This is the latest in a series (of indefinite length and regularity) of blog posts memorializing cancelled toys. Our figure today is Kenner's R-Zor Warrior.
In 1994, Kenner had plans to add "Predator Hunters" to the ranks of the Space Marines, using characters from the first movie. Previews magazine even had a product listing that named Dutch, Hi-Tech Dutch, Blain, and Big Knife Billy. Part of that sub-line would have been the figure possibly known as R'Zor, R-Zor, or Razor Predator. Rather than being an actual Pred, this would have been a human in a specialized suit, serving as a counterpart to the ATAX Armor.
That's a hand-painted sample, because the toy never got far enough into production for any other kind of sample to exist. The big silver arm blades would have been removable, and if ATAX was anything to go by, the helmet would have been as well. The Predator Hunters were cancelled altogether after slow sales of the previous Space Marines assortments.
It may be a long shot, but I am hoping that we do get this guy. Maybe it'll end up being an SDCC exclusive or something?
See, I'm assuming the reason they named him at all is that they've got one in the works. Maybe they'll do the normal version at retail, but then SDCC will have one with a human head...
Yeah, I could see that happening. I assume we'll get a Lasershot as well, for similar reasons -- and from a glance at the retro figure, NECA probably has a lot of the pieces to tool it already.
Btw, when I was researching my review of Spiked Tail, I did come across this little curiosity. Seems you could own your very own original R'Zor if you really wanted, though it'll set you back a sizeable amount... http://www.studiolighting.net/items/Predator-Unproduced-Prototype-Kenner-Space-Marine-Razor-Action-Figure_122101027539.html
Let's hope NECA releases a version of all these Predator figures, the Lasershot was just announced. The soldier ones are probably tied to licensing problems though, but they could go with something like the Apone figure.