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FEBRUARY 9, 2004 at 5:29 PM
Posted by CHEESER
Source: Reuters UK
Manufacturers of children's toys come together
for an annual convention next week at the American International Toy Fair in New York. Harry Potter licensees Mattel, Hasbro and Lego will be present, all hoping for a better year after disappointing industry sales in 2002 and 2003.
A handful of movies coming out in the spring, including sequels to Spider-Man, Shrek and the Harry Potter series, are expected to spawn popular licensed toy lines.
Lego's product line for the Prisoner of Azkaban movie appeared for pre-ordering on ToyWiz in January, but later mysteriously vanished. Thanks to reader Sirius Black (we assume the name is coincidental) and French site La Gazette du Sorcier, we have some images available once again:
USA Today says licensed merchandise, such as those based on popular movies, television shows and characters, comprise 25% to 30% of total toy sales in a year. Spider-Man generated $1 billion in merchandise sales alone.
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Marauder
Points: 3954
jade says:
They look really good well i may go out and buy some of them!!! I know alot of people will though i am sure that their buisness will spark up more now that alot of films are coming out this year!!
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 7:56 PM EST
Head Boy
Points: 486
Maynard says:
I have to confess, this is the one are of the HP universe that I just don't at all participate in.
I guess I'm a Harry Potter nerd, but I can't get into the whole toy thing enough.
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 8:18 PM EST
Witch
Points: 657
Wotcher_Tonks says:
I have a 26 year old son who has collected Lego since he was very young and has now passed it onto his 5year old Nephew, who has had the collection added to with some of the Harry Potter Lego.
As for some of the other merchandising, I do not always agree with it, but the five year old was given The Wizard Chess for xmas, and is already becoming very good at chess.
Not an easy game for all people.
Would he have wanted to learn if it had been an ordinary chess set, hard to say but I doubt it.
All I am trying to say is that if it helps promote dexterity, imagination and patience then I am all for it.
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 8:25 PM EST
Prefect
Points: 345
Mormon_Chic says:
Sounds cool I might have to get soem for a few lil kids i know!!!
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 8:32 PM EST
Witch
Points: 561
zorro says:
Well that looke great too bad i don't like to play with legos.
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 8:34 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1068
Penumbra says:
Awesome toys for KIDS! I think the one with Sirius escaping isn't too realistic but they are nice anyway! I prefer collection HP things.
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 8:42 PM EST
Witch
Points: 955
kab240 says:
Well, I never get those lego's, I'm not sure why, well, for one thing I'd never play with them...
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 8:49 PM EST
Witch
Points: 862
Lilison says:
I really like the idea of having the toys. I would likely build them then leave them alone but it would be neat to have them. I'm such a pack rat.
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 9:07 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1303
wahnaroo22 says:
Way cool! I wish I was kid. Maybe my parents will get it for my little sister and I can sneak in a playtime. The Knight Bus is the coolest!
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 9:09 PM EST
Daily Prophet Journalist
Points: 2597
dance_gear says:
I dont really like legos so i dont have much to say about this. But sinc ehtey are Harry Potter and all i'll make an exception...these are actually kind of cool. The Draco and Buckbeak one is quite nice.Well, i hope that the lego's for POA will sell better than the ones last year.
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 9:12 PM EST
Transfiguration Professor
Points: 2990
Choralee says:
Liek Chogiiiirl, my favorite is the one with Draco and Buckbeak! Legos are okay, but I like the board games better. Wizard Chess, the trivia games. I wish HP would do some "grown up" games like LOTR. Trivial Pursuit. Monolopy. I absolutely love those, and they are hard to play! The questions in trivial pursuit are killers! My mind would love to be challenged about every detail in every HP book!
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 9:54 PM EST
Werewolf
(Moderator)
Points: 5479
MoonyDawn says:
Well more toys for me to run out and buy the kids! They wont mind if mommy plays too!
I really like the Lego sets. Legos are one of those toys that I like the kids to play with anyway because they are both educational and fun! And if they have a HP theme, thats even better!
