Mattel no longer owns the rights to MOTU?

[Fenrys]

Because most people don't want their hobby messed with and almost nobody cares about April 1st in this era. It pretty much ceased being funny about 20 years ago

It may have ceased being funny 20 years ago from your perspective, but that doesn't mean that people will stop posting bs "news" articles for April Fools. If anything, it just further encourages thise antics.

[Sketchy Skeletor]

It may have ceased being funny 20 years ago from your perspective, but that doesn't mean that people will stop posting bs "news" articles for April Fools. If anything, it just further encourages thise antics.

What encourages it, I don't understand. Folks will want attention online no matter what. And anyway, in this case they were obviously trolling 'Toyguru'.

[Sir Reilly]

Being the guy who did that April Fool's article, I can assure you it was not about attention at all. It obviously was a jab at the claim floating around for the brand to "end" by April 2023.
99% of our readers and followers quickly understood this and took it all in good spirit. After all, it's not the end of the world - or the brand.

[Sketchy Skeletor]

Being the guy who did that April Fool's article, I can assure you it was not about attention at all. It obviously was a jab at the claim floating around for the brand to "end" by April 2023.
99% of our readers and followers quickly understood this and took it all in good spirit. After all, it's not the end of the world - or the brand.

Just to be clear I was talking in general about getting attention. That's why I mentioned the article and said 'in this case'

[Fenrys]

What encourages it, I don't understand. Folks will want attention online no matter what. And anyway, in this case they were obviously trolling 'Toyguru'.

Believing that nobody does April Fools stuff anymore only encourages people to keep trying to do it to fool people that think like that.

[Sketchy Skeletor]

Believing that nobody does April Fools stuff anymore only encourages people to keep trying to do it to fool people that think like that.

It's not the belief it doesn't happen, it's that it's an irrelevance to even toy companies it's so outdated. Nobody would mind if it was actually funny either, but it really isn't. Where's the lulz in making someone think Night Stalker or Fangy is happening when they're so probable anyway? It's so pointless.

[Dice]

It may have ceased being funny 20 years ago from your perspective, but that doesn't mean that people will stop posting bs "news" articles for April Fools. If anything, it just further encourages thise antics.

Exactly. I think it's important to understand that the people who get upset by the April Fools articles, news, and antics are literally the target audience of the pranksters.

[Fenrys]

Exactly. I think it's important to understand that the people who get upset by the April Fools articles, news, and antics are literally the target audience of the pranksters.

Yep, and pretending like it's not a thing anymore just encourages people that do partake to ramp it up a degree or two.

[Sketchy Skeletor]

Yep, and pretending like it's not a thing anymore just encourages people that do partake to ramp it up a degree or two.

Nobody is pretending it isn't a thing, it almost isn't a thing! As stated, companies did actual announcements. If the point is to fool people for a laugh, fine, but actively annoying them when something is likely to come true anyway and when you're regarded as a news source? Like, what? The wider context is important here and with that I've said all that I will...

[Fenrys]

Nobody is pretending it isn't a thing, it almost isn't a thing! As stated, companies did actual announcements. If the point is to fool people for a laugh, fine, but actively annoying them when something is likely to come true anyway and when you're regarded as a news source? Like, what? The wider context is important here and with that I've said all that I will...

If you say so. Go ahead and keep getting fooled

[Sketchy Skeletor]

If you say so. Go ahead and keep getting fooled

Nah, I'll just put you on ignore instead.

[Fenrys]

Nah, I'll just put you on ignore instead.

That works too

[He-bro]

Yes, I usually don't even go online on April 1st.

[Oldfan87]

Okayyy, question here; how in the heck is Universal using MOTU in that 'Funko Fusion' video game, alongside with the IP's they actually own?

[Secret]

Okayyy, question here; how in the heck is Universal using MOTU in that 'Funko Fusion' video game, alongside with the IP's they actually own?

Well, two things there.

Gerard Way owns Umbrella Academy. Universal just has media rights, which probably extends to video games.

Also, it's Filmation He-Man, which Universal might own. That's been reasonably speculated.

[ZootyCutie]

Well, two things there.

Gerard Way owns Umbrella Academy. Universal just has media rights, which probably extends to video games.

Also, it's Filmation He-Man, which Universal might own. That's been reasonably speculated.

To add to this, Universal also helps with the Funko Pop Blitz crossover app, which also features MotU characters. This is how it's worded in the credits for MotU's selection, but She-Ra gets her own too, most likely because it's only her in terms of the Pops for non-Horde characters:

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE™ and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel ©2021 Mattel. All rights reserved. Under license to Classic Media.

SHE-RA™ and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel. © (2021) Mattel; TV series © Sleepy Kid. All rights reserved. Under License to Classic Media.

I feel like the latter is via a combo of things, to keep the bases of having Orko playable, along with the show designs of Evil-Lyn and Mer-Man, and a few show references in the "stickers" of the characters, since they're mainly on the "retro toys" slant of the figures. I've...also never heard of "Sleepy Kid", what company is that?

[Adam_Prince of Eternia]

To add to this, Universal also helps with the Funko Pop Blitz crossover app, which also features MotU characters. This is how it's worded in the credits for MotU's selection, but She-Ra gets her own too, most likely because it's only her in terms of the Pops for non-Horde characters:

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE™ and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel ©2021 Mattel. All rights reserved. Under license to Classic Media.

SHE-RA™ and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel. © (2021) Mattel; TV series © Sleepy Kid. All rights reserved. Under License to Classic Media.

I feel like the latter is via a combo of things, to keep the bases of having Orko playable, along with the show designs of Evil-Lyn and Mer-Man, and a few show references in the "stickers" of the characters, since they're mainly on the "retro toys" slant of the figures. I've...also never heard of "Sleepy Kid", what company is that?

Sleepy Kid PLC is the original name of Entertainment Rights PLC.

[ZootyCutie]

Sleepy Kid PLC is the original name of Entertainment Rights PLC.

Interesting to see it labeled like that still then.

[Oldfan87]

Interesting, so from the copyright info, Universal is licensing MOTU for the Funko games? And the co-copyright on She-ra, that's a sign of that property originally being split between Mattel and Filmation?

[ZootyCutie]

Interesting, so from the copyright info, Universal is licensing MOTU for the Funko games? And the co-copyright on She-ra, that's a sign of that property originally being split between Mattel and Filmation?

Seems so, the end of the Funko Fusion trailer is also using the same "trademarks owned by and used in license from Mattel" trademark with the secondary "Under license from Classic Media" one, only both labeled into the 2023 additions this time.

So far only He-Man, Skeletor, and Prince Adam have been confirmed for that game, so not sure where that heads.

[Oldfan87]

That brings up something else I was wondering; the artbook for the CGI series indicated Despara was going to appear in season 3. So, I wonder if the rights to the Despara version of the character are with the MOTU franchise, and Adora can appear in MOTU as Despara, but not as She-Ra.

[Catra2017]

That brings up something else I was wondering; the artbook for the CGI series indicated Despara was going to appear in season 3. So, I wonder if the rights to the Despara version of the character are with the MOTU franchise, and Adora can appear in MOTU as Despara, but not as She-Ra.

Despara yes, Adora? Well did they ever make a toy of her in the 80s before she was on the Filmation show? If they had a toy of her that was not She-Ra in the first line of toys they might get away with it.