The 2022 /Film Holiday Gift Guide (Part 6): Toys, Action Figures, Collectibles, Prop Replicas & Games
All right, you've got your movies on 4K. You've got your TV shows on Blu-ray and DVD. You've stocked up on books about cinema and television. You've ordered some killer soundtracks and mesmerizing posters. You've ordered a whole new wardrobe and various housewares. But what about toys, collectibles, and games? Some people in your life might be trying to stop you from living your best life, maybe saying that you don't need all that junk. But they're wrong! They're so very wrong.
The sixth and final installment of the 2022 /Film Holiday Gift Guide is here, and it's a big one! This time, we're focusing on a bunch of toys and collectibles, such as action figures and LEGO sets. There are also some pricier premium figures and statue options from Hot Toys, Iron Studios, and more. For the lighter wallet, there are also some Funko POPs and plushes. And we have a variety of games inspired by movies and TV shows too. So let's dig into Part 6 of the 2022 /Film Holiday Gift Guide!
Building LEGO sets one brick at a time
Marvel and DC Comics LEGO Sets
There are a ridiculous amount of LEGO sets out there and we all know they make excellent gifts for folks for children and adults alike, so let us take a gander at some, starting with the superhero sets. LEGO definitely seems to be leaning pretty heavily on the Marvel side of things, but we do have some Batmobile options for you brickheads out there (both the Robert Pattinson muscle car version and the Christian Bale tumbler). "Black Panther" has a couple of interesting options, including a giant bust complete with the crossed arms representing the Wakanda Forever salute, not to mention a playset of Namor's throne room and a few other options inspired by the Marvel sequel. If "Doctor Strange" is more your speed, then how about the huge Sanctum Santorum modular building, which comes with Iron Man, Spider-Man, Strange and Wong minifigs. Want a massive challenge? How about The Hulkbuster? There are smaller sets up for grabs too, such as Baby Groot and both the Infinity Gauntlet and the Nano Gauntlet. (Eric Vespe)
- "Avengers: Age of Ultron" – LEGO Hulkbuster
- "Avengers: Endgame" LEGO Nano Gauntlet
- Avengers: Infinity War" LEGO Infinity Gauntlet
- "The Batman" – LEGO Batmobiles (Small and Big)
- "Black Panther" – LEGO Black Panther Bust
- "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" – LEGO Namor's Throne Room, Shuri's Sunbird, and War on the Water
- "The Dark Knight Trilogy" – LEGO Batman Tumbler (Small and Big)
- "Doctor Strange" – LEGO Sanctum Santorum
- "Guardians of the Galaxy" – LEGO Groot
- "Thor" – LEGO Mjolnir
Star Wars LEGO Sets
If it wasn't for these "Star Wars" LEGO sets, we might have never gotten those crazy addictive "LEGO Star Wars" video games (more on that later), so of course, we have to shine a light on some cool LEGO sets from a galaxy far, far away. Lots of stuff from "Star Wars" TV in here, so let me start by pointing out a really cool Original Trilogy set that has you building Luke's landspeeder from "A New Hope." It comes with Luke and C-3PO minifigs, and t's comprised of almost 2,000 pieces, so it's a big set. Other fun stuff out this holiday season is "The Mandalorian" Razor Crest ship and his fancy new ship fashioned after the Naboo Starfighter from "The Phantom Menace". From "Obi-Wan Kenobi," you can build up the Inquisitor's ship and more, and from "The Book of Boba Fett" you got Jabba's Throne Room. Sorry, Boba Fett's Throne Room. Didn't mean to offend Mr. Fett. And there's even an "Andor" LEGO set out there too. (Eric Vespe)
- "Andor" – LEGO Ambush on Ferrix
- "The Book of Boba Fett" – LEGO Boba Fett's Throne Room
- "The Mandalorian" – LEGO Dark Trooper Attack
- "The Mandalorian" – LEGO The Justifier
- "The Mandalorian" LEGO N-1 Starfighter
- "The Mandalorian" – LEGO Razor Crest
- "Obi-Wan Kenobi" – LEGO BD-1
- "Obi-Wan Kenobi" – LEGO Inquisitor Ship
- "Obi-Wan Kenobi" – LEGO Obi-Wan vs Darth Vader
- "Star Wars: A New Hope" – LEGO Landspeeder
- "Star Wars: A New Hope" – LEGO Death Star Trash Compactor Diorama
- "Star Wars: A New Hope" – LEGO Death Star Trench Run Diorama
- "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" – LEGO Dagobah Jedi Training Diorama
Harry Potter LEGO Sets
The crown jewel of the "Harry Potter" LEGO sets is a crazy expensive, massive Hogwarts Express. That's right, the train from "Harry Potter" built to huge scale with 20 (count them, 20) minifigures and taking over 5,000 bricks to complete. It's quite the LEGO set, and it'll set you back more than a few schmeckles.
