Interviews

SDCC 2023: Steven Ozer, Bill Miekina, and Chris Down Analyze Mattel’s WWE Line

August 24, 2023

4 mins read

SDCC 2023: Steven Ozer, Bill Miekina & Chris Down Break Down Mattel’s WWE Line

Summary

Mattel has partnered with major pop culture franchises like Jurassic Park, Disney, and WWE, offering incredibly detailed action figures with accessories that highlight different storylines for each wrestler.
The WWE line of action figures listens to fan feedback and delivers on their wants and desires, with figures like Eric Bischoff and Rowdy Roddy Piper catering to popular demand.
Mattel’s San Diego Comic-Con exclusives include figures like Muhammad Ali, complete with both boxing and referee gear, as well as collaborations with Ghostbusters and Masters of the Universe. The company pays attention to detail, even updating figures with new tattoos and attire for accuracy.

Mattel has brought some of the biggest franchises and brands in pop culture into fans’ homes with products like Jurassic Park, Disney, and WWE. The toy company is one of the largest toy makers in the world, second only to Lego, and has been at the forefront with not only action figures but Mattel originals like Barbie, Hot Wheels, and more. Their partnership with WWE began in 2009 and has grown to include fan-favorite wrestlers from every era.

These figures are not only incredibly detailed; they also include accessories that can highlight different storylines for each wrestler. Mattel has even set up brand collaborations with WWE and Ghostbusters, as well as WWE and Masters of the Universe. At San Diego Comic-Con, Mattel showed off a number of new exclusives, including Muhammad Ali as part of WrestleMania 1 with both his boxing and referee gear.

FilmmakerFocus spoke with Mattel Chief Design Officer Chris Down, WWE Designer Bill Miekina, and Steven Ozer of Mattel’s WWE Marketing team about Mattel’s WWE line and exclusives at San Diego Comic-Con. They discussed the details that are put into the figures, including updates each time a wrestler gets a new tattoo and the ring. They also delved into the Hulk Hogan set and the Steven Spielberg figure to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Jurassic Park.

Steven Ozer, Bill Miekina & Chris Down Talk Mattel WWE

FilmmakerFocus: I am a huge WWE fan, representing my Tribal Chief Roman Reigns. I saw some of those figures on the other side. Let’s let you guys introduce yourselves.

Bill Miekina: My name is Bill Miekina, I’m a designer on WWE.

Steven Ozer: Steve Ozer, marketing on WWE.

Chris Down: And Chris Down, chief design officer for Mattel.

I saw some of those WWE action figures on the other side and I about lost my mind. Brett the Hitman Hart is my favorite wrestler of all time, and you guys got ’90s Heart Foundation stable Brett, and I love to see it. What went into that thought process of making our Monday Night War era of WWE action figures?

Steven Ozer: Okay. Monday Night War era is probably the most popular era of WWE of all time. So people love their eras. So we were looking for a home for Monday Night Wars for the longest time, and Ruthless Aggression seemed like a nice compact collection, a couple waves and then we moved on to Monday night war. It’s just really about timing and we know what the fans want, we just have to find the right moment to do it, and now is the time.

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I absolutely love that you brought up the fans because they are such an important part of the toy brand. What sets you guys apart is that you truly listen to the fans and deliver on what we want to see. I recently saw the Eric Bischoff and Rowdy Roddy Piper two-pack and I have to say, it’s amazing. Can you tell me more about it?

Bill Miekina: Actually, the Eric Bischoff figure is separate from the Roddy Piper figure. The Eric Bischoff figure comes with a new Monday Nitro ring, which will be available exclusively on Mattel Creations and Ringside Collectibles. It’s a special online exclusive. On the other hand, the Roddy Piper figure will be available through the Ultimate Raw versus Nitro line at Walmart.

These figures represent high-level talent and allow for some really creative possibilities. With the Ultimates line, we can include multiple expressions and looks. For example, with the Eric Bischoff figure, you can have a pre NWO version with a white t-shirt underneath the jacket, and then switch to the black t-shirt with the NWO logo when he joins the dark side. It’s all about the fun and versatility of the Ultimates line.

I’m really excited to discuss the San Diego Comic-Con exclusive. We finally have Muhammad Ali, who was part of WrestleMania 1, joining the lineup. This figure comes with both his referee gear and his boxing gear. We already have Mr. T and Hulk Hogan from WrestleMania 1, so this completes our trio. Can you tell me about the process of bringing Muhammad Ali’s likeness and figure to the Mattel brand?

Steven Ozer: WWE has been an incredible partner for us, and they have a rich history of crossover superstars in pop culture. We always have a wishlist of who we want to include in our line, and we work closely with WWE to make it happen.

Bringing Muhammad Ali to the Mattel brand was a collaborative effort. We wanted to capture his likeness and iconic moments from WrestleMania 1. It’s all about celebrating these legendary figures and their impact on both wrestling and popular culture.

Get ready for a knockout addition to our line-up! We are thrilled to announce that Muhammad Ali will be joining our collection. This is a major coup for us, as Ali is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and beloved sports figures of all time. We couldn’t be prouder to include him in our line.

