In 2015 a company based in the UK called Jungle Plush started a Kickstater for a Tyrannosaurus Rex and Apatosaurus plush. It was a success and both cuddly animals were produced and have been on sale to purchase since. However, according to the Jungle Plush website only the Tyrannosaurus Rex is still available as the Apatosaurus is currently sold out. But for fans of these plush dinosaurs there is good news as the company just launched a new Kickstarter this Jurassic June for a Spinosaurus and Triceratops plush.
The Kickstarter goal to launch the new line of dinosaur plush animals is $4,511. There are currently 29 days left to donate to make this a reality. While this company is not associated with Universal Studios or the Jurassic films, these plush dinosaurs are a great collectible for all Jurassic fans.
So what do you think about this new Kickstater for a Spinosaurus and Triceratops plush? Will you help support it? Let us know in the comments below and on our forums.
The year is 1993 – Kenner releases the Jurassic Park toy line which shaped many of our childhoods. From there on, Kenner (and eventually Hasbro when they entirely overtook Kenner and their products) made Jurassic Park toy lines. Whether it was a spin-off like ‘Chaos Effect’, ‘Jurassic Park: Dinosaurs’ or ‘Camo-X-Treme’ or a film line, the franchise was handled by the same company.
Most recently, Hasbro released the ‘Jurassic World’ toy line in 2015 – and to be blunt, the toys were not good. Velociraptors were missing their sickle claws, toys were poorly sculpted, poorly and cheaply painted, prone to breaking, and riddled with gaping screw holes. Not to mention, there was no sense of size consistency in the line, and it did not feature traditional human action figures. Fans were bummed.
Apparently, so was Universal Pictures – while Hasbro began to improve the quality with much better paint application on 2016’s ‘Dino Hybrid’ line, they lost the license that summer to Mattel. This is now uncharted territory – and truth be told, when I first heard the news I wasn’t excited. Mattel has no current lineups that prove they could do the classic Jurassic style of lineup (which is quite similar to current Star Wars offerings from Hasbro), and Hasbro had just put out some of the best Jurassic Park toys ever a few years back (see: Jurassic Park 2009/2011).
Art by James Flames, click for full
Let me just jump to the point: I was wrong to doubt Mattel. While the final quality of the toys remains to be seen, the lineup style is what fans have wanted and true to the legacy of Jurassic Park.
Recently, Mattel held a showcase for vendors, licencors, and more where they showed off their in-development and upcoming lines. As you can imagine, Jurassic World was there – and from what we have heard, it was easily the biggest highlight of any Mattel offering. We’re going to avoid going into too deep into specifics, as certain items will spoil future surprises, including things about the new film.
However, this is the lay of the land for the upcoming Jurassic World toys from Mattel (the images used below are from past Jurassic Park offerings, and used for demonstrative purposes only):
3 3/4″ Human Action Figures ($10)
Yes, human action figures are back – they will be roughly 3 3/4″ tall, and in scale with past Hasbro offerings. They will follow the Kenner styling of including a small or hatchling dinosaur, and some gear/weapons. However, from our understanding the gear skews more towards collectors than play factor (as in Dr. Ian Malcolm includes a film accurate flare – not a net launcher) – and the toys have articulation that will surely please.
Basic Dinosaur Figures ($10)
The bread and butter of the line – the dinosaurs are back! Roughly 6″ long, these are comparable to the basic non-electronic dinosaurs of the Kenner toy lines (or the Bash & Bites from Jurassic World). Much like classic Kenner, these dinosaurs are not dressed with permanent mortal wounds, and have simple articulation tied to a basic action feature. One of my favorite bits of news: size of the dinosaurs are considered when choosing what type of toy to make. There will be no miniature adult Tyrannosaurs – it will focus on smaller species like Velociraptor, and Gallimimus.
ROARIVORES (Electronic Dinosaur Figures) ($15)
Slightly larger than the basic dinosaur figures, these toys focus on electronic roars tied to a biting mechanism. They again do not have open wounds, and while they are not posed as neutrally as classic Kenner toys, they are less awkard than the Jurassic Park 3 offerings. Again, the size of the dinosaurs were considered when developing these toys – so at this time, there are no electronic Velociraptors, but rather species of a larger size will be focused on.
SUPER STRIKE DINOS (Deluxe Dinosaur Figures) ($20)
Slightly larger than the electronic figures, these hearken back to the classic non electronic Kenner dinosaurs of the medium size. An example that was described to use was a Stegosaurus with a tail swinging action that was very Kenner in looks. However, it was apparently closer in size to the JP 2013 Dino Showdows Pachyrhinosaurs.
