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Mezco Toyz Previews The Warriors One:12 Collective Deluxe Box Set

In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of filmmaker Walter Hill’s 1979 cult hit The Warriors, Mezco Toyz is previewing The One:12 Collective The Warriors Deluxe Box Set. The four-figure deluxe box set is packaged in a special-edition, collector-friendly metal tin. The Warriors Deluxe Box Set includes Ajax, Swan, and two Baseball Furies, each presented with more than 28 points of premium articulation and accessories.

Swan & Ajax both come outfitted in leather vests. Swan comes battle-ready with a switchblade, baseball bat, and two Molotov cocktails — one with and one without a flame. Ajax is always ready for a rumble and comes complete with a baseball bat and a pair of handcuffs.

The Baseball Furies, both leader and soldier, are outfitted in their signature Baseball Furies uniforms. Both are ready to bring their A-game and each comes complete with a baseball bat.

Mezco has been rolling out a series of early Toy Fair reveals this month and will exhibit in booth No. 5366 at the Javits Center from Feb. 16-19.

Toys “R” Us Officially Emerges as a New Company, Tru Kids Brands

The next chapter in the Toys “R” Us saga is officially official. As reported last month, Toys “R” Us has officially emerged as a new company, Tru Kids Inc. dba Tru Kids Brands. The company is the new parent of Toys “R” Us, Babies R Us, Geoffrey the Giraffe and more than 20 established consumer toy and baby brands. Tru Kids is headquartered in New Jersey with a team of returning Toys “R” Us employees.

Tru Kids Brands is led by Richard Barry, the former global chief merchandising officer at Toys “R” Us, who will serve as President & CEO. Joining Barry are Matthew Finigan as CFO, James Young as EVP of global license management & general counsel, and Jean-Daniel Gatignol as SVP of global sourcing & brands.

The company appointed brand management veteran Yehuda Shmidman as Vice Chairman to advise on global strategy and execution. Shmidman is the CEO of Wave Hill Partners, and the former CEO of Sequential Brands Group.

“Despite unprecedented efforts to capture the U.S. market share this past holiday season, there is still a significant gap and huge consumer demand for the trusted experience that Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us delivers,” says Barry. “We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to write the next chapter of Toys“R”Us by launching a newly imagined omni channel retail experience for our beloved brands here in the U.S. In addition, our strong global footprint is led by experienced and passionate operating teams that are 100% focused on growth.”

Among the brands controlled by Tru Kids are Animal Alley, Animal Zone, Avigo, Bruin, Dream Dazzlers, EduScience, FastLane, Imaginarium, Just Like Home, Just Like Home Workshop, Journey Girls, Koala Baby, Pavillion, Sizzlin’ Cool, Stats Sports, Totally Me!, True Heroes, and You & Me. Several of these house brands were kept in front of consumers this past holiday season through Geoffrey’s Toy Box, a branded display initiative in partnership with Kroger.

The TRU and BRU brands generated over $3 billion in global retail sales in 2018 through more than 900 stores and e-commerce businesses in 30+ countries across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. More than 9.5 million followers still track the company across social media channels in the U.S.

Global partners include Al Futtaim Sons Co. LLC (UAE), Green Swan (Iberia), Keshet-Hypertoy Ltd (Israel), Lotte Shopping Co. Ltd (S. Korea), Marketing Services and Commercial Projects Operation Company (Saudi Arabia), Tablez & Toyz Private Ltd. (India), and Toys (Labuan) Holding Ltd. in partnership with Fung Retailing Ltd. (Asia). The Company will work closely with each to expand the Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us businesses in their respective markets as well as actively seek opportunities to bring the brands to new and emerging territories.

Tru Kids’ global partners are set to bring Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us to more customers through the opening of 70 stores this year in Asia, India and Europe and the development of new e-commerce platforms in several key markets.

“We have an incredible team focused on bringing Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us back in a completely new and reimagined way, so the U.S. doesn’t have to go through another holiday without these beloved brands,” added Barry.

The company promises further updates on its U.S. business strategy to follow.

Top Photo: Toys“R”Us store at Phoenix MarketCity Bangalore, India. Courtesy Tru Kids Brands.

Kangaroo Manufacturing to Debut Jurassic World, How to Train Your Dragon Pool Floats at Toy Fair

Kangaroo Manufacturing locked a deal with Universal Brand Development to bring characters from Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World into swimming pools. Set to debut at Toy Fair New York, five new licensed pool floats aimed at kids ages eight and up will make a splash under Kangaroo’s Coconut Float banner.

From How to Train Your Dragon, the Deluxe Night Fury and Deluxe Light Fury floats each measure 84 inches from nose to tail. The Dragon Glitter Ring is a classic, 32-inch diameter ring float emblazoned with characters from the final chapter in the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy.

