The Toys Return! (UPDATED 06.08.19)
Earlier this year it was confirmed that Hengxin Shambala Kids (Guangzhou) Cultural Industry Development (HSK) had been appointed by ITV Studios to be the new master toy partner for Thunderbirds Are Go. The deal involves new additions to the TAG toy range as well as some returning items - albeit in new packaging.
This new range is to be distributed in the UK by Bandai, in Australia by Modern Brands and in New Zealand by Planet Fun (other territories tbc). The annual Toy Fair event in London was our first look at the new range - which included new action figures and vehicles (see Blast Process video on YouTube for more).
Modern Brands now have all the items in the range listed on their website along with (rather small) photos and pack shots.
Image above taken from a display at a Hengxin Shambala Kids event in China.
UK wholesale toy distributor A.B.Gee has listings for most of the items listed on Modern Brands Australia’s website including suggested retail price (SRP).
Here’s a list of the new products:
Rescue Mission Thunderbird 2 & Thunderbird 4
(SRP £19.99/£16.99, each sold separately)
“Pilot the vehicle with Virgil in the cockpit, and press the button for launch sounds as you recreate the take-off. Release the grappling hook and see Virgil slide down the zip line to the rescue! Pilot the vehicle with the Gordon action figure, and watch as Thunderbird 4 transforms into a Drill Pod to tackle even the most difficult rescue missions.”
Launch’n’Go Thunderbird 2, Thunderbird 4, Thunderbird S & FAB 1
(SRP £3.99, each sold separately)
12″ Battle-Ready Virgil Tracy & The Mechanic
(SRP £19.99, each sold separately)
“Virgil Tracy is equipped to face any situation. Use the detachable Rescue Claw to assist with demolition, heavy lifting and clearing debris. Use the search-and-rescue light to see into any dark spaces or send out coded signals. Press the button to hear Virgil's voice as he communicates with International Rescue on his missions. Shoot from The Mechanic’s shoulder-mounted projection weapon and bring enemies out from hiding with the searchlight. Press the button to hear The Mechanic's voice, frightening his opponents with threats and taunts.“
Gordon Tracy Rescue Helmet
(SRP unknown)
“Be prepared for any eventuality and save the day like Gordon Tracy with the Rescue Helmet. Put on the Helmet to hear your voice transformed as you speak through your radio transmitter.”
Image of Bandai display at London Toy Fair 2019 courtesy of Blast Process
Action figures of the Tracy Brothers, Kayo and The Mechanic will also be re-released in new packaging along with Thunderbird 1, 2 (with 4) and 3. There are indications that the standard vehicles have been upgraded by removing the buttons (or twisting the waist in TB3′s case) to trigger sounds and replacing them with ‘motion-tech’ - simply fly the vehicle to hear the sounds.
Image of Bandai display at London Toy Fair 2019 courtesy of Blast Process
The Bandai display at Toy Fair London also had a Scott Tracy Deluxe Figure (same scale as Virgil and The Mechanic above), a roleplay Virgil grabbing claw and a simplified version of the Vivid Tracy Island playset (above), but they are not currently being listed. However, if you look closely at the packshots for the Thunderbirds vehicles, the full-scale Tracy Island playset appears to be visible. Again - these packshots are not final, so this information could change before release.
The description on Modern Brands website for the standard vehicles does also include this line of information:
“This vehicle also fits inside the amazing Tracy Island Playset so you can recreate all of the International Rescue missions!“
*UPDATE: UK wholesale toy distributor A.B.Gee now has listings for a Tracy Island Playset (SRP £49.99) and a Motion Tech Vehicle Multipack (most probably the standard Thunderbirds 1 - 4 vehicles but together in a single unit, SRP £29.99).
The toys are likely to be released in the UK towards the end of the summer along with reruns on ITV & CITV and in time for the final batch of episodes that rounds off Season 3 - and even perhaps the end of the series entirely.
*UPDATE: Listings for the products are now up on Argos (temporarily removed 6.8.19) and Amazon in the UK. Amazon has the products listed as available from September 1st.
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*Article updated June 15th, 21st, 24th and August 3rd & 6th 2019.
