QMx Made Props For Star Trek Into Darkness (& Replicas Available To Buy This Summer) + Hot Wheels Into Darkness Die-Cast

Replica maker Quantum Mechanix has announced that they had a role to play in Star Trek Into Darkness, actually making some of the props used in the film. And they are making some of these available to purchase including Starfleet rings, vehicle model replicas, phasers and more. Get all the details below.

 

QMx Creates “Screen-Authentic” Props for  Star Trek Into Darkness

Quantum Mechanix, the creative studio and developer of screen-accurate replicas and collectibles revealed this week that they were responsible with making many of the actual props used in Star Trek Into Darkness. QMx began making Star Trek replicas after the release of the 2009 Star Trek film and Bad Robot was so impressed with their work, that they brought them in to do the real thing for the sequel. Probably the most prominent set of props they made was  the “history of starflight” series of models seen on Admiral Marcus’ desk. QMx made all fourteen of the filming miniatures at their FX Cinema Arts premier model-making center (where all of their Artisan ship models are constructed). The line-up included both models of historical craft as well as some pieces from Trek’s future history including the NX-01, the U.S.S. Kelvin and the Ring Ship.


History of Spaceflight models shown on QMx site

“It was an honor in every possible measure,” said QMx CEO Andy Gore speaking to TrekMovie about working on Into Darkness. “We had a small contribution to the film but we were happy to help. Everyone here takes the responsibility of Star Trek very seriously. We are fans too and just humbled by the experience.” According to gore it took a team of six model makers about two months to create the history of spaceflight miniatures. Each one required a different approach. Some (such as the ring ship or the Kelvin) which were modified and could have the basis made in a 3D printers, others (such as the Vostok) required more time an research as there was little source material available and were built from scratch.

And being that QMx are in the business of selling replicas, they are already putting plans in motion to make some of the history of spaceflight miniatures available for purchase. The first one to be made available will be a limited run of 25 ring ship miniatures made to the same size as the one used in the movie and by the same Artisan shop. Those will be a San Diego Comic Con exclusive (no pricing yet).



Collector’s Scale USS Vengeance

Following the ring ship, QMx will make a ‘prop scale’ version of the USS Vengeance (again made by the same QMx Artisan shop the produced the props for the movie) along with a smaller (and more affordable) ‘collector scale’ version of the model. They are also planning on selling a collector scale version of the USS Kelvin. These should all be available later in 2013, with pricing and more details decided by Comic Con. The company also plans to release a prop-scale version of the NX-01 but that might not be until 2014.



Collector’s Scale USS Kelvin

The history of Spaceflight wasn’t the only QMx contribution to Into Darkness. The company also forged Starfleet Academy rings for the cast, in both sterling silver (for the main cast) and aluminum for background actors. Of course one of these rings featured prominently in a scene in the film with Thomas Harewood (Noel Clarke) but you can see other members of the cast wearing them as well.


Starfleet Academy Rings from “Into Darkness” made by QMx

And again they are also making a version of this ring available for purchase, in this case a value-priced version made out of zinc-alloy produced from the same molds used for the sterling silver ‘hero’ props. The rings come in a nice leatherette  collectible box that actually lights up and retails for on $29.99. They will be available this summer at retailers that carry QMx items, including Entertainment Earth (click here to pre-order). QMx is also planning on a limited edition sterling silver version of the ring, but they have not announced pricing or a date for that yet.



Academy Ring and Box from QMx

In addition to the miniatures and the rings, QMx also partnered with Hollywood propmaker Kenney’s Custom Props to produce the phasers for Into Darkness – which were slightly redesigned from the versions in the 2009 movie. The stunt version of this pistol – which features a manual spinner that uses magnets to lock the barrels into position – will be available as part of an Amazon.com Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D bundle this Fall. The animatronic phaser will be available in 2014.



Starfleet Stunt Phaser Replica from QMx

Also being released this summer is a screen-accurate replica of the United Federation of Planets Flag as seen in Star Trek Into Darkness. The flag is made of lightweight polyester and printed using the original digital files of the UFP logo from the film. It will be available for a limited time through www.ThinkGeek.com and https://store.qmxonline.com/United-Federation-of-Planets-Flag–Formal_p_226.html for $29.95.


Starfleet flag replica from QMx

In addition to the replicas, QMx is also selling posters for Into Darkness (Official Teaser, Official USA Poster and official IMAX Poster). Each retains for $19.95 and will be available in mid June. Go to QMX to pre-order.


Into Darkness Posters at QMx

For more on QMx visit their site at http://quantummechanix.com.
Hot Wheels Into Darkness

Speaking of ship miniatures, Mattel’s Hot Wheels is planning a 1:50 scale die-cast series of four Star Trek ships including the USS Excelsior the USS Kelvin and two ships from Into Darkness: The Vengeance and the new Klingon Bird of Prey. This first wave is due in June. You can pre-order all four for $54.99 at Entertainment Earth (note EE has the wrong pictures. The correct images were released on HotWheelsCollectors.com.



Wave 1 of Star Trek die-cast from Hot Wheels

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The die-cast Hot Wheels ships have actually become available from at least one seller if you search around on Amazon and Ebay. Got the Excelsior in the mail yesterday, and it is a really handsome model!

Awesome!!! … Well done Andy!

Looking forward to Vengeance and Excelsior :-)

Holy Smoke!!!!!

AFAIK nobody has made a USS DEFIANT miniature, just the model kit and the Playmates toy (long OOP).

I wish they would do that ship instead of the EXCELSIOR…

Isn’t the Phoenix a repaint of the Playmates one? And the NX-01 the Art Asylum release?

Great stuff all!

I want the phasor!!!!

