Since the thirties when studio apartment released the Shirley Temple doll to capitalise on the fame of the young star , toy - makers have attempted to merchandise movies to the hilt for maximize revenue . After all , people will yield about 50 percent more for a toy link to an entertainment holding — like a movie or TV show — than they will for a non - entertainment associated toy [ seed : Zimmerman ] . With such a premium for pic merchandise , miniature - makers and flick producer are eager to wring every dime they can from red-hot films , even if it means releasing a few bomb calorimeter along the way . learn on to find out about some of the biggest head scratchers and missteps in the billion dollar world of film merchandising .
10: Jar Jar Binks Candy
Poor Jar Jar Binks . With some critic plain he was just out of place in the " Star Wars " enfranchisement and others argue he was nothing more than a degrading racial stereotype , it ’s no surprise that Jar Jar merchandise did n’t precisely fly off the ledge when " The Phantom Menace " was release in 1999 [ seed : Marche ] . While reasonably much all Jar Jar - pertain toy loaf on store shelves much longer than other " Star Wars " merchandise , perhaps no " Star Wars " item embarrassed the franchise more than the infamous Jar Jar Binks lollipop [ source : Silverman ] . The lollipop consisted of a to a great extent - textured confect tongue tucked between Jar Jar ’s jaws and mounted on a black charge plate handle . To consume the confect , emptor had to slide their mouth between Jar Jar ’s ample teeth and absorb on his red , fleshy tongue . As if the design of the sucker was n’t abase and revolt enough , many critics argued that the candy had a emphatically phallic show , making it inappropriate for tike regardless of the ick factor .
9: Alien Micro Machines
When " Alien " debuted in house in 1979 , there was little doubtfulness that the movie earned its R military rank , thanks to gruesome death scene and plenty of blood . Despite the fact that the picture was not precisely optimal wake for kid , the franchise released a series of Alien - themed toys to accompany the picture and its eventual sequels , including a truly terrific 15 - in tall foreign action figure that frightened nipper and adults alike . After many complaints that the toy was just too scary , Kenner shelved a project line of activity figures from the film . It was n’t until 30 years later that the " exotic " activity figure lastly saw the Christ Within of day , when they were eject to appeal to grownup collector [ informant : Mattise ] .
The " Alien " activity figures were n’t the enfranchisement ’s only worrisome tie-up - in . Starting in 1986 , Galoob toy dog bring out a number of Micro Machine sets based on the film . These tiny cars , which were aimed at children historic period 4 and up , come in packet featuring such Thomas Kid - favorable ikon as a eviscerate man and a monumental alien , fangs dripping as he give chase his human victim [ source : RobotvsBadger.com ] .
8: Transformers Shaving Kit
It ’s operose to imagine a more problematical movie sleeper - in toy than the Transformers Play Shave Set , which was released alongside the " Transformers " picture show in 2007 . With most moving-picture show merchandise , there ’s at least a tenuous connective between the film and the merchandise being sell ; when it comes to this toy dog , however , it ’s backbreaking to argue there ’s any connection between shaving and the moving picture or a connection between shaving and robots in general [ germ : Gamble ] . Instead , it amount across as more of a luck to simply sell toys by slap on icon of the pop franchise .
For those who argue that tiddler may enjoy the toy simply because it ’s fun to play with , regardless of the lack of draw - in to the film , keep in mind that most youthful boy are unlikely to get terribly excited by personal hygiene , even if that can of shave gel features a motion picture of Optimus Prime .
7: Vibrating Nimbus 2000
In the darling J.K. Rowling series , Harry Potter ’s Nimbus 2000 broomstick ca-ca him the hot kid on the Quidditch pitch . Due to the outstanding function that the broom — and flying broomstick in general — played in the books and films , it ’s no surprisal that miniature version of the Nimbus found their way into stores . In 2001 , Mattel released a picture - perfect version of Harry ’s top - notch broom . Crafted from plastic and design for tyke , the Nimbus 2000 provide rider to make they were soaring through the skies like Harry and his friend . A bent of AA batteries even made the broom vibrate like the brooms in the picture do when their passenger hold out a deal to call the broom to action . Of course , all that vibrating raised a few eyebrows among parent and lead to some truly entertaining review on online shopping web site [ generator : Time ] . To quash the rising tide of protest , the vibrate Nimbus 2000 was quickly draw in from the market by 2002 and supercede with non - vibrating option .
6: Hulkey Pokey Hulk
When you picture the Incredible Hulk , you likely envisage a giant , green , rage - filled monster , intent on smashing everything in his path . When " The Incredible Hulk " movie was released in 2008 , it come with a PG-13 military rank , but that did n’t stop plaything - Godhead from taking a knife thrust at the jejune plaything market . To draw in very young Hulk rooter , Hasbro released a soft liven Hulk figure that sang and trip the light fantastic toe to his own goofy translation of the Hokey Pokey — think Tickle Me Elmo , top-notch - hero style . Ifthe real Hulkcould see himself this way , he ’d likely get to demolish in a fit of chagrined passion [ source : Robinson ]
5: Star Wars IOU
Imagine that you ’re a unseasoned " Star Wars " fan rushing downstairs on Christmas morning 1977 to shoot down into some wrapping paper . Thanks to a slow commencement at producingtoysto brook the " A New Hope " release , untested devotee of the film were more probable to end up with an empty composition board box than an actual Luke or Leia action figure . Knowing they would n’t have " Star Wars " toys manufactured in time for Christmas , Kenner had the cunning musical theme to betray an IOU - of - kind , so kids would have something to open on Christmas morning [ source : West ] . The box contained a mail - away credentials , which promised minor they ’d have Luke , Leia , R2 - D2 and Chewy figures by June 1978 at the latest .
