Mattel finally revealed what’s going on with the Dark Knight Movie Masters line–and it’s a bit of a surprise. More after the jump.
I’ve got a hot update on Movie Masters™ The Dark Knight products…
You already know that initially the plan was to offer one new figure per month at MattyCollector.com. Thanks to you, loyal Dark Knight fans, sales have been so good that we’re feeling confident enough to increase production and also bring the line to Toys “R” Us in the spring.
The good news is that you’ll be able to walk into your local Toys “R” Us and find The Dark Knight figures. The even better news? You’ll still be able to get them at MattyCollector.com and because of the increased production numbers, we’ll be reducing the price to just $15 each!
Here’s how it’ll go down: The Joker as Gotham City Thug figure started out here on MattyCollector.com, and will continue to be a MattyCollector.com exclusive as long as we’ve got stock. The remaining six figures in the line will be available here first, one each month for the new price of $15 each. Then this spring they’ll all be available at Toys “R” Us except for The Joker as Gotham City Thug. At press time, here’s how the line is slated for sale here at MattyCollector.com (subject to change, as always):
* ON SALE NOW: The Joker as Gotham City Thug — a MattyCollector.com exclusive!
* December 15: Survival Suit Bruce Wayne
* January 15: Harvey Dent
* February 15: The Joker with Missile Launcher
* March 15: Scarecrow
* April 15: Batman (Night Vision)
* May 17: Two-FaceYou know I always try to tell you like it is. While this strategy won’t work for every Mattycollector.com line, when the second-highest grossing film of all time is behind a toy line, it gives us a unique opportunity to bump up production numbers and offer it at retail as well so even more fans can get the characters they want.
I’ll let you know as soon as we have expected on-shelf dates. We really appreciate everyone’s support for this great line!
So…wow. Maybe it’s just my local TRUs, but I’ve seen a lot of DKMM figures warming the pegs. So what happened here? I suppose this could be another part of TRU’s attempts to cater to the collector crowd. There’s little question that this announcement will hurt sales of DKMM on Mattycollector, but I completely understand why Mattel would go for the far larger orders of TRU over their own, much smaller production run.
The key question, of course, is whether this will affect the price of DKMM on Mattycollector.They can justify the $20 they’ve already charged for Bank Robber Joker by keeping it as a Mattycollector exclusive, but since they made that distinction, I’m wondering if this means they’ll knock the price of the remaining figures down to $15 or so. If not–if Mattycollector shoppers are still paying a minimum of $26 w/ shipping for a figure they’ll be able to get for almost half that in a few months–I’m sure Mattycollector will have seriously difficulty moving the remaining DKMM figures (and Bank Robber Joker ain’t doing that well as it is).
Question: was Survival Suit Bruce Wayne delayed while this deal was being worked out? If so, I think that points to a plan to lower the Mattycollector price point. If I’m wrong…then Mattycollector is going to have an awful lot of DKMM figures on sale for quite a while.
(Sorry folks. Was rushing to finish this post and obviously didn’t read the press release closely enough. Again, mea culpa.)
Poe
My apologies–I didn't read the press release close enough. Or at all, really. I was rushing to get these last few posts ready to go before I flew down to Florida for my grandfather's funeral. Which isn't really an excuse, but I think I might have noticed such a silly oversight if I'd had more time.
Emerald
Sales will still undoubtedly be dismal for Matty, as who in their right mind would pay $15 plus shipping when its obvious these will pegwarm at ToysRus for much less eventually. Like Poe hinted, the larger production is better in their mind, thinking they'll sell them at their already over-inflated price and not take a complete loss on R&D on what could have been a hugely successful line but was instead a disaster.
Schwoom!!! That's the sound of opportunity passing them by.
Mario!
Now that it won't be a Matty exclusive, I will actually get a Two-Face figure, so yay!
Mark
@Fender Strat: Exactly…also very cool name LOL, strats are hard to beat.
