Playmobil will launch a Ghostbusters line in 2017

[leefert]

There was a cartoon?

Yes, it was actually a thousand times better than the movie! 

[Klickteryx]

What would be a good choice for licencing?

[GrahamB]

I think that now the Old Boys are gone the Gnomes of Zirndorf are in disarray and casting about for a direction. As we say in the US, they are throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks. Super 4, NHL, Ghostbusters, Asian Dragons - expect more of this sort of thing.

Good point about the NHL stuff.. there is a definite trend here.

...stuff...wall...  I heard a different version of that phrase (graphically illustrated in the movie Airplane!)

[Macruran]

What would be a good choice for licencing?

In my oft repeated opinion, they need to go cultural and local. Greek fishermen, Norwegian oil platforms, and yes Don Quixote please. Armenian history. King Arthur. Finnish epics. They could do an entire Shakespeare theme. This is where PM "fits". And licensing fees will be minimal.

In terms of media licenses? The Prisoner. Obscure kung fu movies. Bollywood. Deep Tolkien (i.e. Silmarillion). Kipling. Mighty Boosh. Blaxploitation. Endless possibilities.

the movie Airplane!

 

[tahra]

Yes, it was actually a thousand times better than the movie!

Never heard of it.. the concept of the movie doesn't really interest me, I suppose. Not into ghosts.

What would be a good choice for licencing?

Well, like someone said, Star Wars comes to mind, duh. I'd prefer LotR, though it is not so "current" (movie wise).

Classic Galactica. Now THAT'd be a license. My wallet would most likely die on the spot, I suppose.

Isn't that a warcraft thing now? I never played, but know the name.. and it has beautiful gorgeous beings.... VERY prone to make armies of... That is the worse about this Ghostbusters thing - it's limited to what? 4 klickys and a couple of ghosts? There was a car, maybe?

[Klickteryx]

Classic Galactica. Now THAT'd be a license. My wallet would most likely die on the spot, I suppose.

Isn't that a warcraft thing now? I never played, but know the name.. and it has beautiful gorgeous beings.... VERY prone to make armies of... That is the worse about this Ghostbusters thing - it's limited to what? 4 klickys and a couple of ghosts? There was a car, maybe?

Warcraft movie, yes. I think this would be too violent as the target audience for playmobil is too young to watch such films.
I think any licencing would have to be for movies or tv that children can watch. Not sure on the Marvel movies but there are cartoons also that are not so violent.
I'd love to see some anime licencing in regards pop culture, otherwise traditional folk stuff is good too.
Does a theme have to be huge?
Ghostbusters could have several ghostbusters - no reason to stick with just four, a vehicle, lab, playsets with different ghosts, pots of bright green slime for the kids to play with.

I'm sure they make more money selling a couple of hundred thousand sets for kids than they do selling a handful of people hundreds or even thousands of army builder sets. Never seen the minimum number needed to make a mould viable so don't know.

Does Europe (not counting the UK) produce anything of note in the way of tv for kids? Or movies? I know Super-4 is European, but it seems that very little ends up in the English speaking world and Europe is a very populated place. Practically everything I watch is made in the USA or by Americans, the British don't seem to do as much these days either.

[tahra]

Warcraft movie, yes. I think this would be too violent as the target audience for playmobil is too young to watch such films.

Uhm, there's that - I didn't watch it, and didn't play it. I just like the looks of it 

Then again, SW is only kid-fit if you only consider the movies (well, most of them)... lightly. Clone Wars is (mostly) NOT for kids... and Rebels has its moments...

I think any licencing would have to be for movies or tv that children can watch. Not sure on the Marvel movies but there are cartoons also that are not so violent.
I'd love to see some anime licencing in regards pop culture, otherwise traditional folk stuff is good too.

Is there any anime fit for children to watch? I'm not familiar with it...

Does a theme have to be huge?
Ghostbusters could have several ghostbusters - no reason to stick with just four, a vehicle, lab, playsets with different ghosts, pots of bright green slime for the kids to play with.

Yeah, maybe you are right. I just think it's such a ... "weak" thing. Again, maybe I just misjudge the popularity of it, but I don't remember it actually being anything "big"...

And green goo really isn't playmobil. That is done already (can't remember the brand). As they shouldn't try to be Polly Pocket or My Little Pony, they shouln't try to be goo. IMO. They risk losing themselves in the middle of all that.

Does Europe (not counting the UK) produce anything of note in the way of tv for kids? Or movies? I know Super-4 is European, but it seems that very little ends up in the English speaking world and Europe is a very populated place. Practically everything I watch is made in the USA or by Americans, the British don't seem to do as much these days either.

Have no idea. Most of what I watch is also american. No cartoons now - ok, Rebels, when it restarts. They STILL don't want our money, or they'd put out a Super 4 dvd edition - FULL, not the robbery that was available before.. 4 or 5 eps per "volume" - are you kidding me!? And not even the complete series. I really don't get it.

[Macruran]

Does Europe (not counting the UK) produce anything of note in the way of tv for kids? Or movies?

How about these for licensing ideas? Asterix. Tin Tin. Sherlock Holmes. Doctor Who. Karl May. Corto Maltese. Judge Dredd.

There must be tons of slightly less famous characters from other countries that would be great licenses.

[tahra]

How about these for licensing ideas? Asterix. Tin Tin. Sherlock Holmes. Doctor Who. Karl May. Corto Maltese. Judge Dredd.

There must be tons of slightly less famous characters from other countries that would be great licenses.

I suppose the first two would be "kid-like"... (though what with all the fuss about Tintin, I dunno..)

Don't know Karl May (Winnetou ? - from google - I think the west is done at the moment)

What's a Sherlock Holmes license?

I only know a couple of images of Doctor Who (he has a phonebooth) or Corto Maltese (he has a hat!) - not for kids, is it?

Dredd is not...

[playmofire]

Sherlock Holmes is the foremost private detective of all time.