Should HT Let Go of Some of its Dormant Licenses?

[nexus]

Now that HT has pretty much locked up the hottest licenses going (Star Wars, Marvel movies, DC Movies, to name a few) I think it's high time they started letting go of some of the licenses they seem to just be sitting on. Sure they are still producing figures from some of their 2nd-tier licenses like Terminator, Predator, RoboCop and Alien (Ripley). But others have gotten zilch. These days there are other companies capable of producing figures in the same league it's just a matter of getting the license. I would imagine that HT has to pay and renew licensing fees on a periodic basis. I'd also think that most licensors are expecting revenue beyond that fee, but maybe not.
I suppose there could be any number of factors as to why they are license squatting:
1. It could be that some of the licenses are multi-year agreements and haven't expired
2. Maybe HT doesn't have the interest or resources to produce
3. Maybe they're tying up the licenses as a defensive strategy to keep out the competition.

Here are the licenses I'd like to see go elsewhere
Rocky -- (need new figs with updated head sculpts and fight damaged portraits)
Avatar -- (HT was one and done. Would like to see Neytiri, Quaritch, Banshees, and a few others)
Aliens -- Sure Ripley has been shown, but what about new and improved Xenomorphs and Colonial Marines)
Blade -- (Blade, Bloodpack, Reaper with additional portrait)
Matrix -- (Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, Twins)
Michael Jackson --(Why not let someone else try to get Smooth Criminal done? Also a thriller Werewolf, Jackson 5 and one or two other looks)
X-Men--All HT does is Wolverine. XFC fizzled. Not sure if they have the other X-Men licenses but nothing is being produced
Terminator -- (I know that one won't go anywhere, but would like to see a new T-850 endo, and TX DX with disguise and endo)

Would be great to see these licenses get some attention again.

 

[darthviper107]

Re: Should HT Let Go of Some of it's Dormant Licenses?

If they aren't producing them anymore then they might not even have the license, those things have a deadline.

 

[Mickey Goldmill]

Re: Should HT Let Go of Some of it's Dormant Licenses?

More Rocky now!

 

[Jayrod88]

Re: Should HT Let Go of Some of it's Dormant Licenses?

Aliens and Colonial marines need a major overhaul. I'd really like 2.0's of everyone.

However, a license they own that I really wanted to go big was their Pirates of the Carribean.

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

Re: Should HT Let Go of Some of it's Dormant Licenses?

Although I still have faint hope.. I think the Prometheus train has long departed.

 

[SAB]

Re: Should HT Let Go of Some of it's Dormant Licenses?

Now that HT has pretty much locked up the hottest licenses going (Star Wars, Marvel movies, DC Movies, to name a few) I think it's high time they started letting go of some of the licenses they seem to just be sitting on. Sure they are still producing figures from some of their 2nd-tier licenses like Terminator, Predator, RoboCop and Alien (Ripley). But others have gotten zilch. These days there are other companies capable of producing figures in the same league it's just a matter of getting the license. I would imagine that HT has to pay and renew licensing fees on a periodic basis. I'd also think that most licensors are expecting revenue beyond that fee, but maybe not.
I suppose there could be any number of factors as to why they are license squatting:
1. It could be that some of the licenses are multi-year agreements and haven't expired
2. Maybe HT doesn't have the interest or resources to produce
3. Maybe they're tying up the licenses as a defensive strategy to keep out the competition.

Here are the licenses I'd like to see go elsewhere
Rocky -- (need new figs with updated head sculpts and fight damaged portraits)
Avatar -- (HT was one and done. Would like to see Neytiri, Quaritch, Banshees, and a few others)
Aliens -- Sure Ripley has been shown, but what about new and improved Xenomorphs and Colonial Marines)
Blade -- (Blade, Bloodpack, Reaper with additional portrait)
Matrix -- (Neo, Trinity, Morpheus, Twins)
Michael Jackson --(Why not let someone else try to get Smooth Criminal done? Also a thriller Werewolf, Jackson 5 and one or two other looks)
X-Men--All HT does is Wolverine. XFC fizzled. Not sure if they have the other X-Men licenses but nothing is being produced
Terminator -- (I know that one won't go anywhere, but would like to see a new T-850 endo, and TX DX with disguise and endo)

Would be great to see these licenses get some attention again.