Fender Strat
I think MOTUC would work well at retail too if done with limited waves of just 3-4 figures to minimize any losses Mattel might be afraid of amassing. The key word is distribution. But retail and distribution don't seem to mix with Mattel ever since the 200X He-man line.
dayraven
@Heli: seriously, i read that and i pictured joe lo truglio playing the part of matty (dressed as he was in superbad)
The Flash III
It's a good thing Bat-fans will do anything and everything to get every figure that's put out. Hopefully we'll reach Bat-turation point soon, so stupid Batman figures aren't clogging the shelves–at least until the next movie.
Heli
But, Dayraven, Matty always tells it like it is. It's right there in the article.
PrfktTear
I've been saying all along these are about a year and a half late (now).
JediCreeper
eh.. I'm really not sure how I feel about all this… I agree with DR that this is just corporate shenanigans similar to telling an enemy he got stung by a jellyfish, it allows them to piss on us and have us thank them for it.
but I still want Two-Face and The new Joker (and Harvey Dent to be honest)
its still annoying, but then, I was pretty sure these would either never happen or be far too expensive to be worth it. as it stands now, its only a little too expensive.
Mark
Maybe one day they will say the same for MOTUC.
dayraven
um… does anyone else see what just happened here? matty released a movie based line of toys, but gaffed BADLY on production and distribution DURING the movies theatrical run.
so the line of 6 inch scale, well articulated figs, which sold for 12 dollars at retail, moved LIGHTNING fast for a month… and then stalled out and stopped selling.
mattel then releases the figs they intended to be out the whole time, but after an intial rush of sales, they stagnate and pegwarm. matty pulls the line from retail, and because dark knight fans want figs OTHER than the goon, joker, and two batmans that are now being clearanced at a buy one, get TWO free rate just to clear the pegs, matty pics the line up and moves it to mc.com. they jack the price up to 20 bucks a figs.
@ 20 dollars a fig, collectors are buying a line that they gripe about, cuz it was only 12 at retail, and it's on a dramatic sale at their local TRU… but they're buying anyways. we get what, two actual releases on mc.com?
and now, they "got such good numbers from those matty sales that they're moving the line back to retail" and ONLY at 15 dollars a figs… a three dollar price hike per fig on a line that literally two months ago could be had for 4.20 a figure.
and you folks wonder why some folks are skeptical of the crap matty feeds us, not just on one line, but on the whole, and why there's a major push in american consumerism to get away from corporate products and back to smaller personalized manufacturers… they just sold you a 3 dollar per fig price hike (and the dude above who commented that DCUC will likely go to 15 at the same time… that guy gets it!) AND they made it sound like they're doing you dark knight fans a FAVOR in doing so. that's some of the most egregious bullshit i've ever seen.
Kid Nicky
For Christ's sake,Poe,it says that right in the article.
At first I thought Joker's missle launcher was a cheesy action feature like the movie Joes,but I guess they mean that big bazooka thing from the car chase scene.
Nicholai
This gives me the clue that DCUC 11 will be $15 on mattycollector if that is the pricepoint of MM that are sold online and in stores. $15 isn't great, but is good enough that I'd pick up a DCUC every once in a while if I couldn't find one in the wild.
PrfktTear
Interesting… $15 at retail is a lot more appealing than $20 + s&h from MC. Is Bank Robber Joker now known as "The Joker with Missile Launcher"?
George
quote "MattyCollector.com and because of the increased production numbers, we’ll be reducing the price to just $15 each!"
and yea, I had though to myself that they should do this (lower the price) but didnt think they actually were going to do it. Ha serves them right. Anyways no Im wondering if i should just jump on and lay out 28 bucks for that bank robber joker.
Nick
Mr. Poe didn't read the matty press release, it says right in there they are lowering the price to $15.
Nightboomfer
Ok, actually kind of awesome. I need that Harvey Dent/Two Face. And that new Joker.
Wish they came with accesories instead of evidence baggies though.
I hope these sell well enough to get a Bruce Wayne later on.
One problem I can see is that I don't see the variant Batmen selling well at all.