If you don't want to tackle such a huge project (or put a second mortgage on your house to afford it), there are plenty of cheaper and less time-intensive Potterverse LEGO options as well. You have Dumbledore's office, the Ministry of Magic, 12 Grimmauld Place and even The Shrieking Shack and Whomping Willow. All of those are aimed at shorter build times and won't be such a drastic hit to the pocketbook. (Eric Vespe)
- LEGO Dumbledore's Office
- LEGO 12 Grimmauld Place
- LEGO Hogwarts Express
- LEGO Ministry of Magic
- LEGO Shrieking Shack and Whomping Willow
Movie & TV LEGO Sets
Dinosaurs, DeLoreans and Dwight Schrutes, oh my! So many fun film and TV LEGO sets to look at. "The Office" is a standout with the simple layout of the titular office filled to the brim with 15 minifigs of your favorite "Office" characters. You can recreate your own version of "Threat Level Midnight" if you want now! The DeLorean from "Back to the Future" is another solid buy. This set doesn't come with manure to dump on mini-Biff, FYI. There's also some "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic World" sets to look at, a cool OG "Transformers" Optimus Prime, and a ton of "Avatar" themed lego sets. If you have the patience to watch Jake and Neytiri's 3-hour and 10-minute adventure then you should damn well have the patience to build out some alien whales, tree houses, and military bad-guy ships. (Eric Vespe)
- LEGO "Back to the Future" Time Machine
- LEGO "Fast and Furious" Dom's 1970 Dodge Charger R/T
- LEGO James Bond Aston Martin DB5
- LEGO "Jurassic Park" T-Rex Breakout
- LEGO "The Office"
- LEGO Optimus Prime
- LEGO "Avatar" Playsets
- LEGO "Jurassic World Dominion" - T-Rex Breakout, Quetzalcoatlus Plane Ambush, Pyroraptor & Dilophosaurus Transport and many more.
- LEGO "Minions The Rise of Gru" – Pilot in Training, Kung Fu Battle, and Unstoppable Bike Chase
Playmobil digs into pop culture
For the past few years, the toy makers at Playmobil have been digging into some of your favorite franchises. "Back to the Future," "Star Trek," "Ghostbusters" and James Bond have all been given the Playmobil treatment, and some new playsets have just joined the line-up. The signature van from "The A-Team" has been given a Playmobil set, including every member of the TV team, along with Knight Rider and his trusty car K.I.T.T. Meanwhile, the "Star Trek" line gets another huge ship in the form of the Klingon Bird of Prey collector set.
On the cheaper side, you can also pick up a box set of "Star Trek" figures that includes Kirk, Spock, Uhura, and McCoy. If you'd prefer to take your Playmobil figures wherever you go, Playmobil also has a pair of figure keychains featuring Spock and Mr. T as B.A. Baracus from "The A-Team." (Ethan Anderton)
They're not dolls, they're action figures
Hasbro Selfie Series
At some point in your life, you probably dreamed that you could have your own action figure. Well, the dream is now real, thanks to the new Hasbro Selfie Series initiative. Here's how Hasbro describes its custom action figure program:
Hasbro Selfie Series figures are Hasbro's first introduction to its innovative, new personalization platform. Using proprietary software and in partnership with a leading 3D printing company, Formlabs, Hasbro is giving fans a chance to digitally transform themselves into the action figure with the costume from the heroes they see on-screen and imagine themselves as part of the stories they love. From a Star Wars Rebel Alliance X-wing pilot, morphing into a Power Ranger, silently stalking Cobra as Snake Eyes, or swinging through the New York cityscape like Spider-Man, fans can indulge in the ultimate consumer experience with Hasbro Selfie Series figures.
You can even turn yourself into a member of the Ghostbusters! Get all the details on how you can turn yourself into an action figure, for the price of $60, right here.