Neat stuff! Phaser should’ve been even darker, “classic” colors, imo.
Noting: The Ares V and I were cancelled by Obama and reconfigured into the SLS. Curious that it was not chosen to model instead. (I still am holding out hope that TPTB will come to their senses and abandon the pie-in-the-sky “asteroid capture” idea and aim for a return to the moon- many resources fairly “close” by.)

They don’t mention any dimensions. I want to the know the approximate length of the Qmx collector scale models. They look incredibly detailed compared to the Art Asylum/Diamond Select models I have purchased. I would like to purchase the high end Qmx models but at $6000 or more a pop, its not going to happen. If the Qmx collector scale models are just to tiny im gonna skip on them.

Love it. I just despised the Vengeance.

@9 Last time I spoke with a QMx rep, she said that the Collector Scale Models are around 10 inches and will cost around 100 dollars for the Kelvin. Don’t know about the Vengeance.

(cont from last post) If you’ve seen the movie recently, those models on Adml. Marcus’ desk ARE the QMX models.

Been looking for the Hot Wheels models, thought they were going to be out prior to the film.

Omg I want!!!

Ares V was never built. An odd choice. More than one alternate universe methinks…

Sad that they call it the V2, and not A4.

Just be very sure to keep that Academy ring DRY!

That Vengeance is the most butt-ugly thing I’ve ever seen!!!

Can’t say I like the Vengeance or the BOP too much. The ring ship is pretty cool but I would have like to have sen a Daedalus class ship in their little “History of Spaceflight” line-up.

What kind of federation flag is that – with the “gear” encircling the starfield? Also, aren’t the guns backward on this Klingon ship model?

A cogwheel! <3
Now, all this flag needs is a crossed hammer and sickle, and a sheaf of quadrotriticale!

I definitely want that QMX Kelvin. Don’t feel much love for the Vengeance. Every time I see it I think Star Trek bottle opener.:-)

This^^

Im just guessing that John Eaves designed the USS Vengeance? A lot of similarities to the Enterprise-E

Why is it on all these models the model-makers always seem to overdo the tiling so much? These are starships, not homemade quilts, for Christ’s sake.

Hey guys, the last ship model on Marcus’ desk in the scene referenced here — what was it (the one after the Constitution class ship)?

For a second I thought it was the Dreadnought class, but that couldn’t possibly be.

Love that IMAX poster!

Also, on the Vengeance, is the saucer section always opened? I noticed the deflector is actually covered when the ship comes out of warp and (I’m assuming) goes to red alert, so maybe it changes shape then too?

I’m asking because it occasionally appeared to be a complete, solid saucer section. It could’ve just been the angle.

A glass of water an academy ring and some crushed alka seltzer…….sounds like fun.

TAKE MY MONEY.

Vengeance looks like an evil turkey with it’s balls hanging down in the front. Not a pretty design, but I suppose that’s the point. It’s the big, black, evil ship. I do miss the elegant logic and well-thought-out clean designs of old school star Trek ships.

That’s my gut reaction at work.

The Vengeance LOOK like a section 31 ship SHOULD look.
Gotta get the Kelvin- needs its own tv show!!

Please, QMx, make a collectors scale model of the JJ Enterprise! I suck at model building, the painting and decaling part, and really want a nice looking model of it. I had the toy from 2009 but my kids got a hold of it and let’s just say that its seen better days, Kirk fail to realign the warp core on it many times.

So that’s why those ships were on admiral Marcus’s desk, it was product placement plain and simple.

I Like the Excelsior thought.

Also how Funny is it that the Vengeance looks better as the hotwheels ship than a QMX one though.

Gotta wonder though with the Vengeance if it was based on the NX 01 Refit deal in some way or another.

#29 – Those “balls” are drones that detach from the ship and attack separately from the Vengeance. You *briefly* see them in action in the film and the last trailer.

Ive said this before and no doubt I will say it again, but I wish they would release the Bluray/Phaser combo for the UK too… They would have a pre-order from me right now!

Just ordered flag…hmmmm…under or over state flag?…I guess under

The Vengeance looks like a pizza-cutter.

If only there was a model kit for Trek XI/XII Enterprise…

This stuff will be available mid-summer? Just in time for STID to hit the second-run theaters? Man of Steel merchandising is hitting the market now….

The size of the Vengeance didn’t make any sense to me. Why have such a big ship if you do not need a big crew for it? The ship could be controlled by one person. So why this enormous size?

#42 – My thinking was given the size the Narada was compared to all Starfleet ships in ST 09′, afterwards they went about building something more giant than before, to defend against more potential giant enemies.

Just a thought.

Can’t read the text in the first picture. Too small.

…rotating barrel on phaser is the STUPIDEST shyt i have ever seen… =(

The phaser looks awesome, but… four years later and there’s still no trigger, much less a way to aim it? Must be weird mime-firing that thing.

Even the Playmates toy of 2009 had a trigger.

34: No, it was a look at the timeline of spaceflight and a way to foreshadow the reveal of the Vengeance. Let us also not forget that having model ships in one’s office has been a tradition since TNG as well. (The Nokia and Budweiser in the previous movie was pretty clumsy though.)

@40, if the scale is the “official” scale then we finally have a size for the JJ Prise which (if my calculations are correct) would make her 980′ or 294m in length and TOS Enterprise is 948′ or 284m long so I guess they shrunk her down from the sizes they quoted in the first movie?

The Starfleet Flag with the gear on it reminded me of the Nazi Deutsche Arbeits Front flag. I hope that isn’t a subtle hint that the Nazis from Patterns of Force take over the Federation! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Labour_Front

@48
They don’t always get the scales straight, in the sixties/early seventies Meccano’s Dinky division either made Thunderbird One too big, or they made TB2 too small, either way, they didn’t match up. Neither did the shooting models, but they were filmed either separate, or in forced perspective view.