The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled

Saturday, April 23rd, 2022 8:38AM CDT

Category: Collectibles
Posted by: william-james88 Views: 44,564

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Fans were not fond of the WFC show inspired high end statues revealed by Prime 1 Studios. While statues tend to be the only way to get a perfectly accurate character model, like with Bayverse designs, the WFC designs for Optimus and Megatron were based on the Netflix cartoon which simply used the original toy models. Not only are those more basic than a live action movie design, but since they are toys that transform, both Optimus and Megatron had a bunch of kibble and obvious backpacks. Nothing wrong with that on a voyager figure, but fans definitely mocked seeing those designs enlarged with a very hefty price tag. So fans voted with their wallets and there simply was not enough interest in making these statues happen, leading Prime 1 Studios to cancel them.

“To our beloved fans and collectors, We regret to inform you of the cancellation of projects Premium Masterline Transformers: War For Cybertron Optimus Prime (PMTF-05) and the Premium Masterline Transformers: War For Cybertron Megatron (PMTF-06)…

Unfortunately, due to the continually increasing cost of production combined with the insufficient amount of demand and interest, we have made the difficult decision to cease production and development of these statues…”

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Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132019)
Posted by Autobot N on April 23rd, 2022 @ 9:13am CDT

I don't understand why these even existed in the first place

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132022)
Posted by o.supreme on April 23rd, 2022 @ 9:37am CDT

Honestly, it's not just these items,I'm not sure how any company making extreme high end. Collectibles exists. I mean they look great, but I can't think of a single person, even the most hardcore fan of any characters TF, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, whatever....that would want a statue of said character that costs upwards of $1000.

I mean I get sideways glances from some people when I tell them I spent $200 on a 24 inch tall Transformer. Or they look at my wife like " you let him do that?" Which is especially annoying since I am the sole income earner for our family.

I can't imagine the conversation around a $2000 Joker Statue :lol:

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132023)
Posted by -Kanrabat- on April 23rd, 2022 @ 10:09am CDT

Next, how about making perfectly show accurate Unicron Trilogie Statues, Eh, Prime 1? :lol:

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132029)
Posted by SpaceEagle on April 23rd, 2022 @ 11:48am CDT

o.supreme wrote:Honestly, it's not just these items,I'm not sure how any company making extreme high end. Collectibles exists. I mean they look great, but I can't think of a single person, even the most hardcore fan of any characters TF, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, whatever....that would want a statue of said character that costs upwards of $1000.

I mean I get sideways glances from some people when I tell them I spent $200 on a 24 inch tall Transformer. Or they look at my wife like " you let him do that?" Which is especially annoying since I am the sole income earner for our family.

I can't imagine the conversation around a $2000 Joker Statue

The same thought always pops in my head whenever I see this things...like, sure your money do what you want with it but like...a grand for some big statue that'll just...I dunno, look pretty in the living room? Especially odd considering this is based off of a toy that's significantly cheaper...and said toy can ACTUALLY be played with, transform, yadda yadda. At least 200 buckaroos will get you a massive toy that can pose as you see fit and can transform (Earthrise Scorponok, for example), but a grand for something like this is definitely a niche I can't understand.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132031)
Posted by cloudballoon on April 23rd, 2022 @ 12:18pm CDT

The Netflix statues are indeed head scratchers. It's understandable that plans may have been in place before the show even aired. But seeing the show's reception AND how accurate the mainline toys are already accurate? If I were Prime 1 CEO I'd say no to go ahead with the sculpting/production right then and there.

Only hope Prime1 didn't spend much on the development up to the cancellation. If they were able to obtain the CAD files for these, there might have some significant cost savings on the sculpting.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132033)
Posted by ZeroWolf on April 23rd, 2022 @ 12:33pm CDT

o.supreme wrote:Honestly, it's not just these items,I'm not sure how any company making extreme high end. Collectibles exists. I mean they look great, but I can't think of a single person, even the most hardcore fan of any characters TF, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, whatever....that would want a statue of said character that costs upwards of $1000.

I mean I get sideways glances from some people when I tell them I spent $200 on a 24 inch tall Transformer. Or they look at my wife like " you let him do that?" Which is especially annoying since I am the sole income earner for our family.