Marvel Legends
There's no shortage of action figures inspired by the pages of Marvel Comics and the movies and TV shows of Marvel Studios. Every single year, there are new superheroes and supervillains coming to your shelf. Whether it's a new line of figures inspired by "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," a growing line of figures inspired by "X-Men: The Animated Series," or a collection from "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends," you'll find the Marvel action figures you're looking for. Below, check out a collection of some of our favorites. Otherwise, head over to Hasbro Pulse or Entertainment Earth for an even larger line-up. (Ethan Anderton)
- Amazing Fantasy – Spider-Man (60th Anniversary)
- Black Panther – T'Challa
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Ironheart
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Namor
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Shuri as Black Panther
- Hawkeye – Clint Barton as Hawkeye
- Hawkeye – Kate Bishop
- Loki – Classic Loki
- Loki – He Who Remains
- Loki – Loki and Tesseract
- Moon Knight – Marc Spector as Moon Knight
- Moon Knight – Mr. Knight
- Ms. Marvel – Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel
- She-Hulk – Jennifer Walters as She-Hulk
- Spider-Man: Homecoming – Ned Leeds and Peter Parker
- Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends – Spider-Man, Iceman and Firestar
- Thor: Love and Thunder – Thor
- Thor: Love and Thunder – Mighty Thor
- WandaVision – Agent Jimmy Woo
- X-Men: The Animated Series – Apocalypse
- X-Men: The Animated Series – Beast
- X-Men: The Animated Series – Cyclops
- X-Men: The Animated Series – Jean Grey
- X-Men: The Animated Series – Jubilee
- X-Men: The Animated Series – Morph
- X-Men: The Animated Series – Wolverine
Star Wars Black Series, Vintage Collection & More
If you thought Hasbro's collection of Marvel figures was big, never doubt the power of merchandising when it comes to "Star Wars" figures. Whether it's the 6-inch Black Series line of figures or the 3.75 Vintage Collection that's more in line with the classic Kenner action figure line, there's an endless array of figures, especially now that there are "Star Wars" TV series to expand the roster of toys. You'll even find a cool set of Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi inspired by the original concept art for "Star Wars." For the younger fans out there, you'll also want to check out Disney Shop's action figures inspired by a galaxy far, far away, as well as the new Micro Galaxy Squadron vehicles with little tiny figures, throwing it back to the Action Fleet vehicle line from the old Micro Machines label. (Ethan Anderton)
- Star Wars Black Series -All Figures
- Star Wars Black Series – Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Concept Art Black Series Figures
- Star Wars Black Series – Holiday Figures
- Star Wars Toy Box – Luke, R2-D2, and Grogu Figures
- Star Wars Toy Box – Obi-Wan and Darth Vader Figures
- Star Wars Vintage Collection – All Figures
- Star Wars Micro Galaxy Squadron Vehicle and Figures
McFarlane Toys for DC Comics
McFarlane Toys used to be one of the only toy makers creating highly detailed action figures for adults. But now, there's plenty of competition out there, and they're not quite as special as they used to be. However, McFarlane Toys isn't having any trouble giving DC Comics fans the kind of action figures they're looking for from the pages of DC Comics and the latest movies they've inspired. Whether it's the newer line-up of characters from "The Batman" and "Black Adam" or the many iterations of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Joker, the DC Comics action figures from McFarlane are digging into every corner of DC Comics. Pick your poison! Check out Entertainment Earth and Amazon to see what's available. (Ethan Anderton)
- Batgirl (Gotham Knights)
- The Batman (Robert Pattinson)
- Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson)
- The Flash (Grant Gustin)
- Green Lantern – John Stewart
- Hush
- Lex Luthor in Power Suit
- Nightwing (Gotham Knights)
- Robin (The Dark Knight Returns)
- Wonder Woman (Anti-Crisis)
Super7 Ultimates
Super7 is another toy maker who is delivering high-quality, detailed action figures that meticulously recreate some of your favorite characters in toy form with plenty of accessories. The huge variety of toys inspired by the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" animated series, the heroes and villains of "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers," the cosmic characters of "Thundercats," the zany antics of "The Simpsons" and "Animaniacs," the vehicular robot action of "Transformers," and even the animated characters of Disney movies all have their own action figure collections from Super7. However, their Ultimates line-up action figures waves are made to order, so there are limited windows in which you can pre-order.
