PLAYMATES Mutant Mayhem/Tales of the TMNT/etc.

It also depends on when each license was previously renewed. Playmates could have been coming up on their renewal date, and they couldn't reach an agreement.

Whereas NECA could have JUST renewed before the merger and still have a guaranteed 3 years for all we know.

Not tied to the master, in this scenario.

It's the not knowing that's driving many of us nuts. I'm digging and trying to find answers.

I think most contracts in this case are dependent upon what the portfolios of said companies look like for a 5 year outlook. Do they have enough production planned as well as existing prototypes to guarantee that Viacom’s and Paramount Global’s respective investors will be satisfied with Neca’s progress vs Playmates? If playmates had nothing to show or nothing to offer, perhaps that is why they were bumped off in exchange for a company that has a better track record of really producing toys at a rate that are based entirely on their parent companies metrics. Also who has a higher ROI of the companies that were competing against Neca?


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SalemCrow said:

Just because PLAYMATES is losing the license at the end of 2026, it doesn't mean EVERYONE is.

We don't know when any of these other agreements run out, but as they come up, we're sure to find out HOW this whole situation is going to shake out.

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My interpretation from another general business article was that everything would get recalled due to the master license so they could reassess and reshop.

At the time it made sense to me since there were a billion companies making Ninja turtle products even domestically. Maybe they want to focus.

I don't know. Like Mattel with DC it's all hypothetical and I don't like theory crafting because then it devolves into wish listing. However, I do like to know details like this.

altcunningham said:

My interpretation from another general business article was that everything would get recalled due to the master license so they could reassess and reshop.

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Basically, yeah. I mentioned this in a previous post; most sub-licenses are tied to a master license within the contract. So you have 5 years with the caveat of 'unless the master license changes.' For instance, Mondo could lose the MOTU license early if Mattel sold MOTU to someone else.
IF Playmates holds a master license and those other licenses are tied to it, they could be voided by a change in the master license. However, if Viacom has the master and Playmates is already sub-divided down, then them losing their license might mean nothing for anyone else beyond a different complexity of competition from the new license-holder, depending on what the license actually is and what the new holder wants to do with it.

For instance, Playmates was obviously able to make fully articulated collector-oriented figures at retail. IF Hasbro takes over the license and decides to expand that idea into basically Marvel Legends TMNT (just as an example), then NECA and Super7 are doomed.

Guess we really don't know how the various licensees like NECA were handled. When they got the TMNT license, was Playmates part of the contract? Or did Viacom just get Playmates approval to grant NECA their own, more specific license (ie 7" figures).

When I texted my friend (who has worked with toy companies via a studio) about the potential of Hasbro or Mattel getting the TMNT license, he said it could go any entirely different route. And somebody like Moosetoys or MGA getting the license. Something out of left field. Guess it really depends on who's willing to pony up the most money. Who knows that the new owners of the license will want out a licensee. If they start consolidating the license, we may be in for some dark days. Granted there's been so much TMNT product over the last few years, maybe a break wouldn't be bad. How much more cartoon stuff is feasible from NECA at this point? Other than more 2012 and maybe 2003 down the road?

Ashtalon said:

When I texted my friend (who has worked with toy companies via a studio) about the potential of Hasbro or Mattel getting the TMNT license, he said it could go any entirely different route. And somebody like Moosetoys or MGA getting the license. Something out of left field. Guess it really depends on who's willing to pony up the most money. Who knows that the new owners of the license will want out a licensee. If they start consolidating the license, we may be in for some dark days. Granted there's been so much TMNT product over the last few years, maybe a break wouldn't be bad. How much more cartoon stuff is feasible from NECA at this point? Other than more 2012 and maybe 2003 down the road?