But you're assuming they actually have the licenses....

We know for a fact that they no longer have the license to Michael Jackson .... Howard said they'd done the prototype and it sat with 'the family' (most likely meaning the estate) until their license expired.

Would they still have Blade and the Matrix? Maybe ....probably not I'd say though.
Would any other company think its worth the time/money/effort on a Wesley Snipes Blade at this point in time? I don't know...

Avatar is a license that is insanely hard to work with due to the character design. (I'm not sure there would be a big market for the human figures)
It may be available and other companies simply may not want it.

X-Men we know they definitely have the license to ...why they didn't release Young Charles (of which a great proto exists) and young Magneto, I think confuses us all. There is a big market and money t be made. (in my opinion anyway....)

...and I hardly call their Terminator line 'license squatting'

 

[Protozaius]

Re: Should HT Let Go of Some of it's Dormant Licenses?

Yeah, I'd like to see another take a stab at the 12" Planet of the Apes figure line if Hot Toys isn't going to do anymore. Their three gorillas sol great but just not the same numbers as they are now used to doing. Also I'd like to see someone else do a Hellboy line... one where the knees don't break and the pants don't crumble.

 

[nexus]

Re: Should HT Let Go of Some of it's Dormant Licenses?

But you're assuming they actually have the licenses....

We know for a fact that they no longer have the license to Michael Jackson .... Howard said they'd done the prototype and it sat with 'the family' (most likely meaning the estate) until their license expired.

Would they still have Blade and the Matrix? Maybe ....probably not I'd say though.
Would any other company think its worth the time/money/effort on a Wesley Snipes Blade at this point in time? I don't know...

Avatar is a license that is insanely hard to work with due to the character design. (I'm not sure there would be a big market for the human figures)
It may be available and other companies simply may not want it.

X-Men we know they definitely have the license to ...why they didn't release Young Charles (of which a great proto exists) and young Magneto, I think confuses us all. There is a big market and money t be made. (in my opinion anyway....)

...and I hardly call their Terminator line 'license squatting'

My guess is they still have most if not all of the licenses listed. In and of themselves any of those licenses would certainly be a valuable way for a smaller company to get on the map and/or expand their market share (provided they can afford the fees) because these franchises have strong a fan base among the figure-buying demographic. HT also still mentions several of these properties on their website.

If there are licenses that have indeed expired and are in play, such as Michael Jackson (although who knows if that's actually true) it would be interesting to see if another company would jump in--Blitzway, DAM Toys, ACI, Asmus are four that come immediately to mind. Not to mention Enterbay. I would be very surprised if licenses like The Matrix, Blade and Rocky are just floating around there untapped.

Regarding properties like Avatar, just because the figures are complex it doesn't mean another company wouldn't gladly take a swipe at it. I'd guess HT is tying that one up and may be waiting for the next movies to get rolling.

I didn't say they were squatting on Terminator, because clearly they aren't as evidenced by my own recent orders and preorders. I just said I'd like to see them do a new Endo and a TX DX, preferably before the reboot/sequel comes along.

Similarly, I think Aliens can still be a big money-maker for HT. In addition to the previewed figures (which are hopefully still coming) I'd hoped Prometheus would jumpstart a new wave of Alien/Aliens figures. But thus far it's only Ripley, which is nothing to sneeze at. But it would be great to see Aliens get the same treatment as Predator--Queen, new and improved Xenos and Colonial Marines. And again if HT can't do them I'll bet there are at least 4 or 5 companies who would be chomping at the bit to take on the franchise.

 

[SAB]

Re: Should HT Let Go of Some of it's Dormant Licenses?

My guess is they still have most if not all of the licenses listed. In and of themselves any of those licenses would certainly be a valuable way for a smaller company to get on the map and/or expand their market share (provided they can afford the fees) because these franchises have strong a fan base among the figure-buying demographic. HT also still mentions several of these properties on their website.