From Jurassic World, the Blue Raptor pool float and Indoraptor pool float each measure 60 inches by 39 inches. Coconut Float offered a massive, 70-inch Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Tyrannosaurus Rex float last year.

The new floats can be seen in booth No. 1D117 at the Javits Center from Feb. 16-19.

Whatsitsface to Debut at Toy Fair Launch Pad

One plush animal, six faces. That’s the concept behind Whatsitsface, a new plush toy that changes faces six times. The toy will be shown for the first time at Toy Fair New York in the Launch Pad section at booth No. 4502 from Feb. 16-19. Whatsitsface features a patent-pending manual turning device that allows children to rotate and flip the plush toy’s face into six separate emotional expressions.

“Whatsitsface was designed to encourage fun and memorable interactions with children,” says Joanna Paul, founder and CEO of Whatsitsface. “Kids today are too connected to their phones and tablets! Whatsitsface fosters imaginative play and builds emotional intelligence — critical life skills in these interconnected times.”

The initial collection includes Bubba Bear, Meow-Zaa, and Poochie Pie. They are expected to begin shipping this June.

DHX Media Brings the Extraordinary World of Dorg Van Dango to Nickelodeon International

DHX Media brings Dorg Van Dango to Nickelodeon International this year, having signed a new exclusive agreement with the global kids’ broadcaster. Dorg Van Dango is a Canada-Ireland co-production from DHX Media and Cartoon Saloon, in association with Family Channel in Canada and RTE in Ireland. Production on the series’ first run of 52 11-minute episodes is underway at DHX Media‘s Vancouver studio.

Under the agreement, Dorg Van Dango will air exclusively on Nickelodeon International’s channels, including in the UK, Australia, Scandinavia, France, Italy, Spain, Central and Eastern Europe, Poland, Israel, Latin America, Asia (excluding China), India, the Middle East, and North Africa. Commissioning broadcaster Family Channel will air the new series in Canada.

Aimed at kids ages 6 to 11, Dorg Van Dango is the tale of Dorg, a normal kid, living in the very normal town of Normill. That is, until he meets The Magicals — Jet Lazor, the super-cool unicorn; Patronella, an ancient witch; RD, a curious alien; and Yooki, an eerie ghost. They are all escapees from Area 51 and are in desperate need of help and refuge. To have them blend in with the citizens of Normill, Dorg disguises them as teenagers and hides them in the basement of the local shopping mall. With his new best friends attempting to help navigate life’s challenges, Dorg’s world just got a whole lot less normal and a lot more fun.

Dorg Van Dango is based on an original idea by Fabian Erlinghäuser (Song of the Sea, Moone Boy) and Nora Twomey (The Breadwinner, The Secret of Kells).

Cyber Group Studios, Outright Games Team up for Gigantosaurus

Cyber Group Studios and Outright Games teamed up to create the first video game inspired by Gigantosaurus, the new animated television series based on the best-selling book by Jonny Duddle. The cross-platform game will be available for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC later this year. The game will feature the four dinosaur heroes Rocky, Bill, Tiny, and Mazu in an all-new, action-packed story geared toward kids and families.

Gigantosaurus premiered last month on Disney Channel in the U.S., and will be broadcast on Disney Junior worldwide (excluding India, China, and Taiwan). The series is also set to premiere on major broadcast networks, including France Télévisions, Germany’s Super RTL, RAI (Italy), and SRC (Canada), as well as on Netflix in the majority of territories worldwide.

Jakks Pacific is the master toy licensee for Gigantosaurus and is prepping a full range, including figures, vehicles, play sets, outdoor toys, furniture, and Halloween costumes and accessories to hit retail this fall.

Outright Games is known for their growing assortment of family titles, with a library that includes PAW Patrol, Ben 10, and Crayola Scoot, plus upcoming games based on How to Train Your Dragon, UglyDolls, and Steven Universe.

Hasbro Reveals Power Rangers Beast Morphers 6-inch Action Figure Assortment

The Power Rangers franchise is an important one for Hasbro, and ahead of Toy Fair New York the company is issuing one reveal after another. Having already previewed some role-play items and Zords, the Rhode Island-based toy company has released the first official images from their 6-inch basic action figure assortment, plus one more from the role-play range. The full Power Rangers line from Hasbro is expected to be a substantial, franchise-spanning affair that includes items inspired by everything from the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers up to the forthcoming Power Rangers Beast Morphers.

BEAST MORPHERS 6-inch BASIC FIGURES Assortment | Ages 4 and up

The 6-inch action figure collection has long been held as the cornerstone of every Power Rangers line. Hasbro’s first run includes figures with multiple points of articulation, each with two included accessories. Plus, with the included Morph-X key, kids can imagine unlocking powers in the Beast-X Morpher toy (see below). The first wave assortment includes the Red Ranger, Blue Ranger, Yellow Ranger, Cybervillain Blaze, and Tronic.

