Mattel - New for 2025

[Dilopho]

It's worth noting that that's a slightly new Dilophosaurus sculpt. The old one didn't have a closing mouth.

[Halichoeres]

Are these the same size as the non-color-change versions?

Yes they are

Thank you!

[SBell]

I wasn't terribly interested in the first wave of Dino Reveal figures but I'm liking these three. Miragaia looks better than the first release of it and it's nice to see Shringasaurus again. I like the colors on the Dilophosaurus.

I like the new shringasaurus colors. If I saw it in store I'd get it but not going to go out of my way for it

[Gwangi]

I wasn't terribly interested in the first wave of Dino Reveal figures but I'm liking these three. Miragaia looks better than the first release of it and it's nice to see Shringasaurus again. I like the colors on the Dilophosaurus.

I like the new shringasaurus colors. If I saw it in store I'd get it but not going to go out of my way for it

Likewise, I already have the other Shringasaurus anyways.

[Faelrin]

Collect Jurassic shared these new in box pics of a couple of the figures. No Utahraptor yet, or the others, but I guess we've seen some of them already in other images (or Toy Fair).

Quetzalcoatlus:





Baryonyx:





Maiasaura:





Nasutoceratops:

[Dilopho]

They honestly look really good, albeit maybe a bit basic. A return to their 2018 style, really.

I like the Baryonyx, but I don't like that its jaw hangs open by default.
They all have nice colours! No painted claws, but that's kind of expected by now.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I feel like the box art is rather..simple as well?  It does have a sort Jurassic Park merged with Jurassic World feel.

[Eatmycar]

Not gonna lie, I really hate the box art because it looks just like the signs for the New York City Subway.



Like... it just clashes so much with the colors and style of the Rebirth logo. I don't get it. Maybe if the dinosaurs were loose in New York City it would make sense, but aesthetically the box is just so strange to me. Whatever, I'm unboxing the few I get from this line anyway.

The Quetz looks great - it's just a shame the head sculpt is so far from the perfect one that Dominion gave us. I think a lot of us would've appreciated an articulated Quetzalcoatlus that can switch from flying to bipedal stance, but for such a goofy design it kinda hurts. Oh well.

Nasuto and Maia look good, but the Maiasaura, like Hypsi and Jakapil this year, has half of its beak painted. The lower beak has no paint, and not only that, the jaw tendons are the same color as the white countershading... and the back limbs on the Maiasaura are really off. I guess they re-used the Edmontosaur legs from years ago with the same issue?

Nasuto looks much better than the ridiculously colorful 2018 one, but it is such a boring two-tone color palette. Haollonggood and BoTM showed me colorful ceratopsians, something JUrassic Park seems to think is impossible.

Don't get me wrong. I hate to sound pessimistic towards a toy line I love, but the mainline just feels like an afterthought compared to Hammond Collection for me when it comes to the deco quality as well as actual articulation and not gimmicks. Trump ravaging the economy with tariffs that will drive the cost of these things up as well doesn't help.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

Wow, yeah it really does. Weird.

I think many of the figures in this line feel like a retread of the Kenner Chaos Effect line. Not entirely bad makes them unique but not the detailed and lifelike paints we get elsewhere.

Might be able to kitbash the old head onto this new body? I wish they had just made a film full of Kenner references. If this were Firebeak I'd be beyond excited. 

[Faelrin]

 Good catch on the Maiasaura hind limbs. Yikes. The forelimbs almost look like the cursed Iguanodon's, but hopefully they won't be as bad. Still a big oof as far as the hind limbs go as ornithopods only have three digits on the feet, something they mess up far too often unfortunately. As far as the paint on the head goes, I'm not as bothered by it as I am with the other two, but it's still not great. This constant cost cutting minimizing the paint is absolutely unfortunate, especially when combined with the ever increasing prices. I mean these almost look as minimal as the budget line figures (and to be fair I do like the colors given to them, I mean at least they do try at times to work around these increasing limitations). It's getting that bad.

Rant/overview of previous years releases thing:

Spoiler

While there was still cost cutting that was evident with 2018's figures (such as no hand claw paint), the feet claws were painted, there was paint all the way to the tail, etc as far as the medium sized electronic figures went. Compare the Allosaurus, Baryonyx, Ceratosaurus, Pteranodon, and "Sinoceratops" Pachyrhinosaurus to the releases now, and there's clearly a stark contrast. The only exceptions to this were the Ankylosaurus, Triceratops, and Metriacanthosaurus from what I recall. Oh and each of these only retailed for $14.99 back then. Maybe slightly less?

2019 was more of the same from what I recall, though most were not electronic to begin with. Only the Ankylosaurus, Baryonyx, Ceratosaurus, and Metriacanthosaurus repaints were.

2020's had some gorgeous figures put out too (Edmontosaurus, Majungasaurus, Irritator, CC Parasaurolophus, although one can see the decrease in paint starting with the tails, sometimes claws as well.

2021's lineup was similar in that regard, with some notable exceptions (like the green Ceratosaurus, and second Allosaurus).

