MOTUC Castle Grayskull Discussion Thread

[Whiplash7]

If you don't care about things like the doorway being large enough for the figures, why not just buy the vintage castle? It'll run you less than $250.

B/c the sculpt isn't as detailed, it has cardboard cutouts rather than sculpted pieces, poorly detailed and blandly painted accessories, tiny weapons, two floors, less accessories, no dungeon walls, no secret entrance, no ledge, and it's much smaller (despite what people claim...).
NOT a knock on the vintage castle btw, it's one of the most iconic toys ever made. But I'm truly baffled as to how anyone thinks the size of this jawbridge is so important that this castle somehow becomes not much better than the vintage castle.

[Jobber]

As for perceived value, yes I would easily spend $250 for a Castle Grayskull. I love MOTU and MOTUC. The last comment was directed at pretty much everyone, not one person. But come on... who didn't want a Castle Grayskull?

I understand people had high expectations for this project, but the reality is... this is the hand we were dealt. Either fold or play it out.

I think you are missing my point Boba Fett Ox. I realize people are upset over size and price. But Mattel has to make their money somehow.

[I, Harbinger]

Why does Scott refer to MOTUC as 6" scale?? They are not. And while this castle may work for 6" scale, it isn't big enough for 7" MOTUC. Scott even measures the front door as 7"!!

[Detective Lubic]

Why does Scott refer to MOTUC as 6" scale?? They are not. And while this castle may work for 6" scale, it isn't big enough for 7" MOTUC. Scott even measures the front door as 7"!!

That bugs me as well, Most of the figures dwarf other 6 inch scale figures.. They are way closer to 7 inch.

[cobrakahn]

Toy Guru should be getting better at these Matty collector videos or have a really hot babe (man or female babe) do them excitedly.
We need some excitement! Its the gawd darn castle Grayskull and he is powering through the video way too quickly. Also he should own up to it being smaller than he boosted its not a problem that the foam model was off by a couple inches. He just needs to clear it up. Tell us that He-man will have to crouch to get in. Its not the end of MOTU if the figures cannot get in through the door.
That Castle of Power looks awesome too though. I am sure that conflicting allot of second thoughts. So far I am still in. I trust that Mattel and Scott will deliver us a awesome toy for christmas.
What I should be doing is saving this years MOTUC figures in lou of the Castle so I can open them all together.

[Gojira101]

Any clue as to when I can cancel my preorder? Not sure if this has been answered yet.

[Carlaird]

I don't think they should have ever taken orders on the blueprints
They should have waited till they had the (Toy Fair) prototype and just showed it with the figures

[Gojira101]

I don't think they should have ever taken orders on the blueprints
They should have waited till they had the (Toy Fair) prototype and just showed it with the figures

This is exactly why I want to cancel. Had high hopes and personally it hasn't panned out for me. Glad for all those that can still be excited about this at this point.

[Rodster6]

I still haven't ordered it as I am so on the fence. For the money is costs (especially with shipping to the UK) it just doesn't seem that much bigger than the previous two. I also seem to be in the minority of people who really like the 200X castle. I liked that it was different inside and not just a slightly larger version of the one I already had.
It really bothers me how small the entrance is. The height of the rest of the castle I can deal with.

[He-Dog]

I don't think they should have ever taken orders on the blueprints
They should have waited till they had the (Toy Fair) prototype and just showed it with the figures

Well, In hindsight, I'm glad that it happened the way that it did (orders based on blueprints). BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN GREENLIT FOR PRODUCTION! Anyone too disappointed can cancel their orders so there should be no hard feelings for them regarding commitment to pay. And of course, people have every right to be bummed about it being smaller than they were hoping and not getting the castle of their dreams.

Hopefully they do fix some things by SDCC. Even if that latest video by Toyguru dashes some hope.

I'll be keeping my order regardless. I like it overall.

[King Criss79]

Looks like there won't be any changes to the entrance way .Also looks like they are committed to the final paint on the castle.This is our castle take it or leave it apparently.I guess us fans have to come to the realization whether It's the figures or castle,they get the final say.On a side note I hope the box art turns out incredible.This might be the deciding factor for me personally.The digital motuc Wind Raider art was a disappointment.

[Baena]

It was said before from one of my friends, they never should've posted the actual inches.
The foam core mockup, as fun as it was, I think was just too misleading because of the way it was put together.

I don't think that would've cured everyone that wants it bigger, but it would've been a safer delivery of the information.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. *shrugs*

[He-Dog]

On a side note I hope the box art turns out incredible.This might be the deciding factor for me personally.The digital motuc Wind Raider art was a disappointment.

I do believe that Rudy Obrero only does digital art nowadays so you may be disappointed. I bought some prints from him of his early MOTU artwork (Battle Ram, Battle Cat, Wind Raider) and I LOVE them. I also didn't get the same satisfaction from the latest digital Wind Raider work. It was good, but nothing beats paint and brush for me.

