The Transformers: The Movie wrapped its 40th anniversary theatrical run with more than $4.15 million from 1,454 theaters. The 12-minute Optimus Prime: Awakening short that played with it left most of the panel baffled. Hasbro is turning the short’s Megatron-cannon Bumblebee into a $29.99 figure, and ExVee warns that price previews $29.99 deluxes next year. The crew also sizes up the Toys “R” Us comeback, Jada’s fourth wave of G1 Nanofigs and the Yolopark Autobot Powerplex. In What We Got This Week, Matt lands a second HasLab Liokaiser, ExVee checks Legends Greatshot off his Titans Return list, and Brian calls Grave Digger Grimlock worth every penny.

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The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary Finishes Its Opening Weekend Above $4.15 Million

The Transformers: The Movie earned $4,156,531 from 1,454 theaters in its 40th anniversary run. Brian figures the Fathom event turned a profit for Hasbro, or broke even at worst. Most of the talk centered on Optimus Prime: Awakening, the 12-minute short that screened with the film. Diecast couldn’t tell what it was meant to be. He passed along Dan Gilvezan’s word that it ties into a Netflix series. Don said it told him nothing and everything. Matt read it as Optimus Prime accepting his death, something the movie already covered. ExVee sees the same misreading of Optimus Prime that has run since the live-action films. Rob thinks the short was a series preview drafted into the anniversary run. Everyone agreed the two-minute Peter Cullen tribute before the film was magnificent. It’s on the official Transformers YouTube channel. [Source: TFW2005]

Optimus Prime: Awakening Bumblebee Gets Official Details and Preorders

Hasbro is making the Megatron-cannon Bumblebee from Optimus Prime: Awakening, priced at $29.99. Diecast dubbed him Horny Bumblebee and wants the Decepticon symbol from the short. ExVee explained that the shoulder on the Devastation Bumblebee mold is nylon and can’t take paint. He noted Hasbro spent retooling budget on a new forearm, head and cannon. ExVee also warned the price previews deluxe figures hitting $29.99 next year. Listings disagree on timing, with some pointing to November 2026 and others to 2027. [Source: TFW2005]

Toys “R” Us Is Opening 120 New Stores, and Grownup Collectors Are the Reason

Toys “R” Us is opening 120 new stores this holiday season. Diecast’s reading is that the stores combine with the Go game stores already in some malls. Brian recently visited a U.S. Toys “R” Us and found discount-store toy inventory in a CVS-sized space. ExVee has zero expectations but will visit one for the novelty. Diecast plans to photograph the location near him. [Source: NBC News]

Hot Wheels Color Shifters Bumblebee Reaches U.S. Retail

The color-changing Color Shifters Bumblebee has turned up at U.S. retail. Diecast pointed out it shifts to purple, a color Bumblebee has never worn. Don suggested gold would have fit the character better. ExVee’s theory is that the starting color limits the shift color. [Source: TFW2005]

Jada Toys Shows G1 Nanofigs Series 4

Jada Toys is adding a fourth wave of die-cast G1 Nanofigs. The lineup includes Shattered Glass Optimus Prime, Shattered Glass Megatron, Delta Magnus and G2 Mirage. Brian calls them nice desk fodder and loves seeing G2 Mirage. Matt noted Hasbro still seems set against a Diaclone Mirage. [Source: TFW2005]

Blokees Reveals Black Jetwing Optimus Prime

The Blokees Champion Class DX Jetwing Optimus Prime Black Version stands 11.5 centimeters with LED lighting. ExVee compared the look to Nemesis Prime colors. Brian finds it striking but isn’t buying. Diecast loves Blokees but passed because it isn’t accurate to anything. The panel praised his restraint. [Source: TFW2005]

Battersea Store Gets Exclusive Yolopark Autobot Powerplex

In-hand photos show the Yolopark AMK Pro Autobot Powerplex from the Transformers Store at Battersea Power Station. ExVee puts it around Leader Class size. Brian and Diecast both ordered one. Brian is glad to support a figure of the store’s mascot. Neither is sure when it ships. [Source: TFW2005]

What We Got This Week

Chris (Exvee)

Chris finally found Devastation Optimus Prime at Ross for $11.99, and he actually likes it. The robot mode holds together well, and it has a removable Matrix. He wishes it came with a rifle instead of the Energon axe. Rob pointed out that any Transformers gun is accurate for Devastation Optimus Prime. Next was Target’s More Than Meets the Eye Earthrise Prowl in opaque plastic. It may rival Reveal the Shield Jazz as his favorite Autobot car mold. His big pickup was Takara Legends LG-EX Greatshot, bought from Quentin in the RFC Discord. It fills a major gap in his Titans Return goal, which is now down to 15 or 16 pieces.

Don

Don picked up a yellow dinosaur-themed Quantum Hero auxiliary robot. It turns into an armored truck, and its ankylosaurus partner becomes a giant hammer. He also got a Metal Cardbot phoenix auxiliary that splits into a shield and sword, for $42 shipped. Matt’s Studio Series Cliffjumper talked him into one, and he blames Matt. Target’s sale and some Donanomics landed him the gold Galaxy Force Vector Prime recolor. He also found Prowl at Target and got the sale price back the next day. At Walmart he grabbed the Blokees Action Edition Soundwave with Ravage, Laserbeak, Rumble and Ratbat. He also got the Blokees Action Edition reformatting Megatron for $29.99. Diecast says that one is the best-looking reformatting Megatron out there.

Diecast

Diecast opened his More Than Meets the Eye Prowl and says everything feels tight. His only warning is that the waist can pop off its mushroom peg. Target also re-offered his canceled Starscream preorder and held it in his cart for 24 hours. He passed, since Matt already got him one. He still applauds Target for making it right.

Rob Clay

Rob Clay had nothing in Transformers this week.

Brian

Brian started with the Culturefly Optimus Prime popcorn bucket, with light-up eyes and room for a very respectable urn. From Artfire2000 came a boxed G1 Shrapnel with a repro bubble. He also got the More Than Meets the Eye Studio Series Hot Rod, now his definitive Hot Rod. His favorite pickup in a while is Monster Jam Grave Digger Grimlock, which he called worth every penny. He landed an empty gold box Grimlock box for his G1 Grimlock, with a repro bubble on the way. He also got a boxed G1 Perceptor without accessories and a complete boxed G1 Silverbolt. A sealed G1 Crankcase joined the shelf too. From last week’s auction came an AFA 75 G1 Seaspray, a longtime favorite. Last, he finally has the Encore Big Convoy with the Matrix Buster.

Matt

Matt used Target’s sale for the Studio Series Insecticons and a $35 Nexus Prime. He also got Studio Series 86 Shockwave, whose smoother look he prefers. Missing Link Delta Magnus stunned him with its indigo blue in person. His “stupid” purchase was a second HasLab Liokaiser, giving him a built combiner and a separate team. He calls it his favorite HasLab so far.

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