Merchandise!

[blades_shades]

Marvel Mania

“Ghost Rider,” the live-action version of the comic book (stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze gives up his soul to become a hell-blazing vigilante, natch), has moved up its release date by three weeks to July 14, 2006. Can anyone say “action figures”? This is making the collectibles market go wild. One retailer is so excited, he’s devoting a whole wall to Ghost Rider merchandise. There will be a big push on these toys to coincide with the release of the movie. Even if the movie doesn’t do that well, the toys should hold their own.

And now that Marvel Enterprises Inc. has changed its name to Marvel Entertainment Inc. and is going to make movies (hey, the lure of X-Men and Spider-Man was just too much), where go the toys? The licenses for these products are gold, and Marvel is picking and choosing with care. Since they will produce the movies themselves, they can really bargain from a position of power. Paramount is going to be the distributor of the movies, but with Captain America, the Avengers, Nick Fury, Black Panther, Ant-Man, Cloak & Dagger, Dr. Strange, Hawkeye, Power Pack and Shang-Chi, who will be the licensees? As a little executive bird told us: “It’s the goose that laid the golden egg. Everyone has come knocking.” With that kind of brand recognition, and the success of previous superhero endeavors, it’s going to be a Merry Marvel Marching Society for years to come.

 

[BIGGUN]

very cool to hear...think we all assumed Marvel/Sony were going to heavily promote the movie but its good to actually hear someone confirm it.
a whole wall devoted to GR? damn...never thought i would see the day that would happen.

 

[Uncanny Orb]

Doesn't Marvel own toybiz?

 

[blades_shades]

Marvel & Toy Biz have a relationship that I don't fully understand but they've said conflicting statements about who owns what though they have some sort of agreement with them which benefits Marvel as if they did own them. They made the Lord of the Rings Toys and the new Curious George Toys coming out, as well as SpiderMan toys. Everthing else is outsourced to other companies. Avi Arad used to head Toy Biz.

This is from Toybiz.com so I'm assuming it's correct. Toy Biz is a division of Marvel Entertainment formerly Marvel Enterprises.

MARVEL and all MARVEL character names and distinctive likeness(es) thereof is/are trademark(s) of Marvel Characters, Inc.and is/are used with permission. Copyright © 2005 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. www.marvel.com

Toy Biz, a division of Marvel Enterprises, Inc. ™ & © 2005 Marvel Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Super Hero(es) is a co-owned registered trademark. closed

 

[Uncanny Orb]

Then I hope Todd McFarland gets the contract!

 

[FlameHead]

yeah, he looks a little fat in this picture. I bet he would benefit from some a hell bi-cycle for a while.

LOL. That's hilarious.

I'm sure this fig isn't done yet though and that's probably why he looks a little funny. LIke that front wheel is likely not going to stay like that and I'm sure a lot of fine tuning is still left to do. The final product will be sweeter than can be imagined.

 

[FlameHead]

Sweet news indeed. I can't wait to get my hands on some of those figures. I'm gonna have to start workin' on my wall of Ghost Rider real soon... and also tryin' to get some money to get the stuff. What a year next one will be!

 

[BIGGUN]

Then I hope Todd McFarland gets the contract!

McFarlane wont get it im sure...Toy Biz will be doing the main stuff like 6", 12" figures and probably small vehicles. Other companies like NECA and Sideshow will be able to make statues, busts, lunchboxes, snowglobes, ect.
think it will be a long, longggg time before Todd gets to do a Marvel character...hes too happy doing sports figures. also it looks like he is trying to get away from getting the rights to movie characters ....think the Movie Maniac line is on its last legs right now.

 

[Crowley9]

Something looking like fire is clearly hard to do with plastic figures, or pretty much any solid material. Just look at earlier Ghost Rider toys. A good solution might be opaque plastic with yellow and orange coloring.

 

[Retroman]

Update
The first official Ghost Rider movie related book can now be pre-ordered at Amazon.com!

From Amazon:

Ghost Rider Visual Guide (Hardcover)
by DK Publishing

List Price: $19.99

Product Details

Hardcover: 72 pages
Publisher: DK CHILDREN (May 15, 2006)

Source: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/102-0484788-3905717?v=glance&s=books

 

[FlameHead]

Very interesting find there Retro. Thanks for posting. I wonder what exactly it's going to be. Whatever it is, it's pretty exciting.

 

[Retroman]

No problem. It'll probably be full of pics and info on the movie. They have similar for other superhero movies.