While the " Star Wars " vacation IOU may seem depressing today , Kenner managed to sell a whopping 300,000 of them during the 1977 holiday season [ source : Sweetwater and Neumann ] . Embarrassing ? Yes , but kids who take for on to these boxes and never opened them or redeemed the security may have the last laugh , as the ' 77 empty loge has soared in value since it let down kids on Christmas morning .
4: Ridiculous Turtle Action Figures
Let ’s be clear — the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles furor bring forth some truly spectacular toys start in the late ' 80s , and by the early ' ninety , manufacturers had sold a astonishing quarter of a billion turtleneck figures . Many of the classic characters make sentiency to the franchise and are much beloved by Kid and collectors alike . Considering the relatively small TMNT cast and the 400 - plus polo-neck action trope on the grocery , it ’s no surprise that more than a few missed the mark as toy - makers rack their learning ability for unexampled ideas [ source : Lammie ] .
Take for case the Bodacious Birthday ancestry ofturtles , which consisted of an utterly ridiculous await Crazy Clown Mike and a magician - theme Raph the Magnificent . If that ’s not enough for you , consider the bewilder line of farmer turtles , sumo wrestlers and dino - turtle hybrids or a strange series of Wild West figures , include a gap - toothed Bandito - Bashin Mike . Perhaps the unearthly of all were the pizza - tossin ' turtles , which shot plastic pizza pie phonograph recording from their chest cavities and featured some truly crazed nerve .
3: The Meat Action Figure
The " Rocky " franchise brought out a number of confutable action figures to keep company its classic movie star , include an unmatched wheelchair - limit Rocky and an even weirder cave man Rocky toy . Despite these belittled missteps , toy dog - Maker really jumped the shark when they turn The Meat natural process number in 1976 , which consisted of a slab of boeuf and a gory forestage . surely , this action at law figure might have made more sense if it was in reality box with Rocky , who famouslypuncheda side of beef during a breeding scene in the film . dishonourably , The Meat add up sans any figure at all , making it more accessory than miniature and making it seem more like a desperate immediate payment grab than an attempt at heedful merchandising . To be fair , the meaty wonder was just about the size of a stock action name , but had comparatively little play time value on its own , making it one of the most sticky movie crosstie - ins ever relinquish .
2: Clone Wars Happy Meal Toys
With the release of the enliven " Clone Wars " in 2008 , McDonald ’s launch its first ever line of " Star Wars " toys , lie of 18 unlike toys compact in special gatherer ’s meal boxes . While the concept of a McDonald’s/“Star Wars " combo made sense on paper , the excitement was short - subsist when the actual toy were released . Rather than stick to the classic character intention , McDonald ’s move with a zany bobble head construct , with oversized character faces jutting out of tiny vehicles [ source : David ] . Darth Vader look a whole lot less daunting when he ’s been reduced to a gargantuan head wobbling above a linkup scrapper , and Han Solo loses a bit of his heroic style when you see his face dwarfing the Millennium Falcon . And of course , rent ’s not blank out poor Chewy , who terminate up stuff awkwardly into an all - terrain tape transport vehicle . Despite the magnanimous issue of incredible " Star Wars " association - indium unfreeze since the serial get down , this is one line that falls level .
1: Human Torch on an ATV
When the " Fantastic Four " picture strike theaters in 2005 , fans were inundated with the common line of motion-picture show merchandise , include a series of action figure of speech . While design of Dr. Doom and the Invisible Woman seemed appropriate , the Human Torch name scratch fan the faulty style . In the celluloid , as well as the original line of merchandise of comics , the Human Torch was in full capable of flying anywhere he needed to go , yet for some inexplicable reasonableness , his 2005 action physique came rest on an ATV . whole unnecessary , but also a pretty bad deterrent example for kids — after all , the last office you ’d want to sit if you were on ardor is atop a gasoline - powered fomite .
Even more mortifying , the plaything came with real easy - up headlights , which would make sense if the Human Torch were n’t already emitting mountain of light thanks to the fact that he ’s on fire [ germ : Taylor ] .
Lots More Information
While researching this clause it come about to me just how bad it could chew over on a steel when licenses were handed out with abandon . It ’s unfeignedly impressive how some companies , like Barbie , handle hundreds of unlike licenses with few hiccups along the way . It was n’t until 2014 that Barbie administrator finally blame a output company to launch a live - action motion picture — more than 50 years after the doll was first introduced . Another company that does licensing right is Lego , which carefully deal licenses only to products that make sense for the company ’s brand and mission .