Then Dominion's lineup. Oh boy. Barely any paint past the forelimbs now on most, with no painted feet claws on most (if not all). 2023's was even worse in that regard, and now, here we are. I can't remember if it was in 2021, or after when the hike in prices began, but I definitely remember it in 2022. Looking at the current wave (Ceratosuchops, etc) on Amazon they appear to be going for 18.99 now, almost as much as the Action Attack Carnotaurus, Stegosaurus, and Suchomimus cost back in 2018.

From 2018 to 2021 I collected one of every single genus released (sometimes multiples like the numerous raptors, T. rex, etc). I routinely imported figures from my friend in Germany that had poor distribution here. Though there were occasional struggles in 2020 and 2021 that made that particularly challenging, and so I had to lean off the line. Mainline aside, I collected the minis on occasion, and a couple of the Amber Collection.

Come 2022, and I just haven't been able to do that anymore. I have a list here of every genus I have obtained, that I need to resume updates on. As of now most of my focus is on the smaller creatures that interest me, and the HC. The only medium electronic figures I've picked up since 2022 though include the Liopleurodon, Iguanodon (gift from brother), and Regaliceratops (on clearance at Walmart if I recall). There are a few others from 2022 to 2024 that I'd like to pick up at some point, but who knows when I'll get to it.

As of now I'm mostly trying to save funds up as well, so I'm also slowing down even more on spending.

[close]

[Eatmycar]

The sad thing is that your previous rant/overview is only more applicable as time goes on.

I do get it, though. It's not Mattel's own IP and a cut of the profit goes to Universal so it's hard to go all-in on investing on it like, say, Barbie (or see how Hasbro treats G.I. Joe figures versus Star Wars). There's less product going to shelves as well. We don't see stuff like the attack pack guys hitting Target shelves anymore either, and the failure of the Kickstarter for the gates surely couldn't have helped.

I wonder if this line is suffering a bit.

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

I can always repaint them so that's not a deal breaker at least.

[MLMjp]

Mattel I want to support you everytime you make an ornithopod.

But every time you make an ornithopod you screw up the digit count somehow!

But I still buy it because it is an ornithopod...

[Carnoking]

Anatomical and paint quibbles aside, that Maia is calling my name. I'm sure I'll have to get it and the Quetz at some point despite my growing disinterest in the mainline.

As a side note, I wonder if a big Hammond Collection Quetz is in the cards for Mattel. If so, I wonder which design they would decide to give their attention to

[MLMjp]

Anatomical and paint quibbles aside, that Maia is calling my name. I'm sure I'll have to get it and the Quetz at some point despite my growing disinterest in the mainline.

As a side note, I wonder if a big Hammond Collection Quetz is in the cards for Mattel. If so, I wonder which design they would decide to give their attention to

They better give it to the Dominion design...

On the topic, while I am 90% sure it will be the JP3 one, I can't help to be afraid of the upcoming HC Spinosaurus being a Rebirth one. It would be incredibly stupid for Mattel to actually do this, but you never know...

And speaking of it, any news about it and the Stegosaurus would be great. When it's the next beyond the gates special?

[Blade-of-the-Moon]

We haven't seen any pics yet of the Spino or stego so I'm cautiously optimistic.

[stargatedalek]

I am far more interested in an HC Spino if it's the new design. And Quetz I have no strong preference between them. I don't see why it would be "stupid" for them to make one tying into the new movie.

[Gwangi]

I prefer the Dominion Quetz but wouldn't turn up my nose at a Rebirth HC figure either. Although, with the kind of articulation that the announced Quetz has I don't know that we need one in the HC line.

I have no love for JP3 or its Spinosaurus, I decided long ago that a JP3 HC Spino doesn't interest me. I would probably prefer a Rebirth version. I already plan on buying the mainline one.

[MLMjp]

I am far more interested in an HC Spino if it's the new design. And Quetz I have no strong preference between them. I don't see why it would be "stupid" for them to make one tying into the new movie.

Because ever since the Hammond Collection was announced people have been asking for the JP3 Spinosaurus. Every time a new HC figure gets announced people say "Where is the Spino" "Spinosaurus please" "Make the Spino" "They will do anything but the Spino". Even action figure collectors who don't focus that much on the Jurassic World toys ask about the Spinosaurus.

Everyone and their mother wants a Hammond Collection JP3 Spinosaurus (except a few people here aparently). And considering how controversial the Rebirth Spino redesing is...if the HC Spinosaurus isn't a JP3 one people are going to lose it.

They wil RIOT.

Besides, it would canibalize sales of the mainline one. By releasing two different Spino desings there are higher posiblities of people purchasing both.

[Faelrin]

For real, every HC post for years now has folks asking for a JPIII Spinosaurus. It's also in need of a new sculpt (excluding the recent zombie looking one). The previous one has that dinky tail and huge feet and blobby teeth. I mean don't get me wrong, I love my Legacy spino, but they've come a long way since then.

Edit: I was also freshly turned 10 when JPIII came out. I am also heavily biased. It introduced me to Spinosaurus.