How many POTA figures planned?

[apes3978]

DST was only interested in making Cornelius, S.Ape, Zaius, and Zira after Fox shot down characters from the TV show and sequels.

FOX is really on my s***-list right now, mainly due to their "wise" decision to only release the new DVD set on BLU-RAY, not even making the individual releases available on standard disc... I know there's more people that would buy the set if it was released on regular DVD, and even if they'd only make the original cut of CONQUEST as a standard stand alone that'd satisfy most people in the interim (until they can buy a BLU-RAY player.)

This decision to shoot down additional characters from the films and TV series just drops FOX all that much lower on my list... Even though I own all of them as original MEGO figures (so this decision by FOX doesn't affect me as much), the loss of potential figures down the road is what ticks me off... I'm guessing we would have only got the Mego APES reissued anyway, but knowing there was a microscopic chance that more may have been available at some time irks me... FOX is idiotic, I wish they'd farm the APES license out to someone who'd actually do something productive with it...

I believe in Apes - and hopefully one day the franchise will be respected.

I'm with you... I wish APES got more respect than it does, especially by "Joe Q. Public"... One question for you (Dr. Mego) is if the tide turns and these APES end up selling better than they (DST) are anticipating, do you think the line could be resurrected and eventually have additional figures added to it?

Do you think Charlton Heston's estate would allow a license for Taylor?

I'd guess they may have... I mean the MEDICOMS and the SIDESHOW figures were both released while Heston was alive and they're pretty good likenesses of him...

It would have at least been nice, getting urko and ursus again.

I agree here too... But I'm not so worried about having the figures themselves, I was hoping they'd get the green light/go-ahead so I could buy the repro outfit for Ursus and repro knives! (I'd say the repro bandoliers and boots too, but since Dr. Mego has those for sale already, I didn't throw them out there, unless they'd have been available cheaper than what he sells them for now.)

[drmego]

Don't blame FOX

I wouldn't put all the blame for the short-lived line of Apes solely at Fox's feet.
They want to see their properties reach the largest possible audience.

Nor do I think Diamond is to blame for it. Like most things, it's several factors
that contribute.

Comic shops are mainly focused on superheroes with sci-fi a distant second.
The retailers get a county-sized phone book every month from Diamond and
have limited funds to commit to buying product outside of the comics that
drive their business. And since there really are not any "Blockbuster" style
comic shops - it's hard to get big distribution in these stores.

Distribution is key to the success of a product line. The internet was
supposed to be the alternative to traditional retail stores, but it is still
not mature yet - and it may level out at the size of mail order catalogs.
People still prefer the tactile sensation of buying something in person.

The nice thing about a 40-year old franchise is that you can let it rest
for a few years and try again.

[GlobalObserver]

I blame Tim Burton for cheapening and devaluing the Apes legacy with that horrible 2001 fiasco.

[apes3978]

I blame Tim Burton for cheapening and devaluing the Apes legacy with that horrible 2001 fiasco.

I'd agree with you, Burton's "vision" of what APES is certainly doesn't appeal to me... But, he's not the only guilty party in regard to pota2001... There's Richard Zanuck, who was responsible for FOX green-lighting the original PLANET... He was the one who produced pota2001, probably thinking he'd strike gold again, and I believe he picked Burton to direct, saying something like "Tim Burton and APES is like lightning to me" (I know that's not the quote, but it's close enough...) And then even more guilty in cheapening and devaluing APES is FOX themselves... They are the ones that would not allow APES photos to be used in some books around that time, and they are the ones that pretty much hid the fact that the original series existed, all in an attempt to make people, especially younger ones, think that their new abomination "is/was" APES... They treated the original APES like the proverbial red-headed stepchild all in an attempt to get the focus solely on the Burton film... The distanced themselves from APES and it backfired on them...

[LadyZod]

Unless it's stop motion, or it's got Johnny Depp in it, I avoid Tim Burton.

His treatment on Superman was worse than what we got in Superman Returns, and that is saying ALOT.

I know the man means well, but man... Marky Mark? There is so much wrong there that it causes my brain to shut down.

[MIB41]

You meant Tim Burton's Batman? I don't know. To tank the Superman franchise on the first attempt as Brian Singer did was quite a feat.

[kryptosmaster]

You meant Tim Burton's Batman? I don't know. To tank the Superman franchise on the first attempt as Brian Singer did was quite a feat.

I think he might be referring to an aborted Burton Superman film script?
Wasn't Burton attached to the Superman film at one point before it ended up with Singer?

Rich

[The Bat]

Unless it's stop motion, or it's got Johnny Depp in it, I avoid Tim Burton.

His treatment on Superman was worse than what we got in Superman Returns, and that is saying ALOT.

I know the man means well, but man... Marky Mark? There is so much wrong there that it causes my brain to shut down.

Yeah....His other choice was Nick Cage. Thank God He never got to make the movie!!