a natural fit, with plenty of overlap in their respective fanbases.
This wave of figures features a mix of both popular and surprising character choices to represent the TMNT, consisting of Leonardo as Snake Eyes, Raphael as Roadblock, Donatello as Dial Tone and Michelangelo as the fun-loving Shipwreck. Joining their global campaign is April O’Neal as Scarlet, who will come with the A.W.E. Shell-Striker, inspired by the vintage G.I.Joe AWE Striker vehicle. There will also be a Turtle-Fly Copter, inspired by the Dragonfly assault copter, complete with turtle shell texture, missile-firing action, and classic Wild Bill hat accessory. These “Real Reptilian Heroes” will battle Cobra-inspired villains including Shredder as the ruthless Cobra Commander, Krang as Destro, Slash as Storm Shadow, and Bebop and Rocksteady as Deadnoks Ripper and Buzzer, respectively. Each figure will come with weapons and accessories, and packed on a classic-style card. While it was hinted that this may be the only wave of G.I. Joe figures, here’s hoping we eventually see a Blind Master–inspired Splinter or a Casey Jones figure styled after Beachhead.
TMNT x Godzilla
Also announced at Toy Fair was Wave 2 of the popular TMNT x Godzilla line, featuring Donatello fittingly as robotic ally Jet Jaguar, Turtles’ mentor Splinter, reimagined as the classic kaiju protector King Caesar, and Shredder, transformed into Godzilla’s mechanical form - Mechagodzilla.
Godzilla Monsterverse
Speaking of the King of the Monsters, Playmates showcased its entire Titan collection at its booth, including the core 6-inch figures, larger deluxe feature figures, blind box spherical capsules, and a variety of plush dolls. The display also teased what’s next, with a Godzilla x Kong: Supernova (2027) backdrop towering behind the products. This wasn’t just a reminder that Godzilla is still king; the booth was clearly designed to spotlight the future of the ever-expanding Monarch Monsterverse toy line.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
There were plenty of recognizable monsters and variants on display, including Godzilla, Kong (wearing his B.E.A.S.T. glove), Shimo, Skar King, King Ghidorah, and Mechagodzilla.
Making its debut in the Monsterverse line is a newly designed Rodan, featuring fiery red, highly detailed wings with lightning-bolt patterns, and a tank accessory.
The Ion Dragon was also confirmed as a new antagonistic addition to the 6-inch action figure line, with a design based on Season 2 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The Ion Dragon is a massive winged draconic creature capable of flight and amphibious movements, while emitting radioactive ions in the air.
Like Ion Dragon, Titan X is a massive, tentacled aquatic kaiju, serving as one of the show’s primary villains of Season 2. This chimera-like creature, with bioluminescent spines and kraken-like appearance, poses a significant threat to Godzilla.
Rounding out the reveals, the 7-inch figure line will include Titanus Scylla, an intimidating abomination of a creature that looks like a cross between an octopus and a crab. It is fully detailed and fully articulated for maximum play.
Monsterverse Titan Containment Spheres
Playmates’ blind box spherical capsules, officially known as Monsterverse Titan Containment Spheres, feature several key characters from the franchise, including Godzilla, Kong, Mothra, Mechagodzilla, Godzilla Evolved, and King Ghidorah, among others. These mini, non-articulated figures come packaged inside spherical “containment” capsules, making the unboxing part of the fun.
New additions to the Godzilla Monsterverse toy line are expected to arrive later this summer or fall.
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
The TMNT aren’t the only superheroes being reimagined in monster form. The first wave of Kaiju Rangers includes the Green “Godzilla” Ranger, Blue “Anguirus” Ranger, and Red “Rodan” Ranger. Each figure features multiple points of articulation and comes with a signature weapon and a gold Morpher medallion display stand.
Reignited: Season 2
Playmates is also expanding past the original five rangers into the Season 2 roster by adding three more key characters to its toy line with:
Auto Morphin Red Ranger (Rocky)
Auto Morphin Black Ranger (Adam)
Auto Morphin Yellow Ranger (Aisha), with teases of a potential White Ranger figure coming in a future wave.
In addition, the line will include a familiar, yet, formidable foe for the Rangers to battle: Lord Zedd, the terrifying, snake-like “Emperor of Evil” from the series. And for fans who enjoy army building, a fresh wave of Z-Putties helps make the basic figure assortment feel instantly more complete.
Playmates also showcased two different versions of the Thunder Megazord as centerpieces of the line. The Electronic Thunder Megazord does not transform, but features lights and sound effects for kid-friendly play. Meanwhile, the transforming Thunder Megazord is aimed at nostalgic adult collectors, who want both the build experience and full conversion.
Additionally, every aspiring Red Ranger needs a deluxe helmet. This larger, wearable role-play piece ties into the Re-Ignition series and lets kids become part of the action. While it wasn’t officially announced as part of the initial Toy Fair lineup, a White Ranger helmet could also appear sometime in the future.
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Do you remember the scene in Black Sheep when Chris Farley’s character, Mike Donnelly, is on the phone describing a bizarre dream involving a nun, a Flemish peasant woman, a duck, and his grandmother giving him the finger? That’s exactly what came to mind when I first heard about this new line of action figures, mini statues, and collectibles debuting at the Playmates Toys booth at Toy Fair.
Based on Matt Dinniman’s popular LitRPG book series, Dungeon Crawler Carl follows a Coast Guard veteran named Carl, armed with an iron gauntlet and dressed in his signature brown leather jacket, boxer shorts with tiny hearts, and knee pads (for crawling, of course), along with his ex-girlfriend’s feline diva, Princess Donut, as they’re forced to survive a deadly, intergalactic reality TV dungeon crawl after Earth is destroyed.
I know it sounds insane—and that’s part of the appeal. The series, which debuted during the 2020 pandemic, quickly gained a devoted following and has since grown to eight novels, with a TV series in development and toy line arriving later this year.
The first wave of six-inch figures includes Carl with Princess Donut (who can magnetically sit on Carl’s shoulder), Mordecai, a shapeshifting winged ally who guides Carl through the dungeon, and Prepotente, an eccentric goat-like crawler who eventually joins Carl’s group and provides comic relief. These fully articulated figures come with interchangeable heads, hands, and a variety of weapons and accessories.
There will also be an assortment of mystery figures capturing iconic moments from the series, such as Carl and Donut running from a Jug O’ Boom explosion, or another featuring Princess Donut defecating on Mordecai’s mother’s ashes while he’s in rodent form (a sentence I never thought I’d write). These scene-based collectibles will be sold in blind boxes, so the exact moment you get will be a surprise. Rather than standard action figures, these are highly detailed diorama-style collectibles designed to showcase specific moments from the series.
Also available from Playmates will be a set of collectible trading cards, featuring all the core characters, creatures, crawlers, and Uzi Jesus (yet another sentence I never thought I’d ever write).
In addition, everyone’s favorite show cat, Princess Donut, will be available in two premium plush forms: one 8-inch standard version and one 12-inch deluxe. Each plush is designed with character-specific details and accessories that fans will recognize.
All the VIDS! https://www.youtube.com/user/IdleHandsBlog
No comments :
Post a Comment