Shelf space is the final frontier as Playmobil and ViacomCBS launch the Starship Enterprise

Shelf space: the final frontier. Oh yes, it’s happened; toy maker Playmobil is bridging time and space to release the fruits of a new collaborative alliance with ViacomCBS, for a whole new voyage for the Starship Enterprise this September.

Yet another play for the kidult and collectors space – following a very successful Back to the Future range of vehicles and play-sets, and the teased The A-Team collaboration – the Star Trek universe has joined forces with the German toy company to deliver The 70548 Star Trek – USS Enterprise in toy form.

The new launch – the first Playmobil model of the Starship Enterprise ever developed – is not approaching this collaboration lightly, boasting authentic details and numerous features to inspire fans. In fact, this one-metre long Constitution class vessel promises ‘plenty of mesmerising detail’ that will make it ‘the pride of the Starfleet.’

The Starship Enterprise will be displayed using the specially designed mounting, while lights, sounds, and other technical features will all star alongside a unique AR tie-in app which will act to expand the authentically detailed Star Trek experience ‘much further than the physical product.’

The ship arrives with a total of seven crew members from the original cast, including the first Playmobil Mr Spock, all of whom fit into their traditional places on the bridge of the Enterprise.

“To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, to boldly go where no one has gone before… And now, with the authentic U.S.S. Enterprise and original crew from Playmobil, there will be plenty more space adventures to come,” read a statement from the toy company.

The Star Trek – USS Enterprise will launch worldwide on September 8th this year.

Anderson Entertainment eyes sci-fi cosplay move with Space: 1999 t-shirts

Anderson Entertainment is helping the sci-fi fandom scene into hyperdrive with the launch of a range of cosplay t-shirts inspired by the crew uniforms worn in the live action classic, Space: 1999.

Founded by Gerry Anderson – the name behind iconic shows including Thunderbirds and Space: 1999, as well as the 2005 reimagining of Captain Scarlet, Anderson Entertainment has been eyeing strong partnerships and product roll out to expand its pop culture offering and growth its presence on a global scale.

The Space: 1999 cosplay long-sleeve t-shirts are replicas of uniforms worn by the crew on Moonbase Alpha. The collection has been designed to closely match the original outfits worn by the show’s cast. As in the show, the colours on the sleeves refer to the different ranks and characters in year one of the iconic 1970s Gerry Anderson series.

The collection begins with the black colourway for John Koenig, leader of Moonbase Alpha, and orange for Alan Carter, chief pilot. These will be followed by red (Main Mission/Command Centre) and purple (security staff).

The outfit’s move into the cosplay category comes hard on the heels of a new agreement with rightsholder ITV Studios, which allows Anderson Entertainment to expand its ranges of product derived from its classic brands. This agreement will enable a wide range of new and innovative products inspired by the best-loved Gerry Anderson creations.

The online Gerry Anderson store, whose existing range includes toys, apparel, model kits, gifts, calendars and homewares, is expanding its category offering significantly this year to meet demand. A major move into publishing, focusing on hardbacks, coffee table books, comic anthologies, series guides, audiobooks and more, is already under way.

Writer, producer, director, and MD of Anderson Entertainment, Jamie Anderson, said: “Gerry Anderson fans have been asking whether the stylish Space: 1999 look will be made available to wear for a long time. Well, the first-ever t-shirts in the classic style of the hit show’s uniforms are now on sale, with more designs on the way. We’re delighted with these designs – and we think the massive Gerry Anderson fanbase will be too.”

Anderson Entertainment is a content production company set up by the late Gerry Anderson, creator of Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Thunderbirds Are Go, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, Thunderbird 6, Joe 90 and The Secret Service, along with live-action productions Doppelgänger, UFO, The Protectors, Space:1999 and The Day After Tomorrow, as well as the more recent Terrahawks, Dick Spanner, Space Precinct, Lavender Castle and New Captain Scarlet.

MGM and NACON bring RoboCop back to video gaming with 2023 release RoboCop: Rogue City

The film and TV studio, MGM has teamed with the video game publisher, NACON to launch a new RoboCop video game based on the first three films in the original RoboCop movie universe.

Titled RoboCop: Rogue City, the game will feature a new storyline and is currently being developed by the studio Teyon, the team behind the critically successful Terminator: Resistance. The game has a planned release date of 2023 across console and PC platforms.

A classic sci-fi adventure, RoboCop is regarded as one of Hollywood’s most iconic film franchises of all time. First released in 1987, the franchise continues to resonate with audiences around the world today. Celebrating its 35h anniversary next year, RoboCop enjoys a robust consumer products and licensing programme and boasts a strong legacy in the gaming space.

“We’re delighted to be teaming up with MGM to offer a new vision of a popular franchise that was created over 30 years ago,” said Alain Falc, CEO of NACON. “The game is the perfect fit to pursue our aim of offering different gaming experiences to the widest possible audience.”

Both NACON and Teyon will work with MGM to develop a gaming experience authentic to the RoboCop franchise. The original film follows the story of police officer, Alex Murphy who, when attacked by robbers is reconstructed by doctors who create an unstoppable crime-fighting cyborg.

“We’re very much looking forward to collaborating with NACON and Teyon to bring one of MGM’s most timeless IPs back to gaming platforms with a brand new story,” said Robert Marick, executive president global consumer products and experiences, MGM.

“The film is known for gripping action and complex storytelling, and we are excited for RoboCop fans to experience this first hand through the game.”

More information about RoboCop: Rogue City will be revealed in the coming weeks.

MGM to launch first Stargate SG-1 strategy PC game in Slitherine partnership

MGM has partnered with the digital strategy games publisher, Slitherine to develop and publish the first strategy PC game based on the popular sci-fi series, Stargate SG-1.

Called Stargate: Timekeepers, the title will pick up from the end of the seventh season of the Stargate SG-1 main plot to create an original story that takes place during the Battle of Antartica, in which Command Eva McCain and her team are tasked with supporting the SG-1 against Anubis’ fleet.

The aftermath of the battle sees Commander McCain and her squad face an epic adventure that spans multiple original locations, while players will travel through time and space to save civilians from the threats of alien lords, rescue their friends and allies from danger, and more.

Over the course of 25 years, Stargate has become a cultural hit, capturing the imaginations of sci-fi lovers and inspiring an audience of fans around the world.  The franchise includes three films, three TV series broadcast in 64 countries, an animated series, and a web series. More than 56 million Stargate DVDs have been sold to date, while the franchise has also found its way to graphic novels, games, and more.

“Working on an IP like Stargate is an honor and a testament to our continued effort to reach a wider audience,” said Marco Minoli, Slitherine marketing director. “We strive to capture players’ imagination by creating our own worlds or by forging experiences based on existing, influential franchises. We look forward to bringing Stargate: Timekeepers to life and creating a long-lasting legacy of Stargate strategy games.”

Robert Marick, executive vice president, MGM Global Consumer Products and Experiences, said: “We’re thrilled to work with Slitherine to bring a new Stargate PC game to market, and provide fans the opportunity to experience the Stargate universe well beyond TV and movie screens.”

 Stargate: Timekeepers is a Real-Time-Tactics game developed by Creative Forge Games, an independent studio based in Warsaw, Poland, makers of Phantom Doctrine and Hard West.  The game will release on PC distribution platforms.

MGM now joins a growing roster of licensing partners to have worked with Slitherine in the games space, who has published a portfolio of award-winning titles for consoles, smartphones, and tablets. The publisher has previously worked with the likes of NBC Universal, Games Workshop, Sony Pictures, BBC, Osprey, and more.