Large Dinosaur Figures (prices vary)
Yes, they have a Tyrannosaurus Rex (two in fact!) and we have heard both steal the show. We’re going to avoid describing them anymore, as they’re worth waiting for the official reveal to be surprised! But it’s worth noting that there are more than Tyrannosaurs in the large scale, and some figures use a “Real feel” latex/rubber, have action features, and electronic roars.
Vehicles (prices vary)
Not much to say other than they’re film accurate, look awesome, and are scaled to the human figures. Everything in this line is sized correctly, much like the classic Kenner toys. The classic Jurassic Park Jeep has a few details super fans are sure to LOVE!
Matchbox (prices vary)
Gone are the fictional vehicles – they’re being replaced with small film accurate vehicles from all five films! Some include small dinosaurs, and the entire lineup was described as similar to the Micro Machines (but bigger) sold alongside The Lost World. This includes some very cool playsets based upon movie moments!
Games (prices vary)
There will be games – including something tied to pivotal plot elements of Jurassic World 2!
Various ‘smart’/electronic toys (prices vary)
Drones, remote control vehicles, and more! While a lot of these won’t be cheap, they do offer great modern play functionality.
Some key notes: Mattel’s first Jurassic World lineup will be called something similar to ‘Jurassic World: The Classic Collection’. This lineup is scheduled to hit stores late this year or early next year, and is mainly based upon the first Jurassic Park. While they boast film accuracy for all their items, it does seem to also borrow from Kenner by featuring dinosaurs never seen in the films.
Sometime early spring (mid April) in 2018 the Jurassic World 2 toys will begin to arrive in stores. Much like the classic Jurassic line, it boasts film accuracy and a multitude of figures and offerings. From there, the line should continue to populate shelves with new waves featuring figures from the latest sequel, or past films. There are apparently quite a few more classes/skus of toys from Mattel than those listed above, so there are plenty of surprises in store!
It’s worth noting that some of the basic dinosaur figures were described as slightly exaggerated looking, with proportions and poses that were more cartoony than realistic. Our hope is that between now and release, those items will be refined and perfected to better match their film counterparts (and proper realistic anatomical poses). Otherwise, we’re thrilled by what the line is slated to offer, and cannot wait to see photo’s from it – there are quite a few more surprises Mattel has up their sleeves, so stay tuned!
As always, sound off in the comments and let us know what dinosaurs, characters, and vehicles you want toys for. Happy #JurassicJune, everyone!
Ah, Loot Crate – I’m addicted already. While this was my first foray into this popular geek delivery service, I can say it wont be my last. For those unfamiliar, Loot Crate is a monthly subscription service where you are sent a box full of surprise goodies, many of them exclusive. For March 2017, the theme was ‘PRIMAL’ and it included a very nice Jurassic World surprise! Check out the unboxing and review below:
Ok, we can safely say I won’t be making a career out of unboxing and review videos, but I think this serves its purpose well enough! I really hope Loot Crate does more Jurassic Park and Jurassic World items in the future – or even consider doing a strictly Jurassic themed crate, which is something they do for franchises like Halo. While you’re here, check out this fun video Loot Crate put together for this months box… featuring Ty Simpkins of Jurassic World!
Interested in Lootcrate? Check out their website now! You can buy the crates individually, or subscribe to receive them each month. At the low price of $15.99 a month, you really can’t go wrong! What are you waiting for, subscribe now!
Huge thanks to Loot Crate for sending this my way!
Toy Fair 2017 has officially kicked off in New York City, and while it appears neither Mattel or Lego have anything Jurassic World there, a company called Skyrocket Toys has filled the void. While little is known about the product, Newsday unveiled the set in their article about the hot new 2017 Toy Fair items.
Jurassic World VRSE: A virtual reality system from Skyrocket provides a 360-degree experience that brings to life the Jurassic World adventure. The set comes with a VR headset, motion controller with a case and a free downloadable game. For ages 8 and older. $59.99, available fall 2017
UPDATE – new pictures and info (via pocket-lint.com at London Toy Fair) :
Early prototypes from London Toy Fair
“We got to try one of the VRSE virtual reality headsets on Vivid’s stand at Toy Fair but because the design was not finalised, couldn’t bring you our own pictures. However, we still thought it worth of inclusion as the headsets and, specifically, the licensed games are good quality.
There will be two in the initial range, based on Jurassic World and Batman. Each will cost £70, which gets you the headset, a themed Bluetooth controller and an app download. You use either and Android or iOS smartphone in the visor to provide the screen.