Derek Riggs (famous for Iron Maiden covers) is the same way. I could stare at his old works for hours, but his latest digital stuff leaves me cold.

Oh well. Technology.

[Jobber]

It was said before from one of my friends, they never should've posted the actual inches.
The foam core mockup, as fun as it was, I think was just too misleading because of the way it was put together.

I don't think that would've cured everyone that wants it bigger, but it would've been a safer delivery of the information.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. *shrugs*

Second that!

[Stygian360]

I respect the naysayers, but see no reason to cancel my order even given the latest updates. So much was bound to change from the initial introduction of the concept at PowerCon, to the proposal B sheets, and even to the eventual finished off the assembly line product, and my expectations were always in line with this vetting process. It's perhaps redundant to say what is already evident by reading through this thread, but sometimes fans expectations are outrageously out of alignment with reality.

It still serves the purpose for which I intend to use it- as a great display piece. Any fan who clings to the idea that they plan to do anything more than, 1) pull it from the box to admire it, 2) pose a few figures around it to ensure all of the moving parts function, 3) quietly stash it in a corner of the room with a few figures placed strategically around it... is most likely being too ambitious. It was never intended for full-on play and that certainly isn't how I plan to use it- much too expensive for that. So if I don't plan to play with it/on it, then worries about it not being a proper scale (close enough IMHO) quickly dissipate. But as with all things... your mileage may vary.

[Baena]

Excellent point of view there Stygian360.

[nato]

I respect the naysayers, but see no reason to cancel my order even given the latest updates. So much was bound to change from the initial introduction of the concept at PowerCon, to the proposal B sheets, and even to the eventual finished off the assembly line product, and my expectations were always in line with this vetting process. It's perhaps redundant to say what is already evident by reading through this thread, but sometimes fans expectations are outrageously out of alignment with reality.

It still serves the purpose for which I intend to use it- as a great display piece. Any fan who clings to the idea that they plan to do anything more than, 1) pull it from the box to admire it, 2) pose a few figures around it to ensure all of the moving parts function, 3) quietly stash it in a corner of the room with a few figures placed strategically around it... is most likely being too ambitious. It was never intended for full-on play and that certainly isn't how I plan to use it- much too expensive for that. So if I don't plan to play with it/on it, then worries about it not being a proper scale (close enough IMHO) quickly dissipate. But as with all things... your mileage may vary.

That's the thing for me, though. All it would be is a display piece for me. The inside part of the castle would probably never get messed with or even be displayed to be able to see it. So, I could care less what they add to the interior. What would be displayed, however, is the front of the castle with He-Man standing in front of the castle door that is almost the same height as him. It's like he's knocking on the front door of your own home. I don't think anybody wants anything massive, but what people are clamoring for is for an entrance door that the He-Man figure would have to glance up a bit to see the top of the door. It's a castle......They are meant to be enormous.

With the front being my reason for display, the small door is the difference between $300 and $0 for Mattel. I'm sorry, if it's not done right for the money that I'm spending, then I don't want it at all. I've shown non-collectors the pictures and they all thought the entrance should be bigger, and that was without me giving them any of my input, beforehand.

[SonOfHeMan]

That's the thing for me, though. All it would be is a display piece for me. The inside part of the castle would probably never get messed with or even be displayed to be able to see it. So, I could care less what they add to the interior. What would be displayed, however, is the front of the castle with He-Man standing in front of the castle door that is almost the same height as him. It's like he's knocking on the front door of your own home. I don't think anybody wants anything massive, but what people are clamoring for is for an entrance door that the He-Man figure would have to glance up a bit to see the top of the door. It's a castle......They are meant to be enormous.

With the front being my reason for display, the small door is the difference between $300 and $0 for Mattel. I'm sorry, if it's not done right for the money that I'm spending, then I don't want it at all. I've shown non-collectors the pictures and they all thought the entrance should be bigger, and that was without me giving them any of my input, beforehand.

In the latest video, the door is measured to be 7-8". The MOTUC figures are built to a 6" scale, no? How much more room are you looking for? 10" 12" 36"? Anything more than what we're getting is unrealistic for a small-run $300 castle like what we're getting.

[iron_pride]

I think it looks good. Sure, like JonWes said, I too wish it was a bit taller, but I think once we have it in hand, it will be totally amazing!

[JVS3]

Given how many questions fans asked, Scott Neitlich went ahead and answered all the questions submitted rather than record a video where only three would be addressed. Below are his answers to fan questions about the MOTUC Castle Grayskull.

The questions are listed from most-asked to least-asked. I (JVS3) did my best to make sure the questions conveyed what most everyone was asking. If I didn't ask exactly what you wanted to know, please accept my apology for that as that's my fault and not Scott's. I may have missed a question here or there as well as it took me three hours to compile everything asked. Please accept my apology for that as well.

