When will toys tieing in to The Muppets be released?

[Frogpuppeteer]

i dont really see that being the issue either or there even being and issue..just Toy distribution has gotten really limited these past few years, you rarely see any plushes, so right there knocks out half the stores on the market

 

[beaker]

Yeah what the heck is going on??? Does anyone know any news? I was at a brand new Disneystore, they had NO Muppet stuff whatsoever and had no idea if any was coming in. What the heck Disney? You FLOOD the market with endless toy story garbage, but not a SINGLE thing for the Muppets with just a few weeks to go? Seriously?

I hope this doesnt end up being like Up, or worse...like Emperor's New Groove, where they hardly release anything, and the only cool stuff is hawked by scalpers on ebay for high dollar. Forget that.

 

[Drtooth]

I do not know what the heck happened, seriously. It used to be that movie toys werea a month or two... sometimes even three months before a movie comes out. They did that with Thor and Captain America. But Real Steal and Smurfs came out just as these movies hit theaters. And Smurfs stuff, shock and amazement, actually sold .

I think it's an idiotic retail thing. Maybe because for every Captain America and Thor, there's all these Planet 51/Terminator Salvation bomb toys off bomb movies, and I'm guessing if stores don't see these things as instant block busters, they refuse to order anything until the movie comes out.

 

[tomahawk]

It is a bit strange. I check the Disney store here and besides the series 2 Vinylmation and the kids Animal PJ's... Nothing. On the upside, the Muppet Vinylmations seem to sell much quicker than the others. But just this week they had a pretty big "celebration" for the Cars 2 DVD release and one of the booths were giving out movie posters and I asked if she had any Muppet ones. She said we normally have ones of movies that are going to be released soon. I laughed and said that the Muppet movie comes out Thanksgiving weekend. The best part of that (or not) she worked for Disney Radio and didn't seem to have a clue about the movie.

 

[Frogpuppeteer]

Radio Personality (People who work there) no nothing outside of what they are told to say and most of the time hate the music they work for. and really if they have something to give away by coming soon could literally mean 2 days from the time he or she says that.
especially when its a live event, unless a new piece of info is given to them on the spot they wont know.
like many have said i dont see any new, major muppet stuff till the movie is acutally out and Disney stores will probably be the main outlet for them,with a few at newbury comics depending what kind of merch we will get.

 

[frogboy4]

Novelizations, sticker books, character puppets, keychains, tee shirts, Vinylmations, Whatnot puppets and a compilation album released several before the movie hits theaters aren't exactly nothing. There's more to come, but it will be a trickle rather than a downpour. That's the smart way to do it, unfortunately. We don't want the Muppets to suffer the same negative retail experience as other properties. Let's hope for more to come at release and the downpour to come when the DVD is launched next spring.

 

[Drtooth]

Like I always say, a bean bag of Kermit and Animal would have been a nice hint at things to come. They needn't completely blanket the store with merchandise, but a small preview before the movie would do a world of difference. Though, to be fair, the last time I went, they actually advertised the movie in stores, even though the only Muppet thing they carried was Vynalmation.

 

[robodog]

Frankly if I'm going to be bombarded by movie merchandise every time I enter the toy aisle I'd much rather it be Kermit than Cars. I love Kermit. Cars is the only Pixar movie I fell asleep halfway through.

 

[rowlfy662]

very true i really hope not just toys i hoping disney will release season 4 and most importantly to a new film a video game when was the last game 2002 i think its time for a new one but for toys i smiled when i just disney store uk and they had sone plush not good ones but still plush

 

[beaker]

Novelizations, sticker books, character puppets, keychains, tee shirts, Vinylmations, Whatnot puppets and a compilation album released several before the movie hits theaters aren't exactly nothing. There's more to come, but it will be a trickle rather than a downpour. That's the smart way to do it, unfortunately. We don't want the Muppets to suffer the same negative retail experience as other properties. Let's hope for more to come at release and the downpour to come when the DVD is launched next spring.

Have to disagree with you there. That is nothing in my book. This is a Disney tentpoll film, it deserves to have the deluge of merch we come to expect: plushes, toys, you name it. It's like oh boy, a few cheap keychains at walmart, vinylmations which have already been out, and some kids books...I will be extremely disappointed in Disney if they don't release a good portion of Muppet merchandise in time for the film. They pulled this crap with Up and other good quality films.

Having to wait for the dvd release to get a few measely items? No thanks. I hope Disney has not dropped the ball on this one. People WANT this merchandise. They WANTED Up merchandise. Thats why it goes for high dollar on ebay. I personally could give a croc about Toy Story 3, Cars, Wall E or princess merch