Hasbro and Mattel announce a cross-brand licensing deal, starting with Transformers-themed UNO and Transformers Hot Wheels cars. The same week, Hasbro is expected to post a first-quarter loss. An insider claims Rise of the Beasts has gone through close to a dozen editing teams, and Lorenzo di Bonaventura talks up the animated origin movie. HasLab Deathsaurus gets first-draft box art, and Toxitron’s box art is so good the crew jokes about keeping the box and throwing out the toy. Chris scores Shattered Glass Slicer and a complete Warrior Bisk for $45.
News
Hasbro and Mattel Team Up for Cross-Brand Licensing
The deal starts with Transformers-themed UNO and Transformers Hot Wheels cars. One host notes the TakaraTomy and Bandai crossover in Japan mostly produced small die-cast cars. Another thinks this one is more balanced, a board game for a board game and cars likely matched by Hasbro products later. The crew dreams of a Masters of the Universe crossover, like a transforming Castle Grayskull. They agree licensing is where the money is. [Source: The Toy Book]
Hasbro Expected to Post a First-Quarter Loss
Analysts expect a loss of one cent per share on $877 million in revenue, after a profit a year ago. One host thinks the timing with the Mattel deal is coincidence. Hasbro hopes Dungeons and Dragons merchandise turns things around, though the movie has made about $180 million globally. [Source: Barron’s]
Insider Claims Rise of the Beasts Is a Mess
The report says close to a dozen editing teams have argued over different cuts about a month before release. One host contrasts it with The Last Knight, which was stitched together from many script treatments. One host predicts a delay to Christmas, and an Australian date shift hints things are still in play. Another will wait for streaming, while Brian notes the crew always reviews the movies. [Source: ComicBookMovie]
Di Bonaventura calls the animated film the origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron. One host says he uses a lot of words but says little, including a claim that Optimus finally gets a character arc in movie seven. The new 10-second Rise of the Beasts teaser is just a pan across the robots, with the full trailer due the next day. [Source: Collider]
HasLab Deathsaurus Update: First-Draft Box Art
The Guido Guidi art is fine, but there is little news, and Hasbro is not ready to show tooling. The crew guesses an early 2024 arrival. John DeLuna writes in Discord that he hopes Hasbro is panicking about QC after Star Saber. The crew’s Star Sabers turned out fine. One host says Deathsaurus still will not compare well to the G1 toy. [Source: Hasbro Pulse]
Everyone loves the art. One host says he will throw out the box anyway, which gives the episode its title: keep the box, throw out the toy. [Source: Facebook]
Shattered Glass Hot Rod Listed by a Reliable Leak Source
The overseas storefront that leaked Magnificus and Crasher lists a Shattered Glass Hot Rod with a Rodimus Unicronus placeholder image. JT Prime does not expect the e-Hobby deco. [Source: not found]
Next Movie Masterpiece to Be Bonecrusher?
Target’s system lists it at about $165, and Hypershot thinks it is already leaving the factory. Some of the crew have no desire for Movie Masterpieces, and one jokes the only one he wants is a one-to-one Wheelie. [Source: TFW2005 boards]
Official Transformers Restaurant The Ark Opens in Hong Kong
The crew loves the Energon-style boxes and space decor and wishes there were one in the US. [Source: TFW2005]
Threezero DLX Rise of the Beasts Arcee
Don, the internet’s number one Arcee fan, likes the Bumblebee-movie design but will pass for now. He plans to get Threezero’s Rodimus instead. One host predicts Don will have this Arcee by Christmas. [Source: Threezero]
What We Got This Week
Matt
Matt got nothing this week.
Don
Don got APC Toys’ third-party Transformers: Prime Cliffjumper and Magic Square’s high-gloss metallic Optimus Prime, paid for with compensation from a DX9 issue. He also got a movie Thundercracker from Walmart in a small, crushed Jiffy bag. Through the Amazon link he picked up EarthSpark Thrash, which was briefly listed as Steve. He also grabbed a Road Rage two-pack on clearance for $25.
Rob
Rob’s pickups this week were not Transformers.
Diecast
Shopping in Texas, Diecast found Core Class Exo-Suit Spike after his Amazon one arrived broken. He also got Legacy Burn Out and Blurr for $9 each on clearance, and Legacy Wolfang for $19, whose firing gimmick is weak.
Chris
At a Georgia antique mall, Chris found Shattered Glass Slicer new in box for $35 and a complete Robots in Disguise Warrior Bisk on an open card for $10. At McKay’s he got Velvetron for $7.
Brian
Brian regretted selling his sealed Kiss Players Autoroller and bought an opened one for half what he sold his for. He also got the Transformers Universe Devastator, the KB Toys release of the Six Builder repaint.