Here are the questions and answers, with an intro from Scott:

Hey everyone! I know their have been a ton of questions about the Castle and Val and the Mods were nice enough to gather together the most pressing questions. Please keep in mind that everything about the Castle is in flux right now as development continues. No one has really tired anything this ambitious before (selling in a 250.00 playset with a B-sheet!) so we do ask that you bare with us as development continues. There are and will continue to be changes from the original B-sheet as we move into sculpt (as seen at NYTF) and final toy (which we hope to show at SDCC).

If in any way you are unhappy with the product as it develops you may cancel your order through Aug 30th. But keep in mind if you cancel you can’t get back in and it is likely we will not do a day of sale for the Castle (or if we do it will be super limited and maybe only customer service stock sold off if not needed). Hope these answers clarify and feel free to ask more over on the Mattycollector.com “ask Matty” forums!

Best,
Scott

1. Will the jawbridge hinge be lowered further and/or the entrance way increased in height to allow for a longer jawbridge and more clearance for figures (or even better, clearance for He-Man on Battle Cat)?

We are actually looking into this. At this point it is too early to confirm anything but Mattel design and the Four Horsemen are exploring ways of getting the Jaw Bridge to lower into the base a bit more to allow for more clearance. We are actively looking into this to see if it is possible.

2. Can the Windraider socket be moved to the top somehow and/or the lower base be removed and something else be done in its place, such as the addition of other highly requested features or items (like the 3D dungeon) not currently offered with Grayskull?

The WR socket was always planned and announced as being inside of the Castle. The idea of "replacing it" does not really work. The socket is a hole in the floor of the castle for the existing stand included with the released WR toy. Replacing this "socket hole" with a newly sculpted item with lots of deco (like the dungeon you suggest) is not a 1:1 cost ratio. A new item with deco is way more expensive vs. including a socket in the floor. But if you don't want to use the Windraider socket or even the entire floor section you do not have to. This optional floor section with the WR socket plug is an accessory for the Castle and not needed to hold the playset together the way the walls do. If you don't care for this feature you do not need to display it. It is optional.

3. Will the inside walls of Grayskull be sculpted to add detail and features rather than being smooth as we saw in the prototype?

The interior walls will be the inverse sculpt of the exterior walls. They were smooth at Toy Fair in the Four Horsemen sculpt. But was noted at the show as being a temp item to hold the prototype together. The final plastic castle will have one sculpted wall for the outside and inside.

4. Will the throne be adjusted to allow for the Sorceress and/or a caped figure to sit in?

Yes, we are exploring adding a slit in the back of the throne for the Sorceress's tail feather to slide into letting her sit properly.

5. Will you adjust the trapdoor so it drops directly onto the dungeon or into the prison?

No, there will not be changes to the trapdoor position.

6. Will you go back and make Grayskull larger like in the foam mockup? And if not, why was it scaled down in size?

No. This is the largest we can make the Castle at the current price point. The foam model and the sell in sheet was noted as a work in progress and all dimensions given were noted as estimates that would likely change. And they did slightly.

7. Can head clearance inside the castle be improved for the figures placed inside on the different floors?

No, we won't be able to adjust the spacing of the floors, but there is more than enough space for MOTUC figures on each section.

8. Will the missing accessories from the original playset and other items like the 3D dungeon and Mark Taylor concept accessories be offered separately in the future if we cannot get the with this Grayskull playset?

We don't have plans for any additional accessories to the actual Castle (in fact there is a good chance some of the items shown at NYTF may need to be cut before the final product is shown at SDCC as costs continue to come in). It is always possible we could look into an add on "furniture" or "accessory" pack for the Castle one day, but nothing is planned right now.

9. Will there be pegs on the ledges to keep the figures from falling, or will you make the ledges wider so pegs aren't needed?

No. We won't be adding pegs to the ledge. There is more than enough space for two MOTUC figures to fit. Eric confirmed this on Roast Gooble dinner last week. (note from JVS3: I hope to have the episode up this coming weekend)

10. Will a cap be provided to cover the Wind Raider stand socket when it's not used, plus can something done with texture and sculpting to help make the floor look better?

No, we won't be adding a cap to the WR socket. It is an option piece and you can choose to not display it with your Castle if you do not care for it.

11. Is Grayskull designed for the potential future additions like Point Dread, castle playset extensions and/or dioramas?

Yes, the Horsemen did sculpt it with this in mind, but no plans right now for any additional items like you describe.

12. Will the spacesuit armor ever be offered as an articulated figure, or a snap-on piece that will cover an existing figure?

It is always possible but we don't have any plans right now for this.

