Can We Have Another Discussion About Getting An AT-AT In The Vintage Collection?

Once again, we need to talk about the teaser trailer that does not exist but does. The Manalorian & Grogu teaser that was leaked contained very little new footage. It was mostly a montage of clips from Seasons 1 and 2 of The Mandalorian, but the little bit that was new packed in some "jaw drop", particularly if you're a 3.75" collector. We talked about the Snowtrooper yesterday. Today we turn our sights to the AT-AT, and we're still not touching on all the noteworthy moments. There's also Zeb, the probably return of a Razor Crest, and the AT-RT. Wow. Favreau and Filoni are continuing to dump out their toy boxes (and I'm all for it).

The last time a Hoth AT-AT was released was 2010. The general release was in the Legacy Collection Phase 3 (a.k.a the Shadows of the Dark Side) packaging along side a Toys R Us exclusive Vintage Collection release. If you own that item, I estimate you are in the minority of active Vintage Collection collectors. Most of the fans who were collecting ini 2010 are no longer engaged in the hobby today. Those that onboarded after 2010, might have dipped into the secondary market to acquire the "Big AT-AT", but that price is a barrier for most. It costs about $400 for a sealed sample. That price is going to be problematic below, but for a different reason.

This leaves us in a state where the AT-AT is reemerging in new media, and most TVC fans need one. The community is already buzzing with requests for a re-release, but is it viable? Let's take a look.


The existing AT-AT is definitely not up to the standard of today's releases. It has play features, some of them obtrusive, most notably the joystick that pops out of the back of the hull to articulate the head. And that head is not accurate. It's something that's bothered me about the two 3.75" scale AT-AT's we've had in the line. It's too squatty. The actual AT-AT head is more elongated. I have the Star Wars Miniatures AT-AT Imperial Walker Colossal Pack in my collection for a properly proportioned AT-AT:


I'm not sure either of these issues are deal breakers. No one complained abouot the play features when the BAT-AT was released. I feel that if the head were properly proportioned while also accommodating figures, the overall vehicle would become impractically monstrous. This seems like a compromise we're always going to have to make if we want a working cockpit, and I do. Vehicles need to be able to interact with figures.


I heard a credible rumor that the BMF tooling was in a state of disrepair, and had to be restored for the 2020 Smuggler's Run Millennium Falcon. If the TLC AT-AT tooling hasn't been properly maintained, the re-release prospect might be a nonstarter.


That Smuggler's Run Falcon cost $400, and I heavily suspect that was subsidized by the licensor. That was also "pre-inflation" pricing. I can't imagine that Hasbro could re-release the TLC AT-AT for much less than that. Will there be any market if Hasbro comes in at or higher than the going rate for the 2010 release on the secondary market?


The last big box Vintage Collection general release was that 2020 Smuggler's Run Falcon. Aside from that, any vehicle bigger than the "mid sized" class has been a HasLab. I can't imagine HasLab being used for a re-release. An AT-AT feels too big for the e-tail model, and I can't imagine brick and mortar touching a $400 item these days. Would there be appetite for an all new HasLab AT-AT? It feels like the only option that works.

---

I'm a bonafide AT-AT junky. I own AT-AT's in five different scales (including the Miniatures one above) if I recall correctly. For 3.75", I own both the 2010 Hoth version and the 2013 Endor re-release. Despite that, I would gladly take another one in The Mandalorian & Grogu branding, but I sense it will be a big challenge for Hasbro.

---

comments powered by Disqus