First Look At New ‘Star Trek’ Movie Barbie Figures

The first prototype images of the Star Trek 2009 movie "Barbie" line from Mattel Toys have surfaced at international online retailers this week. In fact, these images are the very first images of any toy from the 2009 feature film. Trekmovie.com provides the details and historical context of the Barbie Trek connection.   

 

2009 Star Trek Barbie Collectors Dolls

The 2009 Star Trek themed Barbie Collectors line will include approximately 12" versions of James T. Kirk, Spock, and Uhura. In keeping with the Barbie line’s recent "popular culture" licensed items, the costumes are very detailed and the sculpts feature excellent likenesses of Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldana. Accessories include a phaser and communicator. These will be available in April of 2009, and should retail for about $45 each.


Star Trek 2009 Kirk, Spock and Uhura Barbie Figures
[NOTE: Not final packaging]

Preorders are beginning at some doll collectible websites now, such as Cheryl’s Dolls.

And remember these figures are in addition to Star Trek movie line from Playmates, which will include 3.75", 6" and 12" figures [see previous TrekMovie story].

A Barbie Tradition
During the previous decade, Mattel has expanded the Barbie line to include popular culture dolls. These items feature the likenesses of the characters from the film or television show they represent, yet are packaged in the Barbie style, are in the Barbie size, and are compatible with other Barbie clothing and playsets. A good example is the 2006 Superman Returns line which featured an incredibly good likeness of Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane.


‘Superman Returns’ Lois Barbie – click to enlarge

Past Star Trek Barbie
To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Star Trek in 1996, Mattel released a Barbie and Ken Star Trek themed collectible set. Unlike the new popular culture line which feature the likenesses of the actors and actresses, this set features Barbie and Ken themselves dressed as Original Series characters. Mattel also released a Barbie and Ken Star Trek watch at the same time. The doll set was ubiquitous, at every retailer imaginable, and today can be purchased from secondary sources and auction for about their original price of $40.


1996 Star Trek Barbie and Ken set

The Barbie Phenomenon
2009 is not only the year of Trek for Star Trek fans, it is also the 50th Anniversary of Barbie herself. The Barbie popular culture line only takes on iconic and enduring characters and entertainment (Wizard of Oz, Disney, Grease, DC Comics) and it is nice that Star Trek is being included in such venerable company. Also, Barbie and Mattel have a presence in almost every toy and retail store. In 2009, products like the Star Trek Barbie line could help to get Star Trek back into the mainstream where it belongs. Also, the Barbie line, like PEZ dispensers, represent an item that has its own collector’s base and as such might help to recruit some new fans to Star Trek. The Barbie collector and the Star Trek collector could both have an interest in the item.

More Star Trek from Mattel in 2009
Barbie isn’t the only Mattel items next year for Star Trek. Available this January is the 20Q Star Trek edition trivia game. This March, the Mattel Tyco line has radio controlled versions of the USS Enterprise and Klingon Bird of Prey as featured in the original movies. Then, Mattel has its Scene It? Star Trek DVD game available this April. TrekMovie will be doing follow-up previews of these new Mattel items.
 

 

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I never have before, but I think I might buy a Barbie! Oh that sounds wrong…

I’m the first(?)

Cool… not bad… for Barbie.

I’d like to see what the phaser and communicator look like!

So much for not collecting the new movie stuff…..sigh. These look too nice to miss.

Liz,
Now all you need is the chair!

I agree with #2!

Don’t encourage me. I’m already looking at larger houses…..

I kid you not.

WHERE’S MCCOY???!!!

The phaser looks like the concept drawings I saw…
like a silvery assault phaser…

Wow! These dolls look great! i sure hope that Mattel goes through with these and doesnt cancel them as they did several other dolls in the past !
Playmates is also coming out with 12 inch dolls from the movie also!

I think Uhura should visit McCoy, she looks like she has a hip injury..

Hm, first look at the new phasers then. Really remind me of TWOK versions…

Does anyone still disagree with me that they’ve trashed the trinity and marginalized ol’ Bones?

I wonder if this also means the final one sheet and marketing materials will use that bland font in place of the iconic TOS font.

“Does anyone still disagree with me that they’ve trashed the trinity and marginalized ol’ Bones?”

How could you release a line of 3 “Barbie” dolls and not have one be a girl?

Tuber, these are Barbie dolls…so it is a no brainer that they need to have Kirk Spock and a girl doll…hence Uhura. Dont read too much into it. But if you want to obsess about figures, then bear in mind that There will be Kirk, Spock and McCoy 12″ figures from Playmates…and no Uhura.

so chill

It is great to have a 6yr old daughter so I don’t feal silly buying a barbie doll. I am sure my daughter needs a Kirk and a Uhura! At least I don’t have to play with Ken anymore.

This is the first time I’ve seen Pine-Kirk (or at least a doll of him) wearing the gold shirt.

That Chris Pine bears a striking resemblance to Hayden Christensson( I know I spelled that wrong) aka Anakin Skywalker.

