More Star Trek Movie Design Clues From German Toy Fair

Trekmovie.com broke the story a few weeks ago that Playmates Toys has the license to the new Star Trek film. Now, Ain’t It Cool News provides coverage from the German Toy Fair occurring this weekend, and their report gives specific costume and design details from the 2008 feature based on the prototype toys available. See below for a summary.

Here are the highlights of what was on display:

  • 50! action figures
  • Toys include: phaser toys, a transporter playset, a toy ship of the new Enterprise, plus ‘alien ship’
  • The new Enterprise is similar to the television version, yet "more organic" and with larger nacelles
  • The uniforms from the movie are nearly identical to the 1960s television show
  • All have black trousers plus Kirk’s uniform is the iconic yellow, Scotty’s red, and Spock’s blue (but shade or two darker)
  • Uhura has classic red communication mini-skirt, but was ‘sexier’
  • Old Spock wears a white monk’s robe reminiscent of the 1980s movies
  • The film phasers and communicators are ‘nearly identical’ to the television show, and the sounds are the same on the toy
  • New transporter room playset has a red floor
  • Alien spaceship toy resembles an octopus

Not only does the look of the designs sound exciting, but from a toy perspective it sounds like Playmates has a pretty good line up. This upcoming weekend is the New York Toy Fair. TrekMovie.com expects more news about the toys from the new feature film will be revealed. TrekMovie.com has correspondents headed to New York to cover the event so keep your browsers tuned to TrekMovie.com.

For more on Toy Fair Germany, see AICN

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sounds good…i always loved these toys as a kid….first?

second! – It sounds like they haven’t changed much…rats
excited about the mini-skirt though!

Mini-skirt is sexier? My guess is fishnet stockings.

oh man, I love to see a Barbarella homage!

It all sound great to me

octopus ship kind of scares me, but hey I haven’t seen it yet… not too quick to judge!

Im very excited to hear that things are so simlar to TOS style.

Are there no pics?!

Are photos banned at these events? It’s quite tantilising to know that there are models and figures that answer so many questions about the look of the new movie, but I suppose on the other hand it would be a pity to have a flood photos of them. The production team obviously have their own plan on how to reveals bits and pieces of time to keep everyone interested.

Re: octopus

There was a poster over at TrekBBS who saw the toys at the UK’s toy fair. He described the “alien ship” as looking like a “golden squid,” similar to something seen in the Stargate:Atlantis pilot. He did think that it was a Romulan ship.

This information all jibes with his descriptions, although these are a bit clearer and easier to understand. Interesting about the larger nacelles — I wonder how much larger?

“More orgainc?” Hmmmmm

How much sexier(shorter) can a skirt be? ;-) Sounds like, at least from the toy aspect, we’re getting a strong TOS identification, but where’s some pics? ???

“more organic” — I’m guessing that just means that the lines are smoother, with fewer sharp angles. A little bit of this can be seen in the trailer, where it looks like the back portions of the nacelles are tapered into subtle “fins”.

because the action figures of the movie are already showing at toy fairs, a picture of the real costumes and the enterprsie cant be far!

It’s probably not the length of Uhura’s skirt, but the length of the neckline they’re referring to.

Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Vulcanista }:-|

Interesting. But if we can’t get spy pics of the actors, at least let’s get some spy pics of the toys!

Vorlons for octopus ship????

Aint it cool has same story also saying Uhura’s skirt is shorter and ta ta’s show more

“squidy” could be like the vorlons from Bab5.

Well, we always knew there were multiple transporter rooms on the Enterprise: perhaps we will get to see one of the “other” ones: and floor color differentiates. Then again, the platform on the original WAS red, so sounds like there’s no major change there after all.

Wow. Great news to hear the TOS era uniforms are going to turn up mostly the same!

Sounds pretty sweet! …except for the octopus…

Dammit Man! We NEED pictures…!

Motorola needs to do a “real” Star Trek Communicator cell phone…

LL&P :-)

Awesome! Sounds great.

WE DO NEED PICTURES!

#18 – at one point, Sona Mobile was deep into developing a TOS, communicator-style cell phone that, when flipped open, had a lot of TNG, LCARS-style interfaces. The last I’d heard, the firmware they’d developed was as buggy as hell and the rollout was delayed, then it dropped off the radar completely. If anyone knows anything more about that, feel free to enlighten us.

As far as the new Big E goes, it sounds/looks like it’s going to be a TOS/TMP hybrid, with turbocharged nacelles and a bigger fantail. I can dig it. And the new Uhura uniform is definitely leaning toward bringing in the T & A crowd. ;-)

50! Action Figures!?!?! Am I the only person astounded by this amount? I was getting used to Art Asylum/DST bringing out 4 or 5 per wave, but Fifty!

*Cannot wait for October* :D

Im intrigued.
Much seems consistent, yet the E seems like more of a radical departure.
Pic-tures!!!

Um, where’s the PICTURES???

I love it. I hope all those who said there is no way the uniforms would look like those “pajama’s or mini-skirts” of the 60’s and those new fans who maintained that there was no way the communicator would look like the 60’s version, are enjoying their plate of crow.

I’m also very happy that the phaser won’t be drastically changed as it remains one of the most futuristic looking weapons ever created,

And a transporter with a red floor? Very nice indeed.

Don’t know how it’s possible to make the mini-skirt any sexier than it already is, but I’m looking forward to seeing :).

Glad they’re staying faithful to the old uniforms.

Sounds very exciting.

Pictures should would have be nice.

The adventure continues….

Vulcanista: “It’s probably not the length of Uhura’s skirt, but the length of the neckline they’re referring to.”

I’m sure us Trekkie boys will give her a good look up and down.

