McFarlane makes Beowulf toys
Spawn creator's company will produce action figures based on film
Start saving your pennies, Beowulf fans. McFarlane Toys got the license to produce figurines based on Roger Zemeckis' upcoming motion capture flick.
(Source: www.icv2.com)
McFarlane Toys is now the official licensee for action figures based on Paramount Pictures' upcoming Beowulf.
This movie is directed by Roger Zemeckis and was adapted from the 8th Century poem by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary. It uses the same motion capture style that Zemeckis used in Polar Express and Monster House. The flick stars the voices of Ray Winstone, Robin Wright-Penn (The Princess Bride), Crispin Glover, Alison Lohman and Angelina Jolie. It's due in theatres November 16th.
The toys will retail between $10 and $15. The first series, which is due in the fall, will feature figurines based on Young Beowulf, Grendel, Dragon and Grendel's Mother (Lizard Manifestation).
Neil Gaiman fans will notice more than a hint of irony in this news, since Gaiman sued McFarlane Toys founder Todd McFarlane in 2002 over the creation of 3 characters in the Spawn universe.
In 1997, Gaiman and McFarlane signed a deal where Gaiman handed over his copyright of Medieval Spawn, Angela and Cogliostro in exchange for McFarlane's share of the copyright for British superhero Miracleman (actually McFarlane only owned trademarks for Miracleman logos: this little tidbit only became clear after the lawsuit concluded). However, McFarlane reneged on the agreement, which resulted in Gaiman successfully suing McFarlane in 2002. The two are still fighting over ownership of Miracleman but no further lawsuit has yet been filed.
Started by comic book writer/artist Todd McFarlane in 1994, McFarlane Toys is known for its PG (and occasionally R) rated toys based on such properties as McFarlane's Spawn universe. The figurines geared for young adults and are more like collectible statuettes than actual toys, since they're not as articulated.
McFarlane has licensed toys for The Simpsons, Corpse Bride and Where the Wild Things Are, as well as producing figurines based on such historical figures as Billy the Kid, Elisabeth Bathory, Rasputin and Vlad the Impaler. They're also known for creating several images based on rock bands KISS, Mötley Crüe and The Beatles, as well as their rock guitarists series featuring Jimi Hendrix, Slash, Zakk Wylde and Randy Rhoads.