13. Will fans be polled for what features, accessories and items they'd prefer on Grayskull?

No. The only poll we are running is for preorder customers to choose which 10 figures will be on the box art.

14. Can we get more features or additions (like a portal) that are nods to Filmation Grayskull?

No, we won't be adding any additional accessories and there is a very good chance that some of the accessories shown at NYTF may not make it to the final product as costs continue to come in. We'll have the final toy to show at SDCC.

15. Will you change the prison's size and bars so you can fit more inside and so you can see more of the figure through the bars?

No, we won't be able to make this change.

16. Will all the materials used, especially on joints and hinges, be stable and of the highest quality to insure durability, with the possibility of replacement parts and a lengthier warrantee?

We are using the best material we can!

17. Will Scareglow's key work on Grayskull?

Yes, there will be a slot added to the back door that will fit his key.

18. Will the hinge allow for the two halves to be taken apart after the initial assembly?

Assembly is not final at this time so we don't have a final answer to this.

19. Will a book, comic or unannounced accessory come with Grayskull?

No.

20. Will this Grayskull ever be used for another incarnation of MOTU, such as 3 and ¾ figures?

There are no plans to re-release the Castle beyond the current sale.

21. Will the two halves open up completely so they are perfectly side-by-side and will sit flush against a flat surface?

Assembly is not final at this time so we don't have a final answer to this.

22. Will you make the left parapet taller?

No, we won't be able to make this change.

23. Will the walls of the castle remain thick?

No, the sculpt at NYTF had much thicker walls to hold the prototype together. In the final plastic product the walls will be the inverse of the exterior sculpt detail.

24. Will any of the interior show when Grayskull is closed (like the top of the elevator rails) and if so, can it be fixed to conceal anything inside when closed?

It will be very similar to the vintage Castle. You will likely see some section of the elevator but we are not far enough along to make a definitive call.

25. Can the green on the castle be made darker?

Deco is not final but it is pretty close. We'll pass this along but likely we are past the point of making this change.

26. Will extensive testing be done to make sure paint will adhere and not easily scrape off Grayskull?

All of our products have this.

27. Will the sword keyhole be disguised in any way to make it less visible when not used?

It will look like a vertical crack in the front stone by the Jaw Bridge.

28. Are the shields, sword holder and tapestries removable?

The swords and shields can be removed, but the wall mounted holder is one time assembly. You can interchange which swords and shields are on the wall to your heart’s content.

29. Can the flags be made out of a sturdy fabric?

The flags are made of plastic.

30. If any paint aps are cut, will stickers be included to make up for any lost paint?

That would be one option, but we are pretty set on the paint ops at this point!

31. Will there be a lock on the orb chamber that you can open with the Sword of Power or Sword of Protection?

No.

32. Will the laser canon swivel left to right as well as up and down?

It moves up and down on the stand, but it is also not in a fixed spot so you can move it wherever you want.

33. Will you add a plug-in to attach Castle Grayskullman in some way?

You can put him anywhere you want, but there is no attachment for him.

34. Will the elevator have more paint aps?

No, we are not adding additional paint aps. But it has a lot.

35. Will you make a set of thrones to sell separately to use with the King and Queen?

It is always possible but we don't have any plans right now for this.

36. Do Castle Grayskullman's swords fit into the sword wall mount?

The wall mounted sword holder will fit most MOTUC swords/weapons.

37. Will the flags turn on the poll, or will the poll be able to rotate to show different sides of the flag?

The flag is fixed and made of plastic. The poll is a self standing element that can be moved or positioned anyway you want on the top, inside, next to the ground or even in your refrigerator if that if your thing.

38. Will it come with an Orb for the Orb Room?

No. The orb came with King Grayskull in late 2011.

39. Will we get He-Ro's grave?

No, we won't be including a grave stone accessory. Only what was shown at NYTF and possibly not even all of those items as costs continue to come in. A final toy will be shown at SDCC.

[swind15]

Glad to hear about the throne and jawbridge. If design can fix these two (somewhat easily fixable) things, then the castle will be nearly perfect to me. Also happy to hear about the interior walls looking similar to the exterior.

[manowar]

Thanks for the EXTENSIVE Q&A. I am glad the idea of lowering the hinge of the jawbridge into the base to increase clearance is being considered. I know I'll enjoy my castle ....looking forward to it

[evenflow]

Thanks for answering the questions but the removal of more accessories is complete trash. I don't want an empty castle. And why so hesitant to confirm add on sets then if it's all Being cut. At least try to make me not want to cancel my order.

[Darkkosis]

Thank you Val for the detailed questionnaire... Sooo, as I expected, not many changes will be done other than the size of the Jaw-Bridge, the inverse of the walls and the added slits in the throne. Oh yeah, more accessories might be taken away, yaaay.

[RichieRich]

Castle looks awesome. I'm more than satisfied.