Right now, one of the coolest new action figures sets is for "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (seen above). The first wave of figures includes Commander Riker, Guinan, Lieutenant Commander Data, and Locutus. You can order them altogether or grab them individually. There's also a ninth wave of figures inspired by the original Playmates line of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" action figures and a fourth wave from the epic "Conan" franchise. Recently, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" also got a line of figures in the Ultimates line too.
The good news is, if you missed any of the previous windows for Super7 action figures, online stores like Entertainment Earth order a huge batch of them to sell on the secondary market for the regular price. They won't ship until they get them from Super7, so you'll be waiting at least a few months to get your hands on some of them, but trust me when I say it's worth it. (Ethan Anderton).
NECA's Back to the Future, Gargoyles, E.T., Universal Monsters, and More
If there's one successor to McFarlane Toys that is delivering incredibly detailed action figures for adults based on the film and TV franchises they love, it's NECA. For years, they've been crafting some of the best action figures on the market, especially when it comes to horror and sci-fi properties. This year, the standouts are the Universal Monsters action figures, an update of their beloved figures from "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial," some impressively bulky figures from the "Gargoyles" animated series, the sitcom alien puppet known as ALF, a new "RoboCop," and what appears to be the end of their "Back to the Future" line of figures. (Ethan Anderton)
- ALF
- Back to the Future
- E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
- RoboCop (also Battle Damaged with Chair)
- Gargoyles
- Gremlins and Gremlins: The New Batch (and New Accessory Set)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Animated Series and Movies)
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Universal Monsters Crossovers)
- Universal Monsters (Frankenstein, Wolf Man, The Mummy – in black and white or color)
If you're interested in other action figures from the likes of "Transformers," "G.I. Joe," "Power Rangers," and "Masters of the Universe," check out those respective links. For a variety of a little pricier action figures, including brands like Bandai, SH Figuarts, and Kotobukiya, which also create impressively detailed action figures in Japan, check out Big Bad Toy Store.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On!
If you love the little shell named Marcel, who is known for wearing shoes, then this little metal figurine from the A24 Shop is for you. The character voiced by Jenny Slate comes in an adorable matchbox-sized container that can be turned into a makeshift house. Use Marcel as a paperweight or just place him somewhere around your house for friends to discover. You know why he smiles so much? Because it's worth it.
Funko POPs galore!
It wouldn't be a holiday gift guide about toys and collectibles if we didn't feature the never-ending collection of Funko POPs that grows each year. Even though it feels like interest in collecting Funko POPs has waned somewhat in the past couple years, there are still a ton of new vinyl figures released each year. What I like about the growing Funko POPs line is how they're expanding from just making their typical vinyl figures to figuring out ways to package them in cool, display-friendly ways. Along with some of our favorite Funko POPs from 2022 listed below, be sure to pay attention to some of the Funko POP Movie Moments, including the new deluxe holiday sets for "Elf," "Home Alone" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." Happy hunting! (Ethan Anderton)
- "The Avengers" – Victory Shawarma Series
- "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" – Namor
- "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" – Shuri as Black Panther
- "Bob's Burgers" – Bob with Burger Cart (Funko POP Deluxe)
- "The Book of Boba Fett" – Boba Fett and Fennec Shand in Throne Room (Funko POP Movie Moment)
- "Dexter's Laboratory" – Dexter
- "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" – Dead Strange
- "Elf" – Bye Buddy, Hope You Find Your Dad (Deluxe Funko POP Movie Moment)
- "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" – Elliot and E.T. Flying (Funko POP Movie Moment)
- "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" – E.T. in Disguise
- "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" – Ecto-1 with Trevor (Funko POP Ride)