Im gonna get that Enteprise toy to add to my other playmates collection I got em all!!

dang. Found the fair’s homepage and it’s in German. Plugged in Star Trek, got nothing. Went to BabelFish and translated Star Trek into German. Turns out it’s Stern Trek. (??? Is it???) Went back, plugged that in, but still got nothing. Did find out the Paris Hilton, the human Barbie, has a line of dolls coming out. Let’s just pray they don’t come with toy cars.
Anyone got any other ideas for grabbing pics?

Yes to the Uniforms!

If the ship is really “more organic” then I can only commend the designers, as it goes against the “chunky” and “industrial” design ethic of contemporary dark scifi and its proponents (including John Eaves, funny enough – see E-E) and is very much in favor of the concept of the original designers who proposed a clean and smooth look as a truly futuristic design.

If you read the AICN article it mentions Spock’s ring, could this be a spoiler?

50? God, just when I thought my collecting was done! Now I have to figure out (so to speak) which “Wars/Trek” toys must go to make room in the home office. Hard choices will have to be made.

Oh yeah, and where are those pictures?? Roberto, JJ, hellooo . . . you promised. :-)

Ah the joys of merchandising , this where the franchise really cashes in . I have to admit I would love to see some pictures of the stuff.

At toy shows like this, it is impossible to take pictures. You aren’t allowed in the room with cameras or cell-phones that take pictures. Many toy shows like this make you sign non-disclosure agreements. If you are caught taking pictures, it is a sure bet that you have attended your last toy fair, which to a toy distinutor, is a very bad deal. And toy distributors are who make up the largest segment of those attending. I had no hopes that this ws going to be where we got leaked photos of anything because security is T-I-G-H-T.

The stuff sounds cool though. Hopefully it is better than the TMNT stuff.

The costumes look like TOS and Uhura has the sexy mini-skirt? This movie can do no wrong for me now.

LOL @ #24 jonboc – if I recall the recent comments of Chris Doohan correctly, he stated that he was impressed by the high quality of the costumes. It’s not outside of the realm of possibility that, by investing in the tailoring, detail, and materials in the recreating the TOS uniforms, they couldn’t give birth to something that harkens directly back to the velour jammies we all know, but now looks like a Brooks Brothers business suit. I think it was Karl Urban himself that said this movie was like going from old, analog monoraul, to a full-blown, hi-def mutlimedia broadacast.

Well damn!

I thought JJ would take this thing to the future….and it sounds like we’re stuck in the technicolor past. I have to say….I’m disappointed this reboot is relying to heavily on the designs from TOS – especially the costumes. UGH!

The updated technology in Enterprise and realistic designes were one of the only appealing things from that series.

I don’t expect the non-trek fan to repspond to this retro crap – so we can anticipate that this film…past the first weekent….will likely TANK!!!

Um…yeah…the word I was going for was “distributor”. I swear on proof reading I had it right. I did eat a lot of ice-cream just now, though.

Oh yeah, I also meant “was”.

It’s such a lightning rod topic so I’ve not said much on this, but a lot of those details reported makes me happy. Close to the original show designs – priceless.

21- Of course they need 50 action figures, you’ve got Ma and Pa Kirk, Spock’s folks, the 3 Spocks, the two(i’m still hopin for 3) Kirks, and the multitude of unknown redshirts consigned to horrible painful deaths. and even though i’m 21 i’m gonna be at my local wal-mart the instant these babies go on sale. man this is exciting!

I hope Spock gets to play a tune in this one.

Sirbroiler38- These bits of news concerning uniforms seems to be met with happiness and excitement by all here except for you. Why would that be? Are you a TOS fan at all? The movie takes place in a timeline where these were the uniforms worn on the Enterprise, and for months many of us here have been hoping the uniforms would conform to that standard. And, despite your apparent wish that the movie will “tank”, I have a feeling the viewing public will indeed embrace this new ST experience in Dec.

So we weren’t delusional about the nacelles in the trailer…they ARE bigger after all!!

I’m very happy to know that the uniforms and gadgetry are basically identical to those used on the show; at least we’ll get to see SOME of TOS on the Big Screen, even if we still haven’t seen the real Big E.

All of a sudden I’m feeling a lot more optimistic about this movie!!

first people complain its not canon, then it appears they will be or very close and people bitch..for F’s sake..if you dont like it get the f of these forums and watch Stargate Atlantis!!!

nerdss..

I imagine a lot of these figures will be aliens. I’m sure they want to sell lots of toys like Star Wars does, and alien figures is where its at!

#42, well since he now has a ring as well…maybe he’ll sing BILBO BAGGINS!

;-)

As soon as I saw (Trekmovie.com) the Spocks shade or two (trekmovie.com) darker bullet, I immediately thought of the big hullaballo over (trekmovie.com) Singer’s Superman costume canonicity. :P

Stay tuned to trekmovie.com for more trekmovie.com news.

I’m sorry, I had to make fun of the multiple cues to the site at the end of the article. No insult intended. :D Hey! Think of them as meta-keywords!

#25: I’m thinking it’s along the lines and cut of Mirror T’Pol’s TOS science-officer uni in “In a Mirror Darkly.” Much more form fitting, skirt’s just ever-so slightly more flared, *much* lower cut neckline.

And, honestly, guys, I just *don’t* see how Uhura’s skirt can get any shorter and still be called a skirt. Two more inches, and it’s a blouse.

Peace. Live long and prosper.
The Fashionista }:-|

Hey — Spiderman’s current costumes “look” about the same as the one worn in the 70’s TV series. Oh, of course the new movie costumes cost hundreds of thousands of dollars each. Anyone want to go back? I think the velour jammies will give way to some very smart-looking unis. I love the designs. Done with modern materials and craftsmanship, the unis will look gorgeous — especially Zoe’s little red dress!