I can't imagine the conversation around a $2000 Joker Statue

You'd be surprised actually, what's so alien to you or me is a no brainer to those with the money. They don't frequent this site though. Having lurked other places, I've seen people buying these and others. Heck, I've seen people buy far more expensive items then what these cancelled items would have cost.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132042)
Posted by cloudballoon on April 23rd, 2022 @ 3:05pm CDT

You bourgeois & peasants (that's me right here)! From where I live (Toronto, Canada), I see 20-30 somethings driving Ferraris, Lambos & Maseratis all the time, like 90% everytime I drive out for more than 10 minutes on the main thoroughfare. Some have the Autobot/Decepticon 3D logo stickers at the back of their supercars. Other stickers say "this is my grocery car" "gift for my wife" etc.

These people simply have more "parents" money than they can ever spend. They don't care about money, they DO care about buying exclusive stuff for bragging rights.

The stories I hear from my wife who works at an insurance brokerage... man... no job, 20 somethings, owns 4~5 supercars and snapping up multi-million dollar homes. Paying a monthly insurance premium that's 3x more than my own salary.

These are for them.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132043)
Posted by Mirimus on April 23rd, 2022 @ 3:05pm CDT

o.supreme wrote:I mean I get sideways glances from some people when I tell them I spent $200 on a 24 inch tall Transformer. Or they look at my wife like " you let him do that?" Which is especially annoying since I am the sole income earner for our family.

Ask these people which of your bills they'd like to start paying...

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132051)
Posted by ExciKaiser on April 23rd, 2022 @ 6:22pm CDT

SpaceEagle wrote:
o.supreme wrote:Honestly, it's not just these items,I'm not sure how any company making extreme high end. Collectibles exists. I mean they look great, but I can't think of a single person, even the most hardcore fan of any characters TF, Star Wars, Marvel, DC, whatever....that would want a statue of said character that costs upwards of $1000.

I mean I get sideways glances from some people when I tell them I spent $200 on a 24 inch tall Transformer. Or they look at my wife like " you let him do that?" Which is especially annoying since I am the sole income earner for our family.

I can't imagine the conversation around a $2000 Joker Statue

The same thought always pops in my head whenever I see this things...like, sure your money do what you want with it but like...a grand for some big statue that'll just...I dunno, look pretty in the living room? Especially odd considering this is based off of a toy that's significantly cheaper...and said toy can ACTUALLY be played with, transform, yadda yadda. At least 200 buckaroos will get you a massive toy that can pose as you see fit and can transform (Earthrise Scorponok, for example), but a grand for something like this is definitely a niche I can't understand.

While I agree, there's definitely worse on my opinon on the collectible market : Busts.

I'll really, never, never understand the point of busts. Transformers or any other franchise.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132053)
Posted by -Kanrabat- on April 23rd, 2022 @ 6:41pm CDT

ExciKaiser wrote:While I agree, there's definitely worse on my opinon on the collectible market : Busts.

I'll really, never, never understand the point of busts. Transformers or any other franchise.

Mei neither. I find them creepy and unattractive.
Unless it's the classic ones from the Antique Roman era.

Those are freaking awesome.

But with a modern character with a modern design in colors? It just doesn't work for me.

All of my nopes.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132058)
Posted by 1984forever on April 23rd, 2022 @ 11:16pm CDT

I don’t know who buys these things. I’ve been inside my share of luxury apartments on Park Ave, 5th Ave, Central Park West etc. and I have yet to see a sci-fi statue. The closest would be Ralph Lauren’s suit of Storm Trooper armor.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132060)
Posted by Emerje on April 24th, 2022 @ 12:43am CDT

1984forever wrote:I don’t know who buys these things. I’ve been inside my share of luxury apartments on Park Ave, 5th Ave, Central Park West etc. and I have yet to see a sci-fi statue. The closest would be Ralph Lauren’s suit of Storm Trooper armor.

It doesn't have to be that sort of person that buys these. These statues are made for people who are fans of a show or a comic or whatever, but don't necessarily want to buy a "toy", just something that'll look good on a shelf. These are for people who want something sizeable that represents something they liked from that series. As expensive as these statues are, the people buying them are probably spending less in a year on statues than many of us are spending in a year on toys, even if they're buying just one $3K statue. If you ask the average person on the street what sounds more acceptable, $1K in 20 action figures or $1K in 3 character art statues, they're probably going to say the statues. Over on MyFigureCollection.com there's a lot of people who post pictures of their anime figure collections that are loaded with $300+ statues and $800+ dolls and in many cases they're teens and 20-somethings and not even American.

-Kanrabat- wrote:Mei neither. I find them creepy and unattractive.
Unless it's the classic ones from the Antique Roman era.