- "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" – Mini Puft on Fire
- "The Godfather" – Vito Corleone and Cat
- "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" – Character 5-Pack
- "Hawkeye" – Kate Bishop and Lucky the Pizza Dog
- "Home Alone" – The Staircase (Deluxe Funko POP Movie Moment)
- "Johnny Bravo" – Johnn Bravo
- "Jurassic Park" – Funko POP Movie Poster
- "The Mandalorian" – The Child Using the Force (Funko POP Deluxe)
- "The Mandalorian" – Luke Skywalker with Grogu
- Movie Theater Popcorn Bucket
- Movie Theater Soda Cup
- "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" – Griswold Family Christmas (Deluxe Funko POP Movie Moment)
- "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" – VHS Cover
- "Parks and Recreation" – Jerry and Lil Sebastian
- "Peacemaker" – Peacemaker and Eagly
- "The Sopranos" – Tony Soprano in Robe with Duck
- "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" – Duel of the Fates (Funko POP Deluxe)
- "Thor: Love and Thunder" – Mighty Thor
- "Turning Red" – Red Panda Mei (6-inch Super POP)
- "WALL-E" – Eve and WALL-E Date (Funko POP Moment)
An assortment of plushes
Whatever Disney employee thought it was a good idea to make a plush set of the screaming goats from "Thor: Love and Thunder" deserves a raise. Yeah, I said it. The screaming goats rule and if they didn't make you laugh then you should probably get your funnybone checked out. The only downside is they don't have a screambox in them to really annoy the hell out of your family members. Disney also has done up some fun plushes for their other IP, like a cute Ewok with a candy cane, the Mei Panda from "Turning Red," and Sox from "Lightyear." If all that stuff is too cute for you and yours, then how about some very Christmas-y "South Park" plushes? Kenny is Rudolph, Kyle and Stan are ... some of the other reindeer, and Cartman is, of course, Santa Claus. (Eric Vespe)
- "Lightyear" – Sox Plush
- "South Park" – Christmas Plush Set
- "Star Wars" – Wicket Holiday Plushs
- "Thor: Love and Thunder" – Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder Goats Plushes
- "Turning Red" – Red Panda Mei Plush
So many prop replicas and role-playing toys
Star Wars
It wouldn't be a geeky gift guide without some lightsaber replicas, would it? Well, don't worry. We got you covered on that front. Yes, you can get Ahsoka's lightsaber set via a Legacy Hilt release, and that's very cool, but you can also pick up your very own Darksaber and you don't even have to conquer the current wielder for it! All you need is a credit card! Someone should tell Bo-Katan that and save her some headache. Speaking of Bo-Katan, there's also a replica of her helmet put out under the premium Black Series label that comes with interior padding and everything. And, of course, the Black Series Darth Vader helmet's a no-brainer for any "Star Wars" fan. For the younger fans, check out the Lightsaber Forge playset, the droid LOLA from the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series. (Eric Vespe)
- "The Mandalorian" – Darksaber
- "The Mandalorian" – Ahsoka Tano Lightsaber Set
- "The Mandalorian" – Mando Helmet
- "The Mandalorian" – Life-Size Grogu
- "Star Wars" – Darth Vader Helmet
- "Star Wars" – Darth Vader Lightsaber
- "The Mandalorian" – Bo-Katan Helmet
If you've got some kids looking to get into "Star Wars" with you, maybe you'll want to check out the Lightsaber Forge Inquisitor Masterworks Set, featuring a buildable double-bladed hilt inspired by the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series. Also inspired by the series, you can get your hands on the animatronic, electronic L0-LA59 (LOLA) droid that a young Princess Leia carries around.
Marvel and DC Comics
Okay, so there are some crazy cool Marvel and DC prop replicas out there ranging from ungodly expensive to affordable. At the more expensive end you have the 1989 "Batman" grapple gun set that looks exactly like the one in the movie. Don't try to fire it or swing off the grapple, though, or you'll have a very bad time. The more recent "The Batman" batarang is pretty sweet, too. There's a "Black Adam" Crown of Sabbac, the reassembled Mjolnir, Captain Carter's Shield, Spider-Man's special "No Way Home" gauntlet gifted by Doc Strange and Doctor Strange's own cape. If your name is Thanos, then you can also pick up the Tesseract, Eye of Agamoto, Aether Container and the globe from "Guardians of the Galaxy" to help you complete your infinity stone set. I'm sure nothing terrible will come of that... (Eric Vespe)
- "The Avengers" – Tesseract
- "Batman" (1989) – Grapnel Gun
- "Batman (1989) – Batarang (Scaled)
- "Batman" (1989) – Batman Cowl
