This is completely a rumor, and as always, consider the source. But Shocker Toys just posted on their Facebook page that Mattel got the rights to Back to the Future.
BTTF Classics? Is it even possible? If they really did get the license, I would expect the same 6″, 12″ and Mego treatment Ghostbusters got.
Anyway, thanks to Novelty of Toy a Day for pointing this out to me.
UPDATE 1: Word from a reliable source is that this came from a Universal Studios press release, and that while it does say Mattel got the toy rights, that doesn’t mean we’re necessarily getting action figures. Trying to find the press release now; if anyone has it and wants to forward it to poe AT poeghostal.com, credited or anonymously, I’d be mighty grateful.
UPDATE 2: More or less confirmed here.
Barbecue17
So how many Marty McFly repaints can Mattel make and keep this going? We'll find out.
Nik
It could just be for hotwheels. I mean, how many Marty McFly repaints could they do to make the buck worth it? RGB got the mego shaft because there is no reuse potential.
PrfktTear
Interesting… BTTF seems to be enjoying a nice little resurgence with the 25th Anniversary and the blu-ray release. There is definitely potential for multiples of each character.
Put me name down for Marty & Doc Brown. Maybe a Biff too!
But I think the most important question is, if they do make BTTF figures, will they make a DeLorean?
Waldo
Great Scott, this is heavy! (if true of course)
Kevin
I can't see how they'd get much out of this line.
I tried listing who they would do and couldnt' come up with more than a years worth of monthly figures.
Poe
@Nik: It specifically says action figures, at least in the article I linked to in the second update.
Mysterious Stranger
Old Man Biff from BTTF2 could pave the way for finally getting an Old Man Bruce from Batman Beyond in DCUC.
Mak
At fist I wasn't to interested in this….but a Marty Mc Fly would be very handy for a Teenwolf custom.
They should have got the rights for Teenwolf toys.
nerdbot
I love the BTTF movies.
And I love action figures.
But my excitement level at the thought of getting BTTF action figures is… well, pretty much non-existent.
I might be interested in a Delorean. But then again, there have already been some rather nice Delorean models released that I haven't yet picked up; so I don't know how Mattel might lure me in. But it might happen.
Dead Man Walking
Cool movies, but zero interest in a toyline from my end.
Newt
I'd be all over a toy line… But I'm not sure I can do another $30 per figure deal.
Plus the whole having the buy slimed Doc and unslimed Marty and Courtroom Biff just to get all the parts I'd need. Boggles the mind.
PrfktTear
I'm calling it now… Manure covered Biff.
Nathan
I'll have to agree with a few of the posters here. I like BTTF as much as the next guy, but I can't see me buying any action figures based on the property. BTTF just doesn't seem conducive to the action figure concept.
It just seems like any old 80's property is getting the action figure treatment these days. What's next, Ferris Bueller's Day Off? Maybe Cameron would be a pack-in with his dad's Ferrari. 😉
Mysterious Stranger
Now that I think about it I think I really want a Biff action figure. A friend of mine's dad is good friends with the actor that played Biff so odds are good I could get it signed if I played my cards right.
Kyle
I'll have to file this under not interested. The minimates are fine by me.
Monkey boy
Not interested if mattel is involved. If NECA ever made a doc brown and Marty I'd probably drop some dollars on them, but hearing the word Mattel is officially all it takes to keep me away from a toyline these days.
Bill
I'm not even sure this is a line I'd want. If I was, though, I'm with Monkey Boy: I'd rather have a smaller company that actually cares about something other than the bottom line handling the series.
Ben
I think the key is how Mattel handles the license. There are a TON of people who would LOVE to have Marty in his jacket, Doc Brown, and a DeLorean…and that's it. I'm sure there will be people who would love to have variations and round out a shelf, because there's been a HUGE lack of BTTF merchandise over the years (it would be really cool to get Future Biff and his goons on the hoverboards, as that would make a great shelf diorama), but it might not be enough to justify doing a monthly figure or whatnot. Hey, who knows? Maybe they'll go the retail brick-and-mortar route this time!
misterbigbo
Off the top of my head i can think of at least 8 Marty variants, 5 Biffs, 4 Lorraines, 5 Docs, and you know some rabid BTTF toy fan base (which doesn't currently exist) will DEMAND a Jennifer variant with two heads. MOTUC math tells me Matty's planned this line through the 30th anniversary. I'm with kyle and will stick with minimates.
toyman2581
Oh I'm so in for this. Whatever Mattel can throw out, varations and all. Speaking of which, Mattel loves their variants so much, this would be the perfect line for them to do since that would really be all it is. Three main characters with a ton of variants.
