COUNTDOWN: Everything on the way from threezero

As I may have mentioned on many occasions, I’m a major fan of threezero’s output.

The toy manufacturer does a terrific job at bringing all kinds of licensed fare to life, with both their MCU and (perhaps obviously) Transformers lines currently holding my attention without fail. After all, what’s not to love about incredibly detailed, lovingly produced and superbly screen-accurate representations of your favourite characters?

They have three separate ranges of Transformers, although there’s a bit of crossover in the character choices of their Platinum and DLX figures. Premium is the largest scale (with their Bumblebee Optimus Prime standing 19 inches tall and with 140 points of articulation) and comes with a price tag to match. DLX is then a scale more in line with what most collectors might anticipate for their shelves (with the equivalent DLX Optimus Prime figure standing at just over 11 inches tall and boasting a still-impressive 53 points of articulation). 

The DLX range has become a reliable source of beautifully produced toys with an increasingly varied selection. 2018’s Bumblebee remains a considerable source of inspiration, but there are also characters from the other live-action films represented, along with recent War For Cybertron efforts. 

MDLX is a little different in that they’re original designs that pay heavy homage to the appearance of the Transformers characters from Generation 1, albeit with a significant overhaul by threezero’s Art Director, Kelvin Sau. It’s also the smallest range by far (Optimus is just 7 inches tall, whilst Bumblebee is a mere 5 inches!). Still, it packs tremendous detail and articulation into a condensed package!

Anyway, enough with the intro; it’s time for an update on everything on the way from threezero!

#13: DLX DARK OF THE MOON SHOCKWAVE

Back in April of 2022, threezero teased that they were working on various live-action Transformers designs for their DLX range from across the film series. Most of those names have since been revealed and are showcased on this list below, but there are still two we have yet to see! The first is Dark of the Moon Shockwave, which has all the potential to be a superbly stunning release. With so many other teases underway, let’s hope we get to see this one unveiled soon.

#12: DLX AGE OF EXTINCTION LOCKDOWN

The second tease from April last year that has yet to be glimpsed is bounty hunter Lockdown from Age of Extinction. The film may have been a bit of a muddle, but there’s little doubt that many of the character designs are simply gorgeous, and this guy is no exception. Bonus points if threezero throw in this glowing green battle mask, and a ‘gun face’ accessory is a necessity, surely?

#11: MDLX Megatron

Currently about to drop in the MDLX line is the maniacal Megatron! With Optimus Prime having already won over plenty of collectors, there’s plenty of excitement for this one, especially as it brings the Decepticon leader’s classic look to life with a stylish and stylised fresh take. I can’t wait to see them both standing off against one another soon!

#10: MDLX Ultra Magnus

The third use of the MDLX Optimus mould (after a fantastic Nemesis rendition earlier this year), Ultra Magnus brings the classic ‘white Prime’ idea back for another outing, complete with the blue faceplate and teal highlights that make it so memorable. These days, we’ve become so accustomed to Magnus toys being all-in-one that the traditional inner robot idea from the 1986 toy is all but lost. Thankfully, this is a great way to appreciate it still!

#9: MDLX Starscream

Hot on Megatron’s heels is his treacherous lieutenant, air commander Starscream, also now in MDLX style! You can doubtless expect this one to be re-released in numerous other colours before too long (at the very least, the ‘classic’ Seeker trio feels like a shoo-in, surely?), but that doesn’t make the design any less special. It’s bloomin’ *gorgeous*! Oh, and there are also cool features, like being able to clip the wings onto MDLX Optimus in a quasi-recreation of the original cartoon. Neat!

#8: MDLX Rodimus Prime

Megatron and Starscream may look hugely exciting, but I have to be honest; this lad is the one that’s caught my eye! I’m generally a sucker for Hot Rod and Rodimus toys, and threezero’s effort certainly looks to do the character justice. Due any day now, I cannot wait to get this thing in front of a lens very soon.

#7: MDLX Sideswipe

Photo credit: TFW2005

Looking further ahead, plenty more MDLX goodness is on the way! There will be plenty of other members of the classic Ark crew represented, with the next for the treatment being Sideswipe. We’ve yet to glimpse the final thing in full colour, and as noted in the image, this isn’t yet a finished prototype, but it’s shaping up very nicely indeed. Hopefully, a Red Alert will follow, too!

#6: DLX Bumblebee Arcee

Moving on to the larger DLX range, we can soon expect this celebrated take on Arcee to be in our hands! It feels strange, considering that Rise of the Beasts is the current focus in most people’s minds, but who’s complaining when the figure in question looks as good as this? I’m sure plenty of collectors would be up for seeing more of the Bumblebee Autobot cast besides, even if they were only in the film for meme moments.

#5: DLX Revenge of the Fallen Megatron

threezero has done a few fantastic Megatrons already, but something about this effort somehow looks a little extra special! Revenge of the Fallen has a decidedly ‘mixed’ reputation amongst fans these days. Still, most will agree this design for the Decepticon leader is pretty great, so it’ll be a thrill to check it out in such super detail once this lands. That weathered finish looks incredible.

#4: Premium Nemesis Prime

Time to drop a Premium entry on this list and file it firmly under “things I’d love to own somehow”! I’m a major fan of the Bumblebee Optimus Prime design, and the DLX threezero interpretation is an outright stunner. I missed the smaller-scale Nemesis version at the time, and now this significantly larger and more detailed interpretation is certainly looking the business. Very pricey, but wow, just look at it…

#3: DLX Rise of the Beasts Bumblebee

Now we come to the Rise of the Beasts output, which is currently all in DLX scale (although the idea of Premium releases has also been teased!). Bumblebee may not have been the most prominent character in the film (with that honour turned over to Mirage this time), but he’s one of the first to get the threezero treatment, and he’s looking quite compelling here! I’m losing count of the number of ‘Bees I’ve had from the company so far, but what’s one more?

#2: DLX Rise of the Beasts Optimus Prime

As soon as this was glimpsed, it immediately rocketed right towards the top of my ‘most anticipated’ list! ROTB Optimus takes everything we loved from the previous film’s design and then stylises it, creating a result that feels fresh and distinct despite not actually being all that different on the surface. threezero looks to have done a remarkable job at realising the design here, perhaps as expected, and it’ll make a fantastic accompaniment to other takes on the character they’ve already produced! Cannot wait.

#1: DLX Rise of the Beasts Optimus Primal

And finally, we come to the figure that has captured my interest above all others! Seen only in grey prototype form so far, it’s DLX Optimus Primal from Rise of the Beasts. This was an idea I speculated on only a little while back, and I’m so happy to see it done justice in hyper-detailed form, giving us a much more in-depth look at the robot mode than we ever got from the film itself. We’ll have to wait to see what the figure looks like in full colour, but one can only speculate the finish on it should be quite noteworthy somehow. Looking forward this beast rising soon!

So that’s our list! Which threezero efforts are you most excited about?

TTFN