- "The Batman" – Batarang
- "Black Adam" – The Crown of Sabaac
- "Black Adam" – Hawkman's Mace
- "Doctor Strange" – Cloak of Levitation
- "Doctor Strange" – Eye of Agamotto
- "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" – Captain Carter's Shield
- "Guardians of the Galaxy" – Power Stone Orb
- "Ms. Marvel" – Bangles
- "Spider-Man: No Way Home" – Spider-Man Arm Gauntlet
- "Thor: Love and Thunder" – Shattered Mjolnir
- "Thor: The Dark World" – Aether
Power Rangers
The time has come. "Power Rangers" kids are now of age to get some high end prop replicas from their childhood favorite show. And, boy, are there some good-looking replicas out there. You got weapons and helmets on offer. On the helmet front, you have the Red, Blue and White rangers available and, for the darker souls out there, Lord Zedd's brainy helmet. All of these are wearable, by the way. The weapons on offer are the Blue Ranger's Power Lance, the Red Ranger Power Sword and the Yellow Ranger daggers. You know what that means? That's right. Rita Repulsa doesn't stand a chance! (Eric Vespe)
- Blue Ranger Helmet
- Blue Ranger Lance
- Lord Drakkon Helmet
- Lord Zedd Helmet
- Red Ranger Helmet
- Red Ranger Sword
- Yellow Ranger Daggers
Indiana Jones, The Goonies, Willow and More
What's left is a potpourri of nerdy prop replicas, ranging from "Willow" to James Bond to "Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter." Indiana Jones gets a little love as well, including the woefully underappreciated "Temple of Doom." Yes, you too can have your own Indiana Jones voodoo doll! There's some wands in here, including the Elder Wand from "Harry Potter" and Willow's wand from, well, "Willow." There's also Galadriel's gift to Frodo from "Lord of the Rings" (who doesn't want their own Light of Earendil?), a 1:1 scale Pokéball for anyone still trying to catch all the Pokémon, the Copper Bones from "The Goonies," a screen-accurate SPECTRE ring from the James Bond films, the iconic '80s cartoon swords from "Thundercats" and "Masters of the Universe," and even Coco's guitar for good measure. (Eric Vespe)
- "Coco" – Guitar
- "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" – Speak and Spell
- "The Goonies" – Adventure Collection
- "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" – The Elder Wand
- "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" – Azkaban Prisoner Sign
- "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" – The Crystal Skull (may be sold out, but keep checking)
- "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" – Indiana Jones Voodoo Doll (may be sold out, but keep checking or find a cheaper option)
- James Bond – Spectre Ring
- "The Lord of the Rings" – Galadriel's Phial
- "Masters of the Universe" – Skeletor's Sword
- "Pokemon" – Pokeball
- "Thundercats" – The Sword of Omens
- "Willow" – Cherlindrea's Wand
Hot Toys and more expensive collectibles
Hot Toys is the finest purveyor of nerd furniture out there. They produce stunning likeness recreations and unbeatable articulation and accessory packages. Yes, that means they command a higher-than-usual price, but the quality is unbeatable. Whether it's a comic book movie character, a "Star Wars" character, or even some '80s icons you know that when you pick up a Hot Toys product it's going to look friggin' amazing on your bookshelf. (Eric Vespe)
Star Wars
Hot Toys has a long history of producing screen-accurate "Star Wars" figures. I myself have an "A New Hope" Han Solo that looks so lifelike that I sometimes wonder if I'll wake up one night to see a little sixth-scale Harrison Ford standing over me with his plastic Finger of Doom outstretched. The selections we'd like to highlight this year are almost exclusively from the new "Star Wars" shows, covering characters from "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and "The Book of Boba Fett." You got thicc Boba Fett and Cobb Vanth (that's right, a sixth-scale Timothy Olyphant!) available, as well as Ewan McGregor's return to the Obi-Wan robes, Moses Ingram as Reva, Rupert Friend's Grand Inquisitor, and the man in black himself, Darth Vader, complete with that super cool battle damaged helmet revealing the charred remains of Hayden Christensen's face underneath. All of them come with interchangeable hands for different poses and a bunch of accessories. (Eric Vespe)
Marvel and DC