My wife has always been a Barbie collector, so these will be definite adds. She does have the previous Trek Barbies.

I would think Playmates is going to do their own 12-inch line of figures too. Settle down, mates, there’s going to be PLENTY of stuff to buy this Spring. No need to go buying Barbie dolls just yet!

I might have to get these for my little sister…or myself….

The Captain Kirk figure looks like Charlie X.

So, are these our first glimpses of the movie phasers? If so, I’m pretty happy with the design.

Sleeves on the new dolls look a bit flappy… but otherwise nice.

Now I’m wondering if changing from the original TOS gold shield and rank insignia to the new ST09 silver turns out to be a way of describing the timelines…

Shatner-Kirk is TOS-Gold… Pine-Kirk is TOS-Silver.

If someone wants to remake Trek again in 2066, they can go to Bronze… or Plaid.

Was never a hugh fan of TOS uniforms. I know I am in the minority in this matter–way, way in the minority. Still think they are too colorful, tacky and look more like underwear than uniforms. The less said about the boots and short skirts the better. I wished they would have designed uniforms that slightly captured the look of the old uniforms–assuming that was necessary–but given them a different, contemporary and creative feel and presentation.

#12 and 13

You are basing a lot of assumptions on a barbie doll.

Barbie & Playmates suck!! I hate these cheesey, cartooney looking figures! Give me Diamond Select only, they’re way better!!

They look top notch. I love how the TOS uniforms look. Good stuff.

Even as a Barbie doll, Zoe is hot…

Looking at these reminds me of something that’s been bugging me: the women’s uniforms in AbramsTrek. Sure, I love a nice bare female arm as much as anyone, but where the heck are their rank insignia?

Why the short sleeves, Bob Orci? (if you’re on this thread…) Why the lack of rank for women? Seems…well, terribly sexist. The men get sleeves and insignia, but the women are just eye candy?! Even TOS had sleeves and ranks for the women.

Not a deal-breaker issue, of course–I’m not boycotting the film over sleeves!–but it bugs me.

I hate when they do (make) this stuff. It’s ridiculously stupid and lame. Models of ships are fine, even copies of props are cool, but Barbie Dolls…….??? Stupid.

Are there any larger versions of these images somewhere?

LOOK AT THE PHASERSS!!!LOOK AT THE PHASERSS!!!LOOK AT THE PHASERSS!!!LOOK AT THE PHASERSS!!!LOOK AT THE PHASERSS!!!LOOK AT THE PHASERSS!!!

Is it me, or do these dolls resemble supermarionation puppets?

the women in trek dont need rank, all they need to be is HOT and Im happy, my god look at ZOE…

How soon until the pink My Barbie Starship becomes available? (Batteries not included, accessories sold separately).
“Buckle up, Ken. We’re going to Warp!”

“Buckle up, Ken. We’re going to Warp!”

HAHAHAHA! that’s great!

LOL, I’m not quite sure what to make of this story, but I can only conclude that this is a good thing. They really are putting a lot into this film, huh?

#33 I AM!!!! I AM!!!! I AM!!!!!
Is there a higher rez shot somewhere??????
Gimme PROPS!!!

I wish the first picture were larger. Strange that the male necks are so long, but the sample costumes look absolutely spot-on to the published movie images. Amazing!
As for the critics here dissing Barbie, can you imagine the contempt some Barbie collectors may feel about ‘action figures?’ :-D

How is Kirk a Captain at any point in this movie if he enters Starfleet Academy after every other of the major characters?

#34 Department Q – ‘Is it me, or do these dolls resemble supermarionation puppets?’

Yeah, they resemble something out of Captain Scartlet and the Mysterons in some odd way.

Jeez, I am geezing……..

Spock Barbie looks a bit pale… wait, wasn’t he told that in “Patterns Of Force”?!!!!!!!!

They should have done the movie like “Team America: World Police!”
Now THAT would have been entertaining!

Even these dolls give me confidence in the care being put into this movie.

I figure “Captain Kirk” and “Lieutenant Uhura” on the boxes refers to their eventual TOS ranks. We know Kirk’s a cadet for much of the movie, and Uhura can’t be stuck at Lieutenant forever. Perhaps Spock is too iconic to clutter with a rank.

yes but are these barbie dolls anatomically correct? because in that one scene in the trailer, chris pine is packing Colace™ in his pantalones.

i wonder about these things.

=h=

I purchased the Star Trek Barbie and Ken back in ’96. The first thing I learned about collecting is to never buy anything that says “collector’s edition”, because that’s code for “we made so many they’re never be worth very much”. And here it is, 12 years later, and they’re still not worth any more than their original purchase price. That means I could have gotten a better return by putting my money in a savings account earning 1/2 percent a year. :-(

My God these Barbie dolls require a whole tunic pocket full of latinum!

They look good!

At least they aren’t bow-legged like that TOS Khan figure…lol!!!

Why did they quit putting the blue eyeshadow over Spock’s eyes?

He just never looks the same without it…