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Heath Ledger’s Joker Action Figure Revealed
Lots of toy news has been crossing my path lately with my fascination and Peter Pan syndrome, however news of Mattel’s Joker figures inspired by Heath Ledger’s role in the Dark Knight caught me as odd.
Cinematical reports:
The image comes from The New York Post, who revealed it along with a quote from the Ledger family: “Heath was very proud of his work in the film, and his family is aware and supportive of Warner Bros. and its partner’s plans for the movie.” Mattel will sell two versions of the doll, with both hitting toy shelves this May (two months prior to The Dark Knight landing in theaters on July 18).
So the announcement of Mattel putting out a toy to promote the movie isn’t a strange event. But the timing seems a little puzzling to me. A couple weeks before the movie? A month even? Seems a little soon.
But the thing that gets me the most is that there are no OTHER character toys being announced. Just Joker. Heath Ledger’s Joker. Did they have the marketing plans to release this figure this early before Ledger’s passing?
Is this marketing to capitalize on the tragic death of this movie’s co-star? Well Mattel says Ledger’s death is “not exactly a marketing point,” but to me that sounds like someone saying they are marrying a dying rich millionaire and saying the fact he has money is “not exactly the point”.
Not exactly. Just maybe 90% of the motive here. What do you think?
actually there is a thread on a drawing forum I got to that has pictures of toys of other characters. Except they are odd characters. One being “Firefly” and another being “Slade”. Apparently they are 2 Batman villains. I’ve only heard of Firefly but I thought he was connected to Spiderman.
That toy looks shitty. Doesn’t even look like him in the face.
More than likely the timing of Ledger’s death is related to this toy being made. I am sure other toys will be released as it draws nearer to the release of the movie, but I would bet they are marketing to those that want something tangible to hold onto in his memory.
Well, this toy was just “revealed” at the American International Toy Fair, along with many, many other toys from various movie properties like Hulk, Iron Man, and Indiana Jones. This is the place where toy manufacturers hawk their wares and try to get stores to carry them, so I would say “no” to this being some sort of marketing gimmick to coincide with his death.
Many Superhero movies have their action figures released months before the movie – like Spiderman. Often the toys are only loosely based on the film as the target market for the action figures are more than likely too young to even see the film in theatres. The more adult collectables are released after the film is released.
heres a close up of it.
it looks really awful.
http://photos.imageevent.com/batmanonfilm/thedarkknightimages/heath-joker-action-figure1.jpg
Well thats true that some toy companies release a starting toy series b4 the movie comes out. To say Mattel is only showing the Joker character to capitalize on the actors death is highly suspicious but not realistic. The marketing of The Dark Knight has always been the Joker and this is an example that they wont change there marketing because of the actors death. Instead of looking at this as negative, look at as positive. Mattel, and Warner Bros feels that Ledgers performance is so good they decided that he is to TDK as Depp is to POTC.
The Transformers movie toys and Spiderman 3 movie toys came out a month or 2 before the actual films were released… I don’t see the problem with it being out so early.
Oh, and there are pictures of a “Two-Face” figure around the net also:
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news08/080220c.php
Not just the Joker
DANM TWO FACE LOOKS SCARY AS HELL!!!
THANKS mikey!
He quite like the long halloween two-face
Something smells fishy here. Despite what anyone in Hollywood says, they truly are all just out to make money and if they can do it using someone’s death, then that’s just what they are going to do. Unfortunately.
While it is more than likely the figure was planned/made before Ledger’s passing, and it is not unusal for such items to be dispayed at toy fairs months prior to the film…
Would YOU want that with Heath’s likeness on your shelf?
A month after his untimely death?
No, I didn’t think so.
Darned if you do, darned if you don’t.
Looks awful. Mcfarlane Toys should have done this figure.
So, you’re implying that the figure would not have been released now had Ledger not died?
Wow.
Maybe it was the plan to release the Joker first because his character was the biggest marketing point for the movie long before Heath died.
Remember all the viral marketing online that focused solely on the Joker? Notice how the focus of the trailers and teasers was on the Joker long BEFORE his death?
Actually, you’re wrong Rodney, Mattel HAVE announced that they are releasing a full line of Batman merchandise. This wasn’t so much “announced” as just on display for retailers to purchase at Toy Fair, which is always held this time of year.
The timing is not suspicious as the toy line of any major film is always released with most of the merchandise well before the films release. It’s like a form of advertising these days.
Not that you’d probably be interested, but here’s a gallery with 8 pages of pics just to show you that Mattel is making heaps of DK figures.
The Joker figure in this article is for the “collector” line. You’ll see in the gallery that there is a kid-friendly Joker without the scarring, and actually looking less like Ledger too.
Considering that this figure would have been made anyway, had Ledger still been alive (this IS one of the biggest films of 2008 afterall) I fail to see the need to be so cynical about it.
The Joker action figure as well as the movie trailer and posters were all planned around Heath Ledger’s character. Studio execs hesitated at first about moving forward with their initial plans after Heath’s death that is until Heath Ledger’s family gave them the “go ahead”. I think they should go full force…because thats how Heath Ledger played this character. He is supposed to be incredibly amazing in this role and by God I say, lets have it all! As the Joker would say “Why So Serious”? (insert evil laugh here)
I have been a collector for years. The intention has never changed. The attention in this case has.Only because of his(Ledgers) death do we question the release of materials and products. This is normal and with the blessing of the family. Besides, why shouldn’t he go out with a bang? He deserves credit and fame for what will be one of the best villians of all-time……
Its a toy. The movie hype was nuts, they cashed in on that.