Where we think VRSE differs from most other “toy” VR devices we’ve seen in the past is in the content. We had a brief go at an early build of the Jurassic World app and there are several mini-games and experiences included – with actual gameplay and thought gone into them. It’ll be available in July so we’ll take a more in-depth look closer to the time.”
Images from New York Toy Fair
Unfortunately there are no other details at this time, but it’s intriguing to note that this isn’t just a viewing experience like the past Jurassic World VR game – this has a controller, and gives the player the ability to move around. A long while back we heard that a Jurassic World VR experience was being created to allow players to visit the open parks dinosaur exhibits, and while we have no idea if this rumor was true, perhaps it was indeed tied to this item.
Judging by the included controller, the free game experience must be simple in play mechanics, and is unlikely to be related to the ‘Jurassic World Survivor‘ game by Perfect World Entertainment. Check back often, as more details surface we will be sure to share! Skyrocket Toys is at booth 3019 at New York Toy Fair, so if you can visit them, take pictures, ask for more details, and relay them all our way!
Special thanks to Andrew Lappin on Facebook for sending this our way!
Chronicle Collectibles continue to delight fans with highly-detailed and accurate Jurassic Park/Jurassic World products with the announcement of their latest item – the 1:9 scale Owen Grady and Blue statue, which is now available for pre-order!
The statue stands at 11″ with a width of 8″, and weighs 3 lbs. The pose was inspired by the Entertainment Weekly photo shown below, and our friends at Chronicle Collectibles worked closely with Universal Pictures and ILM to ensure the product is absolutely perfect.
The statue was first seen at the San Diego Comic Con earlier in the year, where Chronicle debuted a number of their upcoming items, and showcased an unpainted version of this statue.
Thanks to Chronicle, we have some exclusive behind the scenes photos of the statue:
As with all of Chronicle Collectible’s fantastic products, this is a limited edition run and will include individually numbered units that are assigned numerically by the time and date of the order. Owen and Blue will be available for a price of $349.99, switching to $400 after 30 days. Don’t forget, Chronicle have many payment plans so you don’t have to pay in one lump sum!
Check out the pre-order page here – and check out the other products that are still available for purchase. My personal favourite is the Compy… or the Stegosaurus… or the Breakout Rex… you know what? I don’t have a favourite. I want them all. Here’s some more behind the scenes photos:
If you’re as excited as us to see what else Chronicle Collectibles are planning for this franchise, take a listen to our interview with Paul Francis, Art Director and Co-Founder of the company. He dishes some juicy details on their upcoming products!
Have you pre-ordered any of these collectibles? Let us know in the comments section below and be sure to follow Chronicle Collectibles on Facebook and Twitter for more photos and information.
Our friends at Chronicle Collectibles have now opened pre-orders for their new Jurassic Park officially licensed product – the 1:1 scale Velociraptor bust! The pre-order opened on Friday, October 21st at 12:00 noon Central Standard Time and for 30 days, the bust will be available for $999!
This is Chronicle’s first full size item from the original Jurassic Park, and features the infamous “Clever Girl”. The item has been molded and cast directly from a Stan Winston Studios casting of the full, original 1:1 Velociraptor, so this is a genuine replica of the on-screen animal. It stands at roughly 30″ tall and spans 28″ from the back of her head to the front of her jaws. As you can see from the Comic Con photo below, she is a big one.
As with all of Chronicle Collectible’s fantastic products, this is a limited edition run and will include individually numbered units that are assigned numerically by the time and date of the order. Chronicle debuted a number of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World products at Comic Con earlier this year and you can read more about the items here!
Check out the pre-order page here which also includes payment plan options. Chronicle Collectibles have a number of Jurassic Park products with more on the way! Last month they debuted the 1:1 scale Compy from The Lost World which is still available for pre-order. Other products include The Lost World Stegosaurus Maquette, the 1:5 scale The Lost World T-Rex bust (which has now sold out) and of course, the Jurassic Park Breakout Rex which is available for $549.
Here are some exclusive behind the scenes photos of Chronicle’s Velociraptor in the making!
If you’re as excited as us to see what else Chronicle Collectibles are planning for this franchise, take a listen to our last interview with Paul Francis, Art Director and Co-Founder of the company. He dishes some juicy details on their upcoming products!
Have you pre-ordered any of these collectibles? Let us know in the comments section below!
The legendary Phil Tippett is auctioning off a number of pieces from his personal collection, which include a number of incredibly rare pieces from the production of Jurassic Park! Phil was the Dinosaur Supervisor on Jurassic Park and returned to this role recently for Jurassic World.