Lots of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Thor: Love and Thunder" Hot Toys options to consider here. You got the new Doc Ock (with mechanical tentacles) and the classic 2002 "Spider-Man" Green Goblin with his shiny helmet. However, the cooler Hot Toys Green Goblin figure is the specific iteration from "No Way Home," where it's mostly Willem Dafoe with the tattered purple hoodie. You can also thwip up the Tobey Maguire Spidey from "No Way Home" as well, which comes with a Sandman base. Other MCU Hot Toys for your collecting pleasure include Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor, Chris Hemsworth as Thor in his show-off helmet outfit, creepy Christian Bale's Gorr the God Butcher, creepy undead Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch from "Multiverse of Madness," not to mention two different Black Panthers (T'Challa and Shuri), and much more. DC has some good stuff on offer, too, including Robert Pattinson's "The Batman" and John Cena as Peacemaker himself. Yes, Peacemaker does come with Eagly, which makes it the best figure on this list. And this is just a taste of the comic book offerings. (Eric Vespe)
- "The Batman"
- "Black Panther" – Shuri Hot Toys
- "Black Panther" – T'Challa Hot Toys
- "Captain America: Civil War" – Iron Man
- "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" – Dead Strange
- "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" – Scarlet Witch
- "Hawkeye" – Kate Bishop
- "I Am Groot" – Groot
- "Peacemaker"
- "Spider-Man" (2002) – Green Goblin
- "Spider-Man: No Way Home" – Doc Ock
- "Spider-Man: No Way Home" – Green Goblin
- "Spider-Man: No Way Home" – Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire)
- "Thor: Love and Thunder" – Gorr The God Butcher
- "Thor: Love and Thunder" – Mighty Thor
- "Thor: Love and Thunder" – Thor
Where We're Going We Don't Need Roads
Great Scott! It's Doc, Marty, the DeLorean, and even Einstein! That's right, Hot Toys is doubling down with their "Back to the Future" figures! You've got two different Michael J. Foxes and Christopher Lloyds. There are their looks from the first "Back to the Future" and then their "Back to the Future Part III" wild west get-ups. It should be noted that Marty from the first film comes with Doc's dog, Einstein, which is pretty heavy. For the big spenders, there's also the gigantic, movie-accurate flying DeLorean from "Back to the Future Part II." The wing doors open and LED lights throughout give it the perfect movie-accurate hue. The flux capacitor lights up, so there's a possibility this thing can actually time travel. Fair warning. (Eric Vespe)
Other Premium Figures and Statues
Out of the Hot Toys realm, there are some mighty impressive statues from a veritable cornucopia of nerdy offerings. Want something scary? There's a deluxe Possessed Regan from "The Exorcist" statue that'll do the trick. There's also a sixth-scale Sam figure from "Trick 'R Treat" as well. On the sweeter side, there's a black and white "Steamboat Willie" statue, a "Powerpuff Girls" set showing the three girls in butt-kicking readiness, a big ol' Reptar from "Rugrats," an adorable Toothless from "How to Train Your Dragon" all curled up like a dragon kitty, a quarter scale sapling Groot from Sideshow, and more. Two other highlights here: a sixth scale Fonzie from "Happy Days" leaning up against the jukebox (the very definition of cool) and the ridiculous, intimidating, insanely expensive, but utterly drool-worthy 26-inch oversized Mechagodzilla made by Prime 1 Studio. Dude has glowing red eyes and everything. (Eric Vespe)
- "Chip N Dale: Rescue Rangers" Statue
- "The Exorcist" – Possessed Regan Statue
- "Godzilla vs Kong" – Mechagodzilla
- "Guardians of the Galaxy" – Baby Groot
- "Happy Days" – Fonzie
- "Harry Potter" – Hogwarts Diorama
- "How to Train Your Dragon" – Toothless Statue
- Mickey Mouse – Steamboat Willie Statue
- "Powerpuff Girls" – Premium Figure Set
- "Rugrats" – Super7 Supersize Vinyl Figure
- "Star Wars" – Darth Vader Choking Rebel Soldier
- "Trick 'R Treat" – Sam
Check out the Sideshow Collectibles and Hot Toys websites for a ton of high-end collectibles ranging from premium format figures to statues and other items inspired by movies, TV shows, and more realms of pop culture.
Bring home Lucasfilm's Yoda fountain statue
Many a "Star Wars" fan has made the pilgrimage to the Yoda Fountain in San Francisco. This guy is out front of Lucasfilm's headquarters and is a symbol for fanboys and fangirls everywhere. Notable geekware maker Kotobukiya has now immortalized this iconic statue in a limited edition of 1138 (how appropriate) to celebrate Lucasfilm's 50th anniversary. The manufacturer says this is a strict limited edition, and once it's sold out, it's sold out forever. The molds made for this piece will be broken and that is that. This resin statue is handpainted and stands nearly nine inches tall. Buy it, you will, or forever will you regret it. (Eric Vespe)
Games of all kinds!
