Paramount Pictures let J.J. Abrams remake Star Trek largely to get the sci-fi staple back on the pop-culture radar. Sure, the studio also wanted to be buried, Tribble-style, in box office cash, but when most of the toys sold by your biggest franchise are bought by and for adults, you got trouble.
To attract a new generation of fans, Abrams' new Trek is hyped up and action-packed for kids. He even cast youngsters in the film's lead roles. That opens the door for every studio's favorite kind of merchandising -- toys that appeal to perky, movie-loving children who won't shut up about them until they've been purchased.
It wouldn't be a sci-fi blockbuster without action figures, and the Hero Complex blog has a first look at the 6-inch articulated figures of key Trek characters that will sell for $9 starting in April. Playmates Toys is also introducing a full series of new Trek designs, complete with requisite play sets like the Transporter Room and the Enterprise bridge (pictured above). USA Today has a photo gallery showing off the new toy sets.
For the girls, Star Trek Barbies are coming. Featuring Kirk, Uhura and Spock (pictured right), the figures include phaser and communicator accessories. There's no word yet on whether Mattel is planning a version of Barbie's Romulan Dream House.
Finally, there is a little merchandising news for adult Trek fans. According to The Indianapolis Star's translation of a Norwegian web report, Paramount will release the first three Star Trek films on Blu-ray in 2009.
Images courtesy Playmates, Mattel
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