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 10:38 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 1st Class
Points: 1908
Opera Ghost says:
Why didn't Legos look that cool when I was a kid? Too bad my kids are too old for Legos...maybe their kids...oops! I take that back, too young to be a grandma!
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 10:56 PM EST
Auror
Points: 2034
Professor Snape says:
Thats cool, hopefully the new movie will help generate more sales for the toy companies, maybe if they go to one a year movies, which i hope, the companies won't lose as much money as they would in the off years for the one for two years trend.
Posted Feb 9, 2004 at 10:57 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 81
irfvan says:
Wow, that all stuff are so cool to get play with it. Hopefully, there will be some company which will provide some real wand to play for witch and wizard soon. Ha ha ha!
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 1:07 AM EST
Curse Breaker
(Moderator)
Points: 3786
Galilea says:
I wish I was young enough to play with toys.
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 7:19 AM EST
Chief Brain Washer
Points: 2874
Chogiiiirl says:
I, in turn, liked Choralee's idea of having more "grown up" games for Harry Potter fanatics. Trivia Pursuit sounds good to me. Maybe we should make up the game, and make a fortune off of it (ha ha)!
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 8:10 AM EST
Points: 790
M. Sebastian says:
Not being a Lego fan I hope Mattel comes up with something. I have done library displays using their figures and they are a bit hit with everyone. I just don't find the Legos appealing at all.
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 10:31 AM EST
Professor
Points: 1065
Lerah99 says:
Is it wrong that I find these lego sets charming? It's times like this that I wish my friends' children were older so I could spoil them rotten with these toys. Oh well, I guess I will just have to buy them for myself. I have always liked legos. Probably because one of my earliest acts of rebellion was to steal my older brother's legos.
In general, I haven't been impressed with the HP toys. Then again, I'm sure 23 year old women aren't the target audience. There are more adult products available (and no, I don't mean "adult" in the x-rated sense): the leather briefcase available at the WB store, on Ebay there is a man from Florida who makes replicas of the Sword of Gryffindor, etc... These things just tend to be out of my price range. Hmmm, now, if only someone could convince WB of a happy medium.
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 12:02 PM EST
Witch
Points: 841
evangalista says:
I agree with Lerah99, a happy medium! I'm lucky enough that I have a six year old son that I can buy the Lego's and other toys for, but I would like something more adult also, being 26 myself, and a lot of the other stuff is really expensive!!
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 12:48 PM EST
Witch
Points: 676
Madame Rosmerta says:
Legos rock in my house! Love the Knight Bus!
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 1:02 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1155
MissMaryPotter says:
I just hope they aren't lame. The lego toys look okay, but come one make the sets bigger. I guess the only benefit to the smaller sets is cheeper... but not really. Honestly, they could of done more. Oh well. Personally as a collector, I'm excited regardless.
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 1:07 PM EST
Half-Blood Prince
(Moderator)
Points: 942
Professor Scoots says:
You have to merchandise, merchandise, merchandise. It is all about the tie-in products and product placement. Why can't it be just about the story and movie? Why does there always have to be toys, soft drinks, happy meals, and the other BS associated with a movie?? I know why $$$$. Still I don't have to like it.
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 1:44 PM EST
Professor
Points: 1191
mrsmad says:
I can't wait until the Mattel Action figures come out I collect them though I'm running out of room I guess I will have to have my husband put up some more shelves.
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 5:00 PM EST
Witch
Points: 606
~*~Marauderette~*~ says:
I think my favorite is the Knight Bus. It looks cool. But I never get those things. I have pretty much everything you could have for Harry Potter even toys but I think my parents will draw a line at the Legos. Hmmm...But maybe I can try again...
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 5:23 PM EST
Honeydukes Sweetie Pie
(Moderator)
Points: 4710
Keng says:
I love lego! My neighbour (who had every friggin' lego set available ever) and I used to dump all his lego collections on the floor, take turns choosing what we wanted, and then built giant kingdoms, then going to war. It was awesome...
Posted Feb 10, 2004 at 8:47 PM EST
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