Movie Maniacs line returns… without movie maniacs

Last Updated on March 17, 2023

McFarlane Toys is resurrecting its classic Movie Manics line, complete with…practically no movie maniacs. 

The lineup, which Todd McFarlane unveiled on Twitter, includes the Wicked Witch of the West, Bugs Bunny, Harry Potter, and Ted Lasso. Notice anything strange about this wave of Movie Maniacs? The Wicked Witch of the West is the only inclusion that even gets close to qualifying–she does threaten to kill a dog and has no problem lighting a scarecrow on fire. Bugs Bunny, Harry Potter and Ted Lasso, on the other hand, are straight-up protagonists, only one of which is even considered a major movie character.

In his Twitter post, McFarlane–who himself doesn’t seem terribly interested in the properties being tied into the once-defunct Movie Maniacs label–shows off each box and figure, hinting that the entire promotion is more of a plug for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Each figure comes with a backdrop, a base and a card with a certificate of authenticity, and a box with one more surprise. Bugs Bunny (in superhero garb) is limited to 7,500 pieces, the Wicked Witch and Harry Potter are both at 10,000 and Ted Lasso will have 20,000 available.

The lineup is a far cry from the original collectibles. Launched in 1998, the first Movie Maniacs series consisted of the likes of Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Leatherface, with the next wave offering Michael Myers, Ghostface and Pumpkinhead. Additional series also hosted some iconic horror figures, like Ash, Brundle Fly, the Blair Witch, Candyman, and more. Sure, the upcoming figures look great, but the line should have been called something else. Why not just explicitly tie the name of the line into the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros.? Meanwhile, there is an endless number of actual movie maniacs that are deserving of a figure. Come on, where’s our Sinful Dwarf one?

The new Movie Maniacs are up for pre-order on the McFarlane Toys website, with releases set for later this year.

How do you feel about the new wave of Movie Maniacs from McFarlane Toys? Should they have just branded them as something else altogether? Let us know your take in the comments section below!