BEAST MORPHERS BEAST-X MORPHER | Ages 5 and up

In the forthcoming Power Rangers Beast Morphers series, the Rangers morph into their superhuman form by activating their Morpher. Now kids can imagine that they’re activating their own super powers with the Beast-X Morpher toy. Putting it on the wrist and saying “It’s Morphin’ Time” activates music, lights, and sound effects. Swinging it around as if battling monsters unleashes special animal-inspired sounds. Insert the included Morph-X Key to activate different character sounds and phrases. Other Power Rangers toys that include Morph-X Keys will unlock even more sounds and effects.

All of these items will be available at mass retail beginning in April.

My Little Pony Oh My Giggles Pinkie Pie Previewed Ahead of Toy Fair

After releasing year-end financials and several pieces of Power Rangers news, Hasbro dropped an early look at one of the new My Little Pony toys that they’re positioning for the holiday season this year. The My Little Pony Oh My Giggles Pinkie Pie is just one item from a new MLP lineup that will be shown for the first time at Toy Fair New York this month.

The ticklish electronic figure responds to kids’ touch. When kids tickle her chest, Pinkie Pie laughs, and the more she’s tickled, the harder she laughs and the faster she moves. The toy also has a light sensor in the figure’s mouth that can activate unexpected sound and movement when it detects motion. Based on the animated series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Pinkie Pie features long, rooted hair and a signature cutie mark of three balloons. It’s recommended for ages 3 and up.

Toys “R” Us Canada Appoints New Chief Play Officer

Toys “R” Us Canada has a new chief play officer (CPO). Méganne Dagenais, an 11-year-old, steps into the coveted role to be an ambassador of play and to travel her country to showcase the latest toys. The company made the announcement at a surprise party held in LaSalle, Quebec. Méganne scored the position after her submission video beat out more than 200 other applicants.

“I feel like I’m dreaming; I’m so excited,” Dagenais says. “I can’t wait to start testing out all the cool toys at Toys “R” Us Canada and to remind everyone how fun it is to play.”

“We saw a sparkle in Méganne the moment we watched her audition video,” explains Melanie Teed-Murch, president of Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us Canada. “She demonstrated a clear passion for play, contagious enthusiasm, and when we met her in person, she impressed us with her ability to hold a conversation with the adults in the room. We instinctively knew we had found our next Toys “R” Us kid — and it was confirmed by our vote.”

Méganne’s first assignment as CPO will be to attend Toy Fair New York from Feb. 16-19. She will meet with leading toy manufacturers to get a sneak preview of new trends for the year.

Pictured Top: Méganne Dagenais receives her business cards from Frank Juhasz, vice-president, marketing, PR and e-commerce at Toys “R” Us Canada.

Hasbro Unveils Power Rangers Beast-X Ultrazord, Playskool Heroes Megazord for Fall

Hasbro is gearing up to go all-in for Power Rangers. After the first look at their new role-play items earlier this week, the company revealed two more toys from its forthcoming Power Rangers Beast Morphers and Playskool Heroes collections. The Beast-X Ultrazord and Playskool Heroes Power Morphin Megazord play set will be available this fall. See the details below, and expect more Power Rangers news as we head into Toy Fair New York.

Power Rangers Beast Morphers Beast-X Ultrazord Figure | Ages 4 and up

When the villain is too powerful for the Power Rangers alone, they summon their Zords and join together to form the Beast-X Ultrazord, the ultimate in Morphin power. Kids can imagine teaming up to battle the Power Rangers’ toughest enemies. The large-scale action figure can detect certain positions and features more than 30 sounds and phrases, including “Beast-X Ultrazord attack,” “Wow! We’re going fast now,” and “Woah! Everything’s upside down!”

Power Rangers Playskool Heroes Power Morphin Megazord Play Set | Ages 3 and up

Kids can imagine smashing into battle alongside the Red Ranger and Power Morphin Megazord inspired by the Wild Force Power Rangers TV series. The Megazord play set features two-in-one morphing action, which gives kids two ways to play — as a mighty Zord or morphed into a fearsome beast with one easy step. Sized right for younger Rangers, this 2-foot-tall play set lets boys and girls get a grip on big fun. Kids can twist the handle on the Megazord’s shoulder to open the chest and reveal a pop-out lion’s head featuring electronic lights and sounds, as well as chomping action; fire a projectile from the right shoulder with the push-button activated projectile launcher; or open either shoulder to reveal a platform offering the Red Ranger figure a bird’s eye view of the battle, including a pretend targeting system. The Megazord’s right foot opens to uncover a jail cell, and the Blue Ranger and Raptor Cycle can race down the ramp hidden in the Megazord’s left foot.

Hasbro is expected to reveal more of its Power Rangers line, including figures, vehicles, collectibles, and role-play toys celebrating Ranger teams from Mighty Morphin’ to Beast Morphers, at Toy Fair New York from Feb. 16-19.