I've noticed merchandise for all movies now come out just as the movie comes out. I don't like that at all. Even a couple years ago when the new TMNT movie came out, the TMNT movie action figures were on store shelves over a month and a half before then. And they sold solidly.
But now, movie merch (with certain exceptions) comes out just after the film. That Real Steal movie has toys that just popped up. Even the Smurfs movie toys didn't show up until the movie did. The merchandise can be its own best advertising, though I guess this is all because of the movie merchandise that doesn't sell. Like Tron 2.0 and (worst of all) Terminator Salvation... that came full circle. Now they're FINALLY getting dumped to dollar stores... and STILL no one wants them.