The auction began on PropStoreAuction.com two days ago and ends on the 21st October at 5:03pm PDT, so you only have a week to get your bids in! Among the items up for auction are original scripts from the production, a Baby Triceratops Maquette, original Key Art prints, original storyboards and much more!
I’m fairly surprised at how much is available for auction; some of these items will reveal details from the production of Jurassic Park that we never knew, and all of the items will be an asset to any fans’ collection – if you’re lucky enough to win one!
Recently some guys from Tested visited Phil’s workshop and saw some of the products that are up for auction up close! Check the video out below:
Be sure to check out the auction and full list of items available here. Phil is auctioning not only his Jurassic Park memorabilia, but items from most, if not all of the films he has worked on throughout his career!
The first two episodes of the new animated short series, ‘LEGO Jurassic World: The Indominus Escape’ are here! 65 millions bricks in the making, relive the events of the fourth Jurassic Park film in a comedic alternate reality. The entire short film will be released on YouTube split into 5 episodes this week, totaling in 24 minutes of LEGO laughs.
“Playing with the characters, dinosaurs, and environments of Jurassic World in LEGO form through the playsets and video games is one of the most popular ways for fans to experience the franchise,” said David O’Connor, Executive Vice President, Global Brand Marketing & Partnerships, Universal Pictures. “By creating new narratives and additional storytelling through this fun LEGO animated short, we’re able to showcase the lighter, more humorous side of the world’s most popular dinosaur brand.”
Update: You can now watch the entire 24 minute short film on NETFLIX now! Don’t have access to Netflix? Watch the episodes below, and read on to learn how to buy the film in stores!
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
Episode 3:
Episode 4:
Episode 5:
Want to own the ‘The Indominus Escape’, and see it as a complete short film? You’re in luck! Starting October 18th, you can buy the short in DVD format bundled with Jurassic World – plus another exclusive 8 minute LEGO short is included!
Believe it or not, ‘LEGO Jurassic World: The Indominus Escape’ is the first time the Jurassic franchise has seen an official animated outing. While it’s not an expansion of the canonical fiction, it certainly is a fun idea and hopefully will be the tip of the iceberg for brand evolution. The LEGO Movie was absolutely brilliant, and I know I’d love to see some Jurassic characters make a cameo in the sequel.. however, I’d like to see an expansion of the canon via a comic series, TV series, novels, or cartoon even more!
What did you think of ‘The Indominus Escape’? Let us know in the comments below, and as always: stay tuned for the latest news on everything Jurassic!
New from Chronicle Collectibles is the officially licensed 1:1 Compsognathus statue, built from the original Stan Winston Studios animatronic casting used in The Lost World: Jurassic Park! Chronicle has enlisted the help of Stan Winston Studios artist Tim Gore to paint the statue, who also had painted the ‘Compys’ for the film. Measuring in at 3o” long, 16″ tall, and 8″ wide this limited run (edition size TBD) statue costs $349.99 for the first 30 days, before going up to $399.99.
Have you bought any dinosaurs from Chronicle Collectibles yet? Let us know what you think, and what you hope they make next in the comments below! Also, if you haven’t already, check out our interview with Paul Francis who shares a ton of behind the scenes info about making official Jurassic Park products:
The official Jurassic World website has been inactive for roughly a year now, showcasing a fictional operational park hub with a few adverts for the Blu Ray. However, the inactivity came to an end earlier today, when the website evolved into a hub for the entire franchise! Sporting a fresh new look, the site now covers a multitude of subjects.
The websites now serves as fun page to learn the latest official news about the franchise, as well as including various facts, current video games, videos and more. I’m personally thrilled to see this change which is something I was hoping would happen for some time – while the new site is currently lite on content, hopefully as time goes on it will add new sections (canon/encyclopedia, editorial content, toys, books, etc.) and further flesh out its existing ones with more content. With the right team and management, the website can further evolve into something great (look to HaloWaypoint.com and StarWars.com for some fantastic examples.)
Thankfully, they also preserved the website created for the fictional Jurassic World park on Isla Nublar, which can be reached by clicking the link on the top of the site (or going directly to islanublar.jurassicworld.com). I wonder if future in-universe websites will be created that reflect the current happenings of the franchise – there’s plenty of room to expand, and Jurassic World 2 is right around the corner! Either way, this hub site is a great fit for the Jurassic Park franchise, and it’s great to see some change and life post 2015.
So, what are you waiting for? Go explore! After that, be sure to keep checking back here for even more news regarding all things Jurassic! Do you like the new look? Sound off in the comments below!
