|
Not since the company overmerchandised for Pocahontas has Disney produced so much product for one of its animated features. Atlantis - The Lost Empire, with its bold graphic design, plethera of characters and scores of vehicles, lends itself perfectly to a full-scale merchandising blitz. And that is exactly what has happened.
It is nearly impossible to tell which of this merchandise may be considered collectible at some future date. With so much of it produced, it seems unlikely that much of it will fetch high prices down the road. The usual suspects of action figures, books, dolls, model vehicles and other toys and media made the cut. But what is even more impressive than the sheer volume of merchandise produced to support the film is the high quality of much of it - some at incredibly affordable prices.
Please find below a small sampling of Atlantis merchandise that is available for purchase at local retailers.
One of the most collectible pieces from the Atlantis merchandise is probably this crystal-blue Kida action figure. Only one in 16 of every Kida produced is in this blue coloration, making it one of the few limited-edition pieces in the collection.
Other characters have found themselves enshrined in plastic as well. The standard set of action figures include Milo, Rourke, Vinny, Mole and Kida. Each figure comes with their own accessories themed to their character.
Atlantis may seem like primarily a "boy's" movie but there are more than enough elements to keep girls interested as well. Another Disney princess takes center stage in the merchandise world with the release of the Kida Barbie-style doll. These dolls are always popular with kids and collectors alike.
 
The movie features a ton of high-tech, state-of-the-art vehicles and transports that lend themselves perfectly to being merchandised. Toys are always collectible items because many pieces get banged up by kids who actually use them as intended -- by playing with them.
One of the most popular items, especially around Halloween, are dress-up sets. These kits feature accessories that kids can use to become their favorite characters. With Atlantis being an action-adventure movie, these sets include a lot of items that kids can play with and handle for maximum interactivity.
 
Disney released a number of books themed to Atlantis. The two pictured above are books that I bought for Matthew right after seeing the movie for the first time. Unlike most movies, there is no true "Art of" book for Atlantis. This time they provided an illustrated abridged script with concept art, production stills, artists' notes and other background information. This movie's visuals probably lent themselves to an "Art of" book more than most films but the script is something different to be enjoyed. The Essentials book provides pre-story elements, character backgrounds not revealed in the movie and technical descriptions of vehicles. Beware of spoilers if you haven't seen the movie yet.
Disney Interactive gave out a bunch of free video games featuring the prequel to the movie on Disney videos and Kellogg's cereal boxes. "Trial by Fire" is the full-version of that game. It is available for purchase at retail stores or you can send in for a free copy if you buy enough Kellogg's products. Good thing Matthew likes cereal. :)
The CD soundtrack was released a couple of weeks before the film. It primarily features the score by James Howard Newton though there is a song sung by Mya played over the end credits of the movie that leads off the CD. A special limited-edition version of the CD with a lenticular cover is available at Disney retail outlets.
There really is some great merchandise out there for Atlantis to fit every conceivable budget. From $2 mini-vehicles at the Disneyland Resort to a one-of-a-kind animation cel being auction on the Disney/eBay web site for thousands of dollars, collectors of movie-themed merchandise will find treasures in the Atlantis product line.
-Story by Kathy Walker. All product graphics copyright their respective owners.
Posted
Have a collectible tip you'd like to share? E-mail Kathy at kathy@startedbyamouse.com, discuss this article in the StartedByAMouse.com Disney Discussion Forums or use the Talkback feature below.
|