Those are freaking awesome.

But with a modern character with a modern design in colors? It just doesn't work for me.

All of my nopes.

Fun fact, all those famous white marble Greek and Roman statues were originally painted over, but in many cases the "archeologists" (using that term loosely) removed whatever paint was left because they thought it looked better. Scientists have used techniques to pick out what color pigment they were originally painted in thanks to remaining traces in the stone.

Emerje

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132068)
Posted by ZeroWolf on April 24th, 2022 @ 4:07am CDT

I never knew that, thanks Emerje! So cultures like the Romans were the first minature painters :lol:

(Okay they aren't minis, but my point stands!)

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132076)
Posted by primalxconvoy on April 24th, 2022 @ 4:50am CDT

I'm sure the R&D on those Siege statues wasn't that much. They probably just bought a bunch of the original toys, dipped them in plaster of Paris and called it a day...

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132083)
Posted by -Kanrabat- on April 24th, 2022 @ 6:13am CDT

Emerje wrote:Fun fact, all those famous white marble Greek and Roman statues were originally painted over, but in many cases the "archeologists" (using that term loosely) removed whatever paint was left because they thought it looked better. Scientists have used techniques to pick out what color pigment they were originally painted in thanks to remaining traces in the stone.

Emerje

Oh yeah, I remember that fact.
One more proof that like journalists, historians either frame/lie/mistake the events all the time and to know the real truth, one needs to dig deeper.

Made me remember about that belief we had for hundreds of years that the Egyptian pyramids were built by slaves until we found the ledgers that proved that they were built by regular paid workers.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132089)
Posted by william-james88 on April 24th, 2022 @ 9:51am CDT

-Kanrabat- wrote:
Emerje wrote:Fun fact, all those famous white marble Greek and Roman statues were originally painted over, but in many cases the "archeologists" (using that term loosely) removed whatever paint was left because they thought it looked better. Scientists have used techniques to pick out what color pigment they were originally painted in thanks to remaining traces in the stone.

Emerje

Oh yeah, I remember that fact.
One more proof that like journalists, historians either frame/lie/mistake the events all the time and to know the real truth, one needs to dig deeper.

Made me remember about that belief we had for hundreds of years that the Egyptian pyramids were built by slaves until we found the ledgers that proved that they were built by regular paid workers.

Excuse me, I think we all know who really built the pyramids.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132100)
Posted by Sabrblade on April 24th, 2022 @ 11:39am CDT

william-james88 wrote:Excuse me, I think we all know who really built the pyramids.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132127)
Posted by Fires_Of_Inferno on April 24th, 2022 @ 3:14pm CDT

I imagine that things like these are more targeted to youtubers who can afford/are given these high-end products who then hype other people up to buy them. It worked with Unicron, but with statues... Non-transforming Transformers are always a hard sell in the first place, but a statue that looks like it should transform because it's made with all the kibble that the toy has? I can see why that's a dumb idea. If I want to buy a big statue of Godzilla, I want it to look like what I see on screen. I don't want it to have non-functioning joints and seam lines that mirror a Godzilla toy.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132131)
Posted by ZeroWolf on April 24th, 2022 @ 3:30pm CDT

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:I imagine that things like these are more targeted to youtubers who can afford/are given these high-end products who then hype other people up to buy them. It worked with Unicron, but with statues... Non-transforming Transformers are always a hard sell in the first place, but a statue that looks like it should transform because it's made with all the kibble that the toy has? I can see why that's a dumb idea. If I want to buy a big statue of Godzilla, I want it to look like what I see on screen. I don't want it to have non-functioning joints and seam lines that mirror a Godzilla toy.

How about seam lines that make it look like a costume ala the original 50s/60s era costumes.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132132)
Posted by Fires_Of_Inferno on April 24th, 2022 @ 3:38pm CDT

ZeroWolf wrote:
Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:I imagine that things like these are more targeted to youtubers who can afford/are given these high-end products who then hype other people up to buy them. It worked with Unicron, but with statues... Non-transforming Transformers are always a hard sell in the first place, but a statue that looks like it should transform because it's made with all the kibble that the toy has? I can see why that's a dumb idea. If I want to buy a big statue of Godzilla, I want it to look like what I see on screen. I don't want it to have non-functioning joints and seam lines that mirror a Godzilla toy.

How about seam lines that make it look like a costume ala the original 50s/60s era costumes.

Ohh, good question! If it's something like that then honestly I would hope that it also has something like a removeable/replaceable head piece so the actor wearing the suit is visible. That would be pretty awesome!