Board Games and More
I think we can all agree that if you're going to own a chess set, it's gotta be something incredibly, deeply, excruciatingly nerdy. Well, it doesn't get much nerdier than a Disney Parks "Haunted Mansion" light-up chess set. Hitchhiking Ghosts, Madame Leota, and the Hatbox Ghost are all represented. If you want something with more of a creepy party vibe, then look no further than "Arkham Horror," a cooperative card-based game to play with your friends and enemies. It's not based on any movies, but horror fans will love it. If you want your sci-fi/fantasy more on the complex and gritty side, then "Dune: Imperium" is for you. It's a deck-building set in the so-so-so-dense world crafted by Frank Herbert. Finally, "Star Wars" is represented with this tactical strategy game set during The Clone Wars. Made for one to five players, Clones and Jedi take on Battle Droids and Trade Federation scum using the "Pandemic" game system. Game on! (Eric Vespe)
- Arkham Horror: The Card Game
- Dune: Imperium
- The Haunted Mansion Light-Up Chess
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (A Pandemic System Game)
Video Games
You know all about the big Triple-A games out, like "God of War: Ragnarok," but there's also an interesting collection of movie-nerd video game tie-ins to consider this holiday season. Who would have thought that Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" would be the basis of a new video game, but it is! The game is narrative-focused and available on all major consoles. Likewise, there's a new "Ghostbusters" game out called "Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed" guaranteed to fulfill all your ecto-blasting needs. And, of course, there's "LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga" which covers all nine saga films in exhaustive detail. This thing is very expansive and immersive and is filled with an ungodly amount of playable "Star Wars" icons. All these games are available on Playstation, Xbox and everything except "Ghostbusters" is also on the Nintendo Switch. (Eric Vespe)
- Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed (PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch)
- Vertigo (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch)
Role-Playing Games
Now we're getting into the deep nerd s**t. We're talking tabletop RPGs. Rule books, your own character sheets, real nitty-gritty stuff here. Two movie/book-related RPGs are up for discussion right now. First up, we have one based on "The Lord of the Rings," which is kind of a no-brainer considering D&D owes a massive debt to Tolkien. It's a natural fit to move a tabletop RPG into this world and the creators claim to have crafted it in a simple-to-learn and fun RPG experience. The other notable RPG is "Dune: Adventures in the Imperium," not to be confused with the deck-building game above. This one is a straight-up RPG based on Modiphius's 2d20 system. You can't get much more hardcore than a "Dune" RPG, my friends. (Eric Vespe)
Other Games
The only kind of games really left to talk about are dice-based games. No, we're not talking Craps here, but you could certainly use some of the dice options here if you're that dedicated to starting your own underground nerd casino. There's a "Nightmare Before Christmas" dice set that looks like Oogie Boogie's personal dice from the movie. That would certainly fit the bill. Then there's "Marvel Dice Throne," a dice game where you become one of eight popular Marvel characters (we're talking the Miles Morales Spider-Man, Scarlet Witch, Loki, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, etc.) and roll your way to victory.
For the true movie and TV lover, there's a dice set made for us indecisive folks. This isn't a game, but the "What to Watch Streaming Decider Dice" features dice that will decide what to watch for you, giving you the genre, the medium (TV or film), and the number of rows and columns to scroll through before you land on your random choice. Sometimes you just gotta let fate decide. (Eric Vespe)
Theory 11 has playing cards for the movie fan
Finally, Theory 11 has some of the highest quality playing cards available, and they have an entire assembly of card sets inspired by some of your favorite franchises. The newest decks are inspired by the "Lord of the Rings" films and Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight Trilogy." But if this is the first you're hearing of Theory 11 cards, you'll be happy to hear there are also playing cards inspired by "The Avengers," "Harry Potter," "Dune," "Star Wars," and of course "James Bond." Even "Saturday Night Live" has its own card deck. Your next poker game won't be the same. (Ethan Anderton)
That's a wrap on the 2022 /Film Holiday Gift Guide! Be sure to check out Part 1 for movies, Part 2 for TV shows, Part 3 for books, Part 4 for soundtracks and artwork, and Part 5 for clothing, accessories, housewares, and holiday decorations. Thanks for stopping by! Good luck with all your holiday shopping!