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Sunday, March 2, 2008

RUMOR OR REEL?: Unofficial Toy List for Channing Tatum's 'G.I. Joe' Action Figures

Last March I posted the article "Do You Want to Undress Channing Tatum?" that told fans about this cute website called Stardoll.com where you can create your own online paper doll or choose from their collection of celebrity dolls and dress them up in their virtual fashions.

Pretty soon we'll be able to dress (or undress) our very own Channing Tatum in the real world (kind of) when Hasbro releases his action figures for his character Duke in 2009's big-budget, live-action movie 'G.I. Joe'.

Over at Hisstank.com they have taken a stab at the possible toys that Hasbro will release for each of the characters. At this point, the unofficial toy list you see below for Channing Tatum's character Duke (aka Conrad S. Hauser) is purely rumor, but I still thought I would share it.

Here's the run down of what Channing toys we all may be able to find before 'G.I. Joe' releases next year:

  • Duke in Regular Military Gear
  • Duke in Officer Dress Uniform
  • Duke in Accelerator Armor
  • Duke in Jungle Ops Gear
If you're interested in the other potential characters, vehicles, and play sets, you can CLICK HERE to get the complete unofficial list.

In a recent interview, Channing's co-star Dennis Quaid mentioned that he had already been scanned for his action figure, which is pretty darn exciting if you ask me. It's also pretty safe to assume that Channing either has been or will be scanned for his soon (how do I get that job?) and even safer to assume that I and many Channing Tatum fans will be the proud owners of each and everyone of them the second they're released.

In another interview, Hasbro's Chief Operating Officer (soon to be CEO and current executive producer for 'G.I. Joe') , Brian Goldner, had the following to say to MTV about Channing's character Duke, Channing's fanbase, and the action figures:

"...Goldner was also eager to respond to the controversy over rumors that the patriotic nature of "G.I. Joe" was being toned down in order to be more appealing to a worldwide, post-9/11 audience. "Duke, in our story, really represents the pre-1983 G.I. Joe," he said, linking Channing Tatum's character to the dolls of the '60s and '70s. "If those fans that grew up on the 12-inch Army man are looking for where their anchor should be, it's in Duke; he's the leader of the team and clearly American.

"But the story, just like in the comic books, was a story that took us all over the world," he continued. "That's all we were really trying to get at. And everything else that fans have heard, about the early ideas or contemplations, that's really gone. ... We're talking about a story that's going to take us all over the world, from the desert to under the water, to the mountains to cities. ... Clearly, the American military is involved, as are other forces. But at the end of the day, the force that matters is the G.I. Joe force, and the Pit, and all the things that relate to that."

We caught up with Goldner at the New York Toy Fair, where he was giving fans a sneak preview of the G.I. Joe toys of the future. At the front of his thoughts, however, was the real-life stars who'd soon be creating the action figures' action. "We think it's amazing to have Channing Tatum as Duke, because I think he has a different kind of fanbase," said the executive producer, who in May will become Hasbro's CEO. "Clearly, Sienna Miller has a wonderful fanbase. Dennis Quaid as General Hawk, he has a tremendous fanbase. So bringing them all together, as an ensemble cast, is going to be really dynamic and something that people haven't seen before. But it'll still be very true to G.I. Joe."

The next question would seem to be a logical one: Will the Joes we know and love be replaced by toy versions of Marlon Wayans and Arnold Vosloo? "Well, what was so magical about the '80s G.I. Joe was the 3 3/4-inch product," Goldner said, revealing that the dimensions of the star-faced toys would be along the lines of the "Real American Hero" line. "[That size] gives people a chance to get all the figures but get all of the vehicles. So it's going to be in that scale. ... Very true to where we were in the 1980s, and then we'll take it forward..."

It may be sacrilegious to some, but I was not a big fan of Barbie Dolls or action figures in general as a kid. I personally preferred their life-size cohorts (i.e. Cabbage Patch Dolls or any doll that looked life-like). Needless to say, I'm about to become a HUGE action figure fan, and I would like to thank Hasbro in advance for creating these dolls in the likeness of our favorite actor.

Mark my words, I'm already predicting a news-worthy, Cabbage Patch Doll or IPhone like rush on the stores when Chan's dolls are released, and I'll gladly be right in the middle of it all to make sure I can get my very own Channing Tatum...I mean, Duke. ;-D

'G.I. Joe' is scheduled for an August 7, 2009 release. You can CLICK HERE to get the current release dates for the film all around the world.

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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's not a doll, it's an action figure! ;)

Anonymous said...

*happy dances*
*sings* WE GET TO UNDRESS CHANNING!
lmao i cant wait for those dolls to come out!! i will deff. be in line to get one of them!!! ahhhhh a chan action figure!! wow that will be going on a shelf in my room so that no1 can touch him! HES ALL MINE! WOOOHOO!!!! YAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!
wow an action figure of chan..i still cant get over it!!!!!!!!! thank you Hasbro!!!!!!

*happy dances again*

haha
-Allison

Kate Evangelista said...

Hi. I just want to say thank you for all your hardwork in putting this site together. Well I did have a feeling, since he is doing GI Joe, that action figures would follow.

Just another blogger,
Kate

Blog Expert said...

You're welcome, Kate. And I agree with you whole-heartedly that a writer's greatest blessing is a reader, so thanks for visiting CTU.

A Fellow Blogger,
Q

Unknown said...

yay we all get to undress chan!!! Dreams DO come true after all.... hehehe. Deffo gonna be getting one

NazK said...

WOOOHOOOO CHAN ACTION FIGURE!!!!
Certain dreams will def cme tru nw =]

LOL

Anonymous said...

I bet that this action figure will be so much better than the GI Joe's my brother had!! I will own one, or more, of these for sure!!!
Thanks for the heads up, Q!
Jan

Anonymous said...

I take it it's time for me to start saving money again. Dang. The things I do cuz of my Chanamania. Oh well, good practice for when I have him in person to talk to him. Just practice what I'm going to say with a doll.