If there are licenses that have indeed expired and are in play, such as Michael Jackson (although who knows if that's actually true) it would be interesting to see if another company would jump in--Blitzway, DAM Toys, ACI, Asmus are four that come immediately to mind. Not to mention Enterbay. I would be very surprised if licenses like The Matrix, Blade and Rocky are just floating around there untapped.

Regarding properties like Avatar, just because the figures are complex it doesn't mean another company wouldn't gladly take a swipe at it. I'd guess HT is tying that one up and may be waiting for the next movies to get rolling.

I didn't say they were squatting on Terminator, because clearly they aren't as evidenced by my own recent orders and preorders. I just said I'd like to see them do a new Endo and a TX DX, preferably before the reboot/sequel comes along.

Similarly, I think Aliens can still be a big money-maker for HT. In addition to the previewed figures (which are hopefully still coming) I'd hoped Prometheus would jumpstart a new wave of Alien/Aliens figures. But thus far it's only Ripley, which is nothing to sneeze at. But it would be great to see Aliens get the same treatment as Predator--Queen, new and improved Xenos and Colonial Marines. And again if HT can't do them I'll bet there are at least 4 or 5 companies who would be chomping at the bit to take on the franchise.

All valid points, but I don't know if Hot Toys has THAT much money to simply buy and hold Hollywood movie licenses indefinitely with little to no plans of making money off them. We do know that they're now acquiring the 1/4 figure licenses along with 1/6 after Enterbay found that loophole (with both Terminator and Batman), with little intent of using the 1/4 license.....

I don't think Howard had any reason to lie about the Michael Jackson license expiring, so I see no reason to doubt his word there.
That one we know about because the interviewer asked directly.
I suspect with some of the other licenses you'd get similar answers if asking directly.

I don't think the properties and product being shown on Hot Toys website is indicative of whether they currently hold the rights, just that they made and sell a product when they did.

You may be right about Avatar, I was just using the complexity as an example of why another company may not have used it. Not to say Enterbay/Blitzway/Asmus/ACI couldn't do it.....

 

[Michael Crawford]

I have no doubt that we'll see them revisit the marines for Aliens. That's not one they will be dropping, or would I want them to let it go at this point.

You mention X-men - remember all the hoop-de-doo over Disney/Marvel not wanting X-men DOFP product out there? They are putting the squeeze on Fox to try to get the license back, or at least make it less profitable for them, and they don't want to create product that might incentivize you to go see the films. That might be part of the reason HT has been holding off on X-men...although I don't know why Disney/Marvel doesn't seem to be putting the same pressure on Sony (and others) with AM2.

 

[Protozaius]

I don't know why Disney/Marvel doesn't seem to be putting the same pressure on Sony (and others) with AM2.

Yeah, it was strange to go to my local Disney Store and see a commercial for Amazing Spiderman 2 on Blu-Ray play on their TV screens.

 

[melkorjunior]

Marvel knows Sony will never under any circumstances allow their Spider-Man license to expire. The character is too popular, especially among kids, he has a huge well of bad guys to choose from and if planned out well, movies can be profitable for decades to come, James Bond style. He's the only character that can equal Batman as far as popularity goes and I bet Sony intends to make Spider-Man movies forever. They may have to watch the budgets from now on, but they'll keep making them. He's just too popular with the kids to abandon as a property.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Sony cut a deal with Disney

 

[Protozaius]

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Protozaius]

Marvel knows Sony will never under any circumstances allow their Spider-Man license to expire.

And Marvel knows that Fox will never under any circumstances allow the X-Men licence to expire as well. They already have two X-Men films active in the pipe line and talks of rebooting after that with possibly a new Wolverine. And there is always some talk around Fox of re-uniting the cast from the first film for another go around (thanks to DOFP) and another Origins film... like that once planned Magneto film.

Let's not forget that Fox just unveiled plans for the long in development Deadpool film.

Seems to me Disney needs to cut another deal.