Marty: Red vest, white shirt & suspenders, Radiation suit, 50's clothes, Enchantment Under The Sea outfit, 2015 clothes(Marty jr alternate goofy expression head), 50's leather disguise, lame 50's pink cowboy, old west outfit, Marty's daughter, Seamus McFly.
Doc: Radiation suit, 50's doc, 2015 clothes, old west doc, BTTF 3 final scene/western suit.
Biff: adult Biff in '85, young 50's Biff, Enchantment Under The Sea Biff, 2015 Old Biff, Griff, Alternate 1985 Biff, Mad Dog Tannen.
Look at all that! Then you've got George McFly old, George young in 50's, 2015 George, Jennifer (2 different heads), old 2015 Jennifer, 50's Lorraine, Enchantment Under The Sea Lorraine, Maggie McFly, Clara Clayton, Strickland, old west Marshall Strickland, Biff's gang in 50's, in Alternate 1985, Griff's gang, Mad Dog's gang, 3 different DeLoreans, 1885 CLOCK TOWER FESTIVAL BOX SET WITH OLD WEST STYLE ZZ TOP!
Ok, I got a little carried away, but you get the idea. Like I said, sign me up.
Snarf! Snarf!
There is only one BTTF Thing that I want from Mattel…
Barbie Hoverboard!
FakeEyes22
Doc's body? Repainted Ghostbuster!
Or not. I agree with everyone here though.
I'll have to see the likenesses. I think the Ghostbusters look enough like the guys, but I'd prefer a less toyish NECA approach for any live action line. Plus, the real star is the car. Would logistics permit an action figure scaled DeLorean?
As far as Hot Wheels, I've got a really great Johnny Lightning version already. Strangely enough, Hot Wheels recently introduced a regular non BTTF DeLorean. This means that unlike the recent models, Mattel's version would probably be allowed minor details, like the grill logo.
You know what though? Having a Marty on a pink hoverboard with a clear stand would make me smile every time I looked at it.
A figure of Griff's sidekick who later played Bruce Lee or a video game criticizing Elijah Wood…not so much.
Mysterious Stranger
@Snarf! Snarf!: Oh hell yeah! Though I don't know if that would be covered under their license. Unless the call it a "vehicle". Nothing in there that says it can't be life-size.
Nicholai
I'm a huge fan of BttF so if these aren't bad I'd be in for everything including variants. This would be one line where I wouldn't mind variants. The minimates were nice but I didn't get them when they hit (didn't even know about them) and now I can never find them.
I'm going to the 25th anniversary showing next Monday. So excited!
finkrod
Couldn't be more meh if I tried. I'm with Nathan, just because a movie has some nostalgia attached to it don't mean it needs toys. I'm probably a bigger Christpher Lloyd fan than your average citizan, but I aint gonna lay down cash for a figure of him. Not even a John Bigbooty.
ero
@toyman2581: Don't forget The Libyans!!!
Dlia
Justin Bieber as McFly? Please god no!
Makes sense since its a movie property. They center on those lines first before remaking any vintage ones. Captain Power Classics would be great. You can dream but not "talk about it in public since Scott could get fired."
Novelty
I wonder if the DeLorean (both versions?) and playsets will make it into the line…
toyman2581
@ero:
Who do you think?! The Libyans!
HOLY SH*T!!
Andrew Davis
Man, this sucks. As someone who thinks the Ghostbusters line looks absolutely awful, the thought of this makes me sad.
jackstatic
Theres lots of potential, but I'm near positive the line will be plagued by repaint after repaint and handled similar to the Ghostbusters line, which was a big letdown for me, I bought SDCC Egon, Ray, and Winston, and just grew tired of the wait between figures, and lack of accessories, a pile of books?! really!? every gb shoulda came with a proton stream and a trap AT MINIMUM. I wanted to like the GB line, i really did, but I had enough, and Im pretty sure BTTF will wind up the same way. But I still want an Old Man Tannen, and the gang member who was played by Billy Zane and of course a DeLorean. Theres potential, but I don't think Mattel will Logistically be able to find it
Heli
@Monkey boy: "Not interested if mattel is involved." Word, my brutha.
Makes me even sadder that I've never been able to track down the Minimates. Maybe Mattel will make such totally awesome stuff that everybody will sell off their Minimates collections for cheap. Yeah, I don't buy that either.
MldMnrdReporter
I unfortunately see all the problems Mattel has had with loose joints in other lines developing into some sort of sick Parkinson's joke with BttF toys.
RocketPunch
In the Matty Q&A section Toyguru said that the earliest we can expect to see BttF stuff is 2012.
henry gomez
This is greater news than the ghostbusters line.. I would love these figures, they could do 1 a month or 1 every 2 mnths on matty. I ge them, no question!!!
Also, does anyone know why they stopped doing the gb packaging that was able to open and shut.. I thought that was a great thing!!