avatar toy augments

Looks like Mattel is going to be taking the leap into Augmented Reality toys, starting off with this pretty cool product line for the upcoming “Avatar”.

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LINK: New Toy for Upcoming Movie Avatar

Kids will now have the chance to play with a different kind of toy. After the success of Mattel with BarbieGirls.com, having 18M registered users, they have now developed a new toy.

The toy line, developed in partnership with Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising (Fox Licensing) will feature heroes, creatures and vehicles straight from James Cameron’s much-anticipated film, which is set for release in December 2009.

The augmented reality technology used for the project was developed by AR world leader Total Immersion. Each action figure, vehicle and creature in the product line will come with a 3-D web tag, called an i-TAG, which consumers can “scan” using a home computer’s webcam.

Scanning the i-TAG will reveal special content onscreen unique to the corresponding product. Exact content varies for each item, but could include biographical information, additional images and animated models of the figures. When the i-TAG for deluxe figures, vehicles or creatures are placed under a webcam, animated 3-D models will “come alive” through engaging, evading or defending moves. Place two i-TAGs from the “Battle Pack” together and the 3-D images will interact with each other.

“The development of our ‘Avatar’ toy line with the integration of the augmented reality technology marks an entirely new level of innovation in toys,” said Doug Wadleigh, Vice President for Boys Action Play Marketing, Mattel, Inc. “Boys will be able to play with the ‘Avatar’ figures and vehicles in ways that previously could only be imagined.”

gozer loves you

Well in 4 weeks, Ghostbusters: The Video is finally going to be released. But look what else is coming to your neighborhood later this year, and all thanks to Mattel! These figures were at the New York Comic Con this year, and more will be revealed at San Diego.

I can’t wait man. If I could pre-order these right now I would. And the fact the proton packs are detachable?!?! Oh man, that’s just too cool for my little mind to handle.

in the words of Dr. Ian Malcolm

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

Hot off the VFX Planet press.

The Joker’s CGI Return?

Yes, we know that the rumor mill is churning out of control on all things related to Batman 3, but this report was just too juicy not to tell you about.

Although it appeared unlikely that we’d ever see the Joker in another Christopher Nolan-directed Batman film after Heath Ledger died, a Warner Bros. source for Moviehole suggests that the Clown Prince of Crime just might end up being part of a third Bat-film after all.

Moviehole’s Clint Morris claims to have “heard from someone at the WB that The Joker may be a part of the next Batman film — if even in a minor capacity. I believe ‘It’s definitely possible; ya never know. Heard some things’ were his exact words.”

The Joker, you may recall, was literally left hanging at the end of The Dark Knight. According to Moviehole, the Joker’s inclusion in Batman 3 would be “merely for storytelling reasons — they want to tie-up the character’s storyline — not because they wanna keep selling the Joker T-Shirt (which, of course, they do).”

While for many it’s unthinkable to even ponder anyone else but Ledger as The Joker (especially given all the awards the actor has posthumously received), the site points out that producer Charles Roven recently suggested to MTV that the role is more important than the actor playing it.

So might the Joker be recast? Or, if it’s just a small role, could Ledger’s Clown Prince be digitally recreated a la Oliver Reed in Gladiator or Brandon Lee in The Crow in order to have the character make an appearance? Given today’s special effects, that’s certainly possible. But, as Moviehole stresses, right now the studio and filmmakers are simply tossing around ideas for a third Bat-film so this is all just RUMOR.

I really hope this is just another rumor a-la Eddie Murphy cast as the Riddler.

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But speaking of the Joker, check out the sweet new action figure Jess got me as an engagement present! All the way from Hot Toys in Hong Kong!

Best…fiancee…ever.

Check out the Hot Toys site for better pictures too, because my iPhone camera just doesn’t do this action figure justice. Not only is it extremely detailed, and come with Jokerized money and joker cards. But you can also cock the guns and even pull the pins out of the grenades! I mean, come on. Doesn’t get much better than that.

much shorter in real life

Here’s your daily dose of awesomeness. Behold, a life size Cylon Centurion….

And all for a very reasonable $7,900! (with a $3,950 deposit of course)

I hear kidney’s are going for quite a nice price now a days, and to honest…who needs two? That’s just being greedy in my opinion. I would much rather have this bad ass stare down friends in my living with his glowing red eye!

LINK: Sideshow Collectibles – Cylon (life size)

The Life-size Cylon figure, as seen in the modern ‘Battlestar Galactica’, is manufactured exclusively by Fred Barton Productions, Inc. of Los Angeles, California, and licensed through Universal Studios. Each Cylon is hand-made using only the finest materials, and overseen by the ‘Robot Man’ himself, Fred Barton.

This outstanding 7-foot replica features both the haunting visor lights of the robotic soldier synchronized to the menacing, eerie hum of the Cylon Centurion. It is sure to impress not only fellow fans of the epic ‘Battlestar Galactica’ saga, but those who are just encountering the stunning Cylon robot for the first time.

khannnnn

I just re-read my last post, and man was it depressing! So to make up for it…I’ve got a few presents for ya.

First off, check out my new toy I got at the mall today with Jess!

It’s the USS Enterprise from ‘The Wrath of Khan’. And when you push down the button on the top it yells out ‘Khan!!!!!!’ So freakin’ cool.

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You know, no matter how doom and gloom I get sometimes, nothing cheers me up like a completely dorky and awesome toy. I also got to dig through FWE’s blu-ray bin and found ‘The Fly‘ starring none other than Mr. Jeff Goldblum. It’s by far on of my favorite sci-fi remakes, right next to ‘The Thing’. My new blu-ray collection is growing quite respectable if I do say so myself.

But wait…that’s not all! Check out the updates around the site! The front page now has a new little featured work section, and the flash gallery has updated content as well. I would have made the updates sooner, but I had to wait until everything was released into the ‘public domain’. There’s even a new ‘About Me’ picture from the ‘Speedshape Peep Off 2008′. And then there are just some minor layout tweaks to help me a little bit.

So again, sorry for the bummer of a post. I hope those goodies make up for it!

Have a great weekend everyone, and I’ll see ya on Monday!