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Oh yeah. The biggest hold up for anyone would be the cost. I don't imagine a TMNT master license (or something approximating a master license) will come cheap. Certainly, the big two can outbid anyone. So it's just a numbers game on whether they want the license or not, and what they think they can make from it. Someone like Hasbro or Mattel might look at their current portfolio and decide spending a bunch of money for another license when they already have powerhouse licenses AND their own massive in-house properties just doesn't make sense even if it could make them money.
Whereas someone like Jada Toys might love to have the license, but literally cannot afford it.
So it's going to be interesting to see what combination of factors wins out. Did Hasbro snap it up because they want another brand that they can split between collectors and kids? Did someone like Spinmaster break the bank because they NEED something big to put them on firmer ground against the bigger guys? It's gonna be interesting, good or bad.

Hasbro has made licensing out their own products more of a priority recently so I’m skeptical that they would put forth the money for TMNT. Mattel seems more likely, but they’re relaunching DC - do they want to spend the money to get two new lines off the ground? The mere fact we haven’t heard anything yet suggests the news they won’t continue with Playmates may be more about attracting bids than a sign something is imminent.

I’ll just be bummed if NECA loses their license. They’re making deep cuts that any other company is unlikely to make. I also want the kitchen and Molecular Krang!


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Speaking of Playmates: Target just canceled my set of the Chrome Alone 2 figures from the holiday short. I ordered them as soon as they were posted and approved a half dozen delays, including today, so very frustrating.


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So, I'm getting some rumblings, nothing confirmed, but this may have been a Playmates greed thing, and NECA *should* be safe. Take it with the tiniest grain of salt. I'm trying to get concrete information, but not a lot of loose lips willing to sink ships on this one.

gpmartin414 said:

Speaking of Playmates: Target just canceled my set of the Chrome Alone 2 figures from the holiday short. I ordered them as soon as they were posted and approved a half dozen delays, including today, so very frustrating.


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I did the same. I've been able to find Raph and Mikey in-store (they never showed as in-stock either, I even checked before I hit the register), but have been unable to find Leo and Donnie. It's unfortunate because these are some of the best things Playmates has done in a while. Mike and Raph are fun in their winter attire and the bootleg tortoises are a riot. I haven't been able to bring myself to open them because the packaging is so good and part of the experience. I worry they're super limited because of the tie-in with the short film and the holidays, but I want those other two.

RicksNerdLife said:

So, I'm getting some rumblings, nothing confirmed, but this may have been a Playmates greed thing, and NECA *should* be safe. Take it with the tiniest grain of salt. I'm trying to get concrete information, but not a lot of loose lips willing to sink ships on this one.

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I obviously have no sources, but that would be pretty wild. I can definitely see Playmates trying to exert more control over the license given how TMNT is seemingly available to everyone - why pay the big bucks for a "master" license with very little in the way of exclusivity? On the other hand, they seem to have the most to lose given the percentages they themselves admit TMNT makes up when it comes to their overall revenue. Maybe they were expecting a counter proposal and Skydance told them to piss off? If Playmates essentially walked away then that's a bold move on their part.

Misfit said:

I did the same. I've been able to find Raph and Mikey in-store (they never showed as in-stock either, I even checked before I hit the register), but have been unable to find Leo and Donnie. It's unfortunate because these are some of the best things Playmates has done in a while. Mike and Raph are fun in their winter attire and the bootleg tortoises are a riot. I haven't been able to bring myself to open them because the packaging is so good and part of the experience. I worry they're super limited because of the tie-in with the short film and the holidays, but I want those other two.

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Yeah, I think the whole concept is so fun. I want the brothers in their winter clothes for a holiday display and will likely keep the knock-off figures in their package. The price for the set is very high on eBay and I haven’t seen a single one in my local Target.


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gpmartin414 said:

Yeah, I think the whole concept is so fun. I want the brothers in their winter clothes for a holiday display and will likely keep the knock-off figures in their package. The price for the set is very high on eBay and I haven’t seen a single one in my local Target.


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Stores were also inconsistent with how they put the product out. I found the two I have in the regular toy aisle, but saw tags for these sets in the Christmas section at other stores. I suppose with the holidays done any additional stock will just go to toys now. Hopefully they're still shipping.

Has the Mutant Mayhem stuff in general gotten good distribution?


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