 

[FlameHead]

Sounds good and whatever it is, I'll be mine. I can't wait.

 

[FlameHead]

Found another T-Shirt that I don't think was posted here before.

It was found here, where you also have the ability to zoom in on the pic: http://www.hottopic.com/store/product.asp?ITEM=294431.

 

[Retroman]

Nice one Flame. Very cool shirt!

 

[Retroman]

A new Ghost Rider movie related item is on the way!

PROFESSIONAL SCREENWRITER SERIES 2
This five-cd set features 90-minute class sessions focussing on the steps necessary to becoming a professional working screenwriter for those who already have a basic knowledge of screenwriting ABCs. Topics include breaking in, writing screenplays that sell, how to break the rules, getting professional and taking your script to screen. Sessions conducted by some of Hollywood’s hottest A-list screenwriters, including James Mangold (Walk the Line), Peter Iliff (Patriot Games), Takashi Bufford (Set it Off), Dan Gordon (The Hurricane) and Mark Steven Johnson (Ghost Rider). Over 450 minutes of expert instruction.

ON SALE!
$ 69.95

Source: http://www.fadeinonline.com/webstore/agora.cgi?product=PRODUCTS
http://www.thescreenwritersstore.net/product_info.php/cPath/48_50/products_id/81


GR makes it to the cover of this CD set so i assume MSJ will have a thing or two to say about writing the script??

 

[FlameHead]

Really awesome find Retro. I'd love to pick up a copy of that as I've been dabbling in a little screenwritting myself... and having MSJ's words of wisdom (w/ any talk of Ghost Rider at all) would be just a bonus!

 

[Retroman]

No problem Flamehead.
Wicked Cool Stuff are using the movie to sell some their GR products.

Ghost Rider Chain Reaction Charcoal Gray T-Shirt (ADULT)
Price: $19.95

Cruising through the night on his motorcycle, there's nothing scarier than the flaming skull of the Ghost Rider!

A cool tribal image of the Marvel Comics legend on a gray t-shirt.

Look for the Ghost Rider movie starring Nicholas Cage in 2006!

Source: http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/ghrichrechgr.html

 

[Retroman]

From Playthings.com:

Buzz Report: Mass Market Wrap-up
By Staff
Playthings -- 10/28/2005 2:13:00 PM

As for the rest of the toy biz…the mass market show was deemed a huge success with plenty of action; as in lights…camera…action figures! If the action figures of 2005 were impressive, Hollywood, comics and unique cars (think, urban graffiti and robots) are taking it a step further in 2006.

The Ghost Rider, based on the motorcycle rider Marvel character, goes to film in July, and Toy Biz will extend the line to feature Ghost Rider figures of all scales.

Source: http://www.playthings.com/article/CA6279270.html

 

[FlameHead]

Great finds again Retro. Always, you will be da man.

I found something as well. It's from gamer graffics and is just skins for the game consols. They have 2 ghost rider related ones that I thought you'd all be interested in.

The link is here; http://www.gamergraffix.com/ and the products are listed under 'Store'

 

[Retroman]

UPDATE
Two new articles at Toy Directory.com have news on the GR merchandise. Obviously the 2006 date is before Sony changed it to 2007.

Link: http://www.toydirectory.com/monthly/article.asp?id=1558
http://www.toydirectory.com/monthly/article.asp?id=1734

 

[str8raz0r]

Great finds again Retro. Always, you will be da man.

I found something as well. It's from gamer graffics and is just skins for the game consols. They have 2 ghost rider related ones that I thought you'd all be interested in.

The link is here; http://www.gamergraffix.com/ and the products are listed under 'Store'

The second one doesn't seem like it's 100% GR-inspired.

After all, flaming skulls=bad-arse!

If I had an Xbox, the Marvel skin is pretty tight, as is the above, and the "Drifter" skin looks familiar? Is that Simon Bisley art from Melting Pot?

Oh, and "Necrosis" is totally frigging metal.

One can hope some third-party manufacturers will make some nice stuff for the 360. A nice GR faceplate could make a 360 that much cooler.

 

[Uncanny Orb]

Looks like we could be getting some die cast toys.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060131005384&newsLang=en

 

[craigaat]

I can't really remember but I think there's going to be a Mephisto in the new series of Marvel Legends. Sorry if this has been posted before.

I'm wrong, it's Blackheart, Marvel Legends Series 13.

 

[FlameHead]

Yay for toys and figures!!!

Lookin' forward to that BlackHeart ML series fig. Should be awesome!