Batman vs Predator Update
 

Predator from the Armored Batman vs Predator 2-Pack Being Released

http://news.toyark.com/wp-content/up...e-Predator.jpg

So when they initially revealed them they had the okay from DC to make the figures yeah? What happened after that jammed up the release?

Cool, he looks like he is covered in ashes or his armor is really old.

I guess that Mattel holding the DC master rights has been the main reason for the severe delay.

Holy kitbash city! It's like a Firepro Create A Wrestler!

I have to imagine if Bats was coming with him they would've teased him... I'll try to be hopeful but it's getting harder...

Great, another Predator figure I can break removing from the package... I love how these figures look but I don't own a single one that doesn't have a spot of super glue on it somewhere. I can't wait to see what happens with the Predator license once Disney owns it. Just like Star Wars was moved from Dark Horse to Marvel after the purchase of Lucasfilm, you can bet that Predator is going to be a Marvel comic very soon. I wonder if they'll transfer the figures over to Hasbro also?

I hate to say this, but IF (and that's a mighty big IF) Disney decides to keep the Predator license, it's gonna be watered down to PG-13, so we'll probably be worse off.

Disney owned Miramax from 1993 to around 2010 and yet under Miramax during that time we got R-rated films like Pulp Fiction, Scream, Kill Bill, some entries in the Halloween franchise, and much more. Disney just sat back and took in their share of the profits, and that's probably all they plan on doing with Fox's movies too. So I doubt we're going to be seeing any changes to the nature of the movies or any changes in merchandising licenses.

Hopefully we will get the superman and batman later on

I'm assuming the Fox deal has held up the release of these figures.

I see people say this but that doesn't really make any sense that NECA would develop these before working out the particulars of working around Mattel. Fox's status was the only thing that would've changed since the initial deal was worked out.

It's too bad, really wanted that Superman and Batman.

Fox has given them no trouble with any prior Predator releases. With Aliens and Predator, Randy has said in the past that Fox basically told them they can do whatever they want within their license. It was absolutely the DC end that was holding up the release of these 2-packs. Whether it was Mattel or Warner remains to be seen. NECA has had numerous issues when trying to release DC figures. So much trouble they had to end their annual 7" DC Figure releases.

Also, almost every single company working on licensed items will showcase stuff before it's been approved. How many times do we see "Pending Licensor Approval" from companies? A great example of this was the Marvel Select Mystique, which was shown off by DST prior to final approval. That figure was never released as Jennifer Lawrence had final say and nixed the figures release.

The reason Star Wars was moved from Dark Horse to Marvel is that Disney owned Marvel, and wanted full control of the brand. For licensed merchandise, you don't "move" it from one 3rd party company to another. For it to go to Hasbro, NECA's contract would have to expire, not be renewed, and Hasbro would have to actively want the license and have to pay for it.

Right they can do whatever they want with the license before but I can't imagine they'd have that same luxury to let them do what they want when there is an impending sale of their IPs, which has been going on for quite a while it seems.

I don't think their 7 inch DC figures were ever supposed to be an ongoing annual thing either. I don't remember them stating so anyway, I always got the impression that they were able to maneuver through some loopholes for that year but it might not happen again. The Ali/Superman 2 pack was shown at a Toyfair like the those DC/Predator figures were and there didn't seem to be any issues or delays getting that one out.

The Ali set wasn't considered a competing item with Mattel's offerings, and required no cross licensing with another comic company. However, the Dark Horse DC 2-Packs featured more traditional looking paint schemes for Batman and Superman. As the master toy license holder, Mattel had final say on anything DC related coming to retail. Those figures would be in direct competition with Mattel's Multiverse offerings.

Disney has absolutely no say in what Fox licenses until after the sale is final. Those figures were shown off in early 2017, well before any sale talks with Disney had been announced (late 2017). Even still, nothing was finalized until mid-2018 as negotiations were still ongoing with other companies. It had no bearing on these becoming, for a brief time, convention exclusives. All signs pointed to it being an issue with DC.

There's a reason they're showing the Predator and saying "this guy" is coming and not the Batman that was supposed to come with it. If the problem was with Fox, then it wouldn't be the Predator that was being released.

And the plot thickens...

http://www.toyark.com/attachment.php...1&d=1547750662

Well, no, you didn't Randy, that's why we assumed he wasn't coming!

[QUOTE=Joe Moore;785432]And the plot thickens...

We're in too deep

Oh man...ok, I'm keeping my mouth shut till toyfair then