Palisades Mega Muppet line debuts this Winter

[ResidentLilly]

In the photo it is a blown up regular Beaker. I don't have the large scale prototype in the office yet. I have seen it and approved it, and it looks the same, with the exception of the fact that the details were sharpened and the hip joints were added.

I expect these to be fairly limited because of their large scale nature, and that's what we planned for and wanted. I don't expect the same people who bought the smalls to buy the large, and if it doesn't turn you on that's cool with me, because the intent is a diverse and interesting line of product, of which you can pick and choose what gets you fired up or not. Bottom line is that it and always has been your choice to open your wallet and keep it closed. There are still more Muppets products from us yet to be announced, this was one of three announcements we will be making in the next month about new Muppets stuff.

As far as the Mega Muppets, a glut of 'em isn't what we are going for. We'll take some of the more signature characters and blow them up. Some will have enhancements, some will not. Plan is basically to do three or four per year for the length of our contract on the line. You will see characters like Chef or Kermit or Fozzie, you probably will NOT see characters like Lew or Harry or Zoot.

Jamie mentioned rooted hair. We've been discussing this. We actually have two prototypes in development on this figure. One has rooted hair, one does not. It will be The Piggy Situation all over again, as we try to make it work and look good and have the PVC version as a back up. Some future figures have been discussed and we can do some things in the large scale that was not possible in the small. Bendy legs in Kermit, for example, rooted hair on Piggy in that scale should work, stuff like that.

So we'll see how it goes and see where we can tweak and enhance without deviating too much from the approved sculpture.

 

[Phillip]

Found something kind of ironic given this discussion...

Cindy and I went to our local Toys R Us tonight and ALL of the Kermit and Piggy figures were gone. There were 2 Bunsen's, 2 Dr. Teeth's, and 2 playsets. That's all that was left. They had at least two cases that we know of, maybe more.

 

[ResidentLilly]

That is ironic, and I have seen that at some local stores. None of the big guns and all the more obscure characters. And at others all I find are Piggy and Kermits...weird. You just never can tell what region will buy what.

I predict that the Mega Beaker will sell slow in one store and get sold out in a day at another...the way this market is.

 

[uncleduke]

Ken,
It sounds like some of the candidates for upsizing are the same figures that are packed with the Playsets (Beaker, Swedish Chef).
Any hopes for Animal?
I am sure this is a coincedence, but it may also be a good strategy. Just think if this announcement had come out at the time of the Vets Hospital release, with a 12" Janice, this would have been a completely different thread!!


The only thing I don't like about them is you are doing everyone's favorite but mine, the kid likes Fozzie and the wife likes Beaker... actually you go out of your way to comment mine will NOT be made, so I guess my apology was not acceptable!!
Jus' kidding, Harry would not be feasible, I am plesantly surprised he is even a 5" figure.

 

[frogboy4]

ken

I predict that TRU shoppers are not used to Miuppet Show toys as they are mainly an Elmo - Sesame Street market. That's likely why the Kermits and Piggys sell better there. You guys may consider short packing the other characters for TRU only. I don't know how that works though.

 

[Struble]

Originally posted by Phillip Chapman
Found something kind of ironic given this discussion...

Cindy and I went to our local Toys R Us tonight and ALL of the Kermit and Piggy figures were gone. There were 2 Bunsen's, 2 Dr. Teeth's, and 2 playsets. That's all that was left. They had at least two cases that we know of, maybe more.

Yup. When I went they told me they had none, then I kept searching and found 'em. Didn't buy 'em, yet, 'cause I'm saving my money for the Con in San Diego. Sad that no one has picked up any of 'em since I was in -- of course it was only the day before.

Sh. is really weirded that there is another person living in Amarillo who posts here. The world is TEENSY TINY. Like microscopic. Yup. Amoebas are bigger than the world. Oh wait, this was supposed to be my closing line. Um. Yeah. Bye.

 

[Luke]

I think it's exciting to hear about these other Muppet products that Palisades are going to announcing - wonder what they can be ? I guess the action figure market is now well and truly accounted for. Can Palisades handle electric/microchip related stuff ? If so i had an idea or two myself. (aside from a battery operated penguin)

Ken is right in what he said - being a fairly small production run, and also being a specialist favorite of the hardcore figure collectors these are gonna sell through in that quantity anyway so it's money in the bank. The only worry I personally could imagine is if the Mega Muppets are stocked in general kids stores like TRU rather than comic stores and things - maybe there they would hang about on the shelves, even some of the larger Star Wars stuff did and is now going for pennies in our toy shops here.

I think Palisades know what they're doing, but i do hope they're extra careful not to exhaust this Muppet license. Being the best selling line in the company i know it's tempting but i don't want to see them going the way of the other licensee's who've milked their licenses. The market for the Muppets and Muppet Merchandise blows hot and cold at the best of times, and the fanbase is going to be pretty limited once the hardcore figure collectors move onto the next big thing. Of course though, if the TV show does well next year it could mean the enthusiasm is kept at a high rate and this level of merchandising could continue beyond the anniversary push so we'll see.

 

[BlueFrackle]

Guys,

Imagine a Mega Muppet Janice with Rooted Hair !
Or Floyd, Or Dr Teeth or Zoot !

i know these are probably all impossible, but i can dream...

 

[Luke]

Rooted hair is cool man ! I like that idea ! I think it would make the figures sufficently different to draw the fans in too.

By the way Warrick, you thinking of donating to the 'rooted hair' cause ? It would save em shaving all those dogs !

 

[Cindy]

RE: Our most recent TRU experience

One thing that Phillip forgot to mention was that while we were standing there checking out the Muppet figures scene in TRU, a young man beside us was commenting to his girlfriend just how "...cool these new Muppet figures were". He acted as if he had seen them somewhere before (on-line or in a magazine, perhaps). The girlfriend responded in a positive way and then they both agreed they would want Bunsen just to get the Robot Rabbit. Interesting...

Kudos to Palisades also for getting some really nice advertsing spreads in the popular toy collecting magazines this month. Don't remember which one it was but Animal and the playset was displayed right inside the front cover of one of them. Very nice!