Ever since
Hasbro announced doing their first
6" action figure based on the hit role-playing game
Dungeons & Dragons back in
September, the number 1 question I have seen pop up from fans is will they do figures based on the
Dungeons & Dragons animated series the originally aired on
CBS from 1983-1985.
The series which was co-produced by
Marvel Productions and had the animation done by
Toei Animation ran for a total of 27 episodes. The premise of the show was pretty basic as it focused on six kids who while on a funhouse carnival ride were mysteriously transported into the titular realm. Once there they spent most episodes trying to find a way home while helping their guide the
Dungeon Master.
The cast of characters included
Hank, the Ranger, Eric, the Cavalier, Diana, the Acrobat, Presto, the Magician, Sheila, the Thief, Bobby, the Barbarian, Uni, the Unicorn and the
Dungeon Master. I should note Uni was actually voiced by
Frank Welker who of course is better known as the voice behind
Megatron in the original G1
Transformers cartoon.
Like with every cartoon of the time, you also had cool villains such as
Venger, the Force of Evil who was voiced by another famous
Transformers alum
Peter Cullen. Other villains included
Shadow Demon, Night-Mare and
Tiamat who was also voiced by
Welker.
The show developed quit a following from fans, but also experienced a certain level of controversy at the time due to what was perceived as being to violent for a kids cartoon at that time. The show also never aired it's final episode in season three which was titled "Requiem".
Like most cartoons of the time, it to had it's own line of action figures which was produced by LJN in 1983. The strange thing about the toyline however is that it didn't actually include any figures of the main character from the show. Really the only connection the toyline had to the show was that the characters
Warduke, Strongheart and
Kelek who had figures made did appear in some episodes of the series.
So now fast-forward to the present. Several companies have begun doing product from the show including
Iron Studio's who have produced 1/10 scale diorama statues (see below). POP Culture Shock is also supposed to be doing some statues from the series as well.
So with
Hasbro starting to do
6" Dungeons & Dragons action figures, will they finally bring fans articulated figures from the classic animated series? The honest answer is I don't know.
I have not heard any indications that such figures are in the works, and in fact my initial thoughts were that they wouldn't bother doing figures based on such an old show, mainly because I don't think they would get enough retail support for it. The one D&D figure they have done which they offered as an exclusive through their own
HasbroPulse website has yet to sell out.
But then something changed that has had me thinking the chances for getting such action figures has increased significantly.
Earlier this month is was reported that actor
Chris Pine was in talks to star in a
live-action 'Dungeons And Dragons' movie from
Paramount and
Hasbro's own eOne.
IF a live-action
Dungeons And Dragons movie does in fact happen, then that changes the whole retailer landscape. All of a sudden you would likely see places like Target and Walmart want to carry action figures with the
Dungeons And Dragons name on it, even if they are figures based on an old animated series. I mean obviously we would see movie figures as well, but a movie would likely give Hasbro a lot more wiggle room with what they could do with the license.
Like I have seen, I am sure Hasbro is aware that there are many D&D fans who grew up in the 80's that would love to see figures based on the main characters from the animated series and while I won't say it's a guarantee, my feeling is that if a new live-action movie happens, especially if it's backed by names like
Chris Pine, we will see
Hasbro deliver us a whole slew of D&D stuff including collector oriented action figures from the old cartoon.