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132134)
Posted by ZeroWolf on April 24th, 2022 @ 3:48pm CDT

Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:
Fires_Of_Inferno wrote:I imagine that things like these are more targeted to youtubers who can afford/are given these high-end products who then hype other people up to buy them. It worked with Unicron, but with statues... Non-transforming Transformers are always a hard sell in the first place, but a statue that looks like it should transform because it's made with all the kibble that the toy has? I can see why that's a dumb idea. If I want to buy a big statue of Godzilla, I want it to look like what I see on screen. I don't want it to have non-functioning joints and seam lines that mirror a Godzilla toy.

How about seam lines that make it look like a costume ala the original 50s/60s era costumes.

Ohh, good question! If it's something like that then honestly I would hope that it also has something like a removeable/replaceable head piece so the actor wearing the suit is visible. That would be pretty awesome!

I've seen vinyls that are similar to that concept, recreating the likeness of the first actor to wear the costume. I'd be surprised if there hasn't been high end products...with the amount of Tokusatsu content, there would be plenty to fill a line with

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132162)
Posted by Emerje on April 25th, 2022 @ 1:48am CDT

primalxconvoy wrote:I'm sure the R&D on those Siege statues wasn't that much. They probably just bought a bunch of the original toys, dipped them in plaster of Paris and called it a day...

What are you, 80 or something? :lol:

That's too expensive. They either were given the cad files by the animation production team or scanned the original figures and modified them as necessary. I doubt they sculpted these by hand.

Emerje

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132167)
Posted by ZeroWolf on April 25th, 2022 @ 3:15am CDT

Emerje wrote:
primalxconvoy wrote:I'm sure the R&D on those Siege statues wasn't that much. They probably just bought a bunch of the original toys, dipped them in plaster of Paris and called it a day...

What are you, 80 or something? That's too expensive. They either were given the cad files by the animation production team or scanned the original figures and modified them as necessary. I doubt they sculpted these by hand.

Emerje

I favour the cad files option, as that seems the most likely.

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132244)
Posted by primalxconvoy on April 26th, 2022 @ 3:40am CDT

Emerje wrote:
primalxconvoy wrote:I'm sure the R&D on those Siege statues wasn't that much. They probably just bought a bunch of the original toys, dipped them in plaster of Paris and called it a day...

What are you, 80 or something? That's too expensive. They either were given the cad files by the animation production team or scanned the original figures and modified them as necessary. I doubt they sculpted these by hand.

Emerje

Methinks you misinterpreted it. I meant that they took the toys, posed them, covered them in a thin layer of PoP, then painted them to look "all artistic-like" and then expected to sell them off for a pretty penny...

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132253)
Posted by Emerje on April 26th, 2022 @ 7:56am CDT

primalxconvoy wrote:
Emerje wrote:
primalxconvoy wrote:I'm sure the R&D on those Siege statues wasn't that much. They probably just bought a bunch of the original toys, dipped them in plaster of Paris and called it a day...

What are you, 80 or something? That's too expensive. They either were given the cad files by the animation production team or scanned the original figures and modified them as necessary. I doubt they sculpted these by hand.

Emerje

Methinks you misinterpreted it. I meant that they took the toys, posed them, covered them in a thin layer of PoP, then painted them to look "all artistic-like" and then expected to sell them off for a pretty penny...

That's even worse! Not only is that incredibly impractical (why not say super glue?) since you'd lose all the details and have to sculpt in new ones, it would be too small.

Emerje

Re: The WFC Optimus and Megatron Statues Most Mocked by Fans Have Been Cancelled (2132257)
Posted by primalxconvoy on April 26th, 2022 @ 9:10am CDT

Emerje wrote:
primalxconvoy wrote:
Emerje wrote:
primalxconvoy wrote:I'm sure the R&D on those Siege statues wasn't that much. They probably just bought a bunch of the original toys, dipped them in plaster of Paris and called it a day...

What are you, 80 or something? That's too expensive. They either were given the cad files by the animation production team or scanned the original figures and modified them as necessary. I doubt they sculpted these by hand.

Emerje

Methinks you misinterpreted it. I meant that they took the toys, posed them, covered them in a thin layer of PoP, then painted them to look "all artistic-like" and then expected to sell them off for a pretty penny...

That's even worse! Not only is that incredibly impractical (why not say super glue?) since you'd lose all the details and have to sculpt in new ones, it would be too small.

Emerje