But that’s not all! Imagine pairing Ali with Rowdy Roddy Piper for an epic WrestleMania 2 boxing match. And have you seen our exclusive Usos Ringside collectible? The box art is absolutely stunning, and the attention to detail in capturing their likenesses is truly remarkable. We’d love to hear more about the process behind creating such lifelike figures.

Bill Miekina, our collaborator at WWE, plays a crucial role in ensuring accuracy. He works closely with us, providing references for every outfit change, expressions, and even new tattoos. For instance, Jay Uso’s recent ink work is meticulously recreated in our figures. We want to make sure that when you look at them, you’re seeing a miniature version of the Usos in all their glory.

Now, as a part of that brand. That’s actually a great segue to this question. How angry do you guys get when you see a new WWE superstar with a new tattoo and you’re like, oh man, we have to make that now.

Steven Ozer: It’s opportunity. The fans want every variation. So, we’re lucky to have fans and collectors and consumers who want every outfit, every tattoo variation. It’s like, “Okay, one little tattoo is missing now it has that tattoo added. I’m buying that too.” It’s awesome. And we’re the same way. We just collect like crazy and Bill is on it. He noticed these things immediately and nails it when he puts them on action figures.

Now let’s talk about your Elite Line because I saw a Hulk Hogan box set that looks incredible. The Elite figures look amazing. I feel like these are beautiful figures that you can place right on your stand and it fits with any kind of motif, especially if you’re a hardcore WWE fan. So talk to me about the decision to make the Hulk Hogan three packs. It’s like we’re going through his era.

Bill Miekina: Next year will be the 40th anniversary of the birth of Hulkamania and WWE, and it just seemed like we should celebrate this. This is a big deal. This is basically why a lot of people got into wrestling by watching Hulk Hogan and WWE back in the day. That was one of the reasons…he was one of the first wrestlers I heard of and my fandom started, and then once you’re familiar with him and then you find out all these other amazing wrestlers and performers, it’s like, “Wow!”

I didn’t know it’d be my job 40 years later because, but I’m thankful that it is. So yeah, we wanted to pay tribute to that. And also, he’s a big name that’s gone hit through some very, very significant stages with very significant visuals. So to be able to do a box set that sort of captures all three of those stages in unique outfits that we haven’t done before either.

Every time you think you’ve done every version of someone, you’re always finding, “Oh, wait, wait, wait. I don’t, we’ve done something similar to that, but this is actually new different type designs and the silver sunglasses instead of just regular black or white. This is a whole new significant visual. Okay. Yeah, this works.”

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When you guys are designing your Hulk Hogan action figures. Does anybody do Hulk Hogan impressions as…

Steven Ozer: We do everyone’s impressions all the time. Maybe especially me, maybe too much, but I think the team all has so much fun with what we do because the passion is there. Sometimes the references go over some of the younger people on the team’s heads, but we have a good time making these figures.

San Diego Comic-Con is known for its big reveals all the time and you guys put them out there. Let’s talk about some of the things we’re revealing for the first time here at San Diego Comic-Con. What pieces can you guys speak to?

Bill Miekina: There’s some new figures, there’s some new things that’ll be revealed tomorrow that are pretty impressive. Stuff that came out today. I think Elite 105, some of the figures in there turned out really good. The new Braun Strowman, I think is a lot of new tooling to make, when he returned to WWE, he was noticeably leaner. And he was cut and he was wearing some very distinctive red skinny jeans. It’s like when I first saw that, I’m like, “We’ve done quite a few Braun Strowman, but it’s like if I have all this previous Braun Strowman, this one’s neat. This is new. I need this one now too.”

Iyo Sky. Damage Control. Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky. Those are challenging figures because there’s a lot of deco on those and just figuring out how to not only execute that but also hit your cost targets, which is part of being in business.

I don’t think there’s a wrestling line better than Ultimate Line. It’s just so beautiful, with so many options and the articulation is incredible. What’s one of the figures that isn’t in the line that you guys are personally hoping to see?

Steven Ozer: Oh man. It’s tough because we’re making so many, right? There was a really deep cut that we just did. Gobbledy Gooker. And it’s like, who knew that we’d figure it out, and it’d be an Ultimate? So, maybe another deep cut like a Papa Shango.

Bill Miekina: It’s going to be tough because the one I wanted was one I was able to do, which was Terry Funk in the Coliseum collection. I knew that I would want, there’s also one more that I think we might get to eventually, but I might have to get my answer to that one tomorrow

I love all of the accessories and soft goods these figures come with. rnrnWhat factors do we consider when deciding whether to use soft goods or harder plastic for our figures? It’s an important question that affects the overall look and feel of the product.

Bill Miekina, our expert in toy design, explains that the decision ultimately comes down to execution. If the item in question has a smooth surface and minimal surface detail, like a T-shirt or a jacket, it can be executed using soft goods. This allows for more flexibility in posing and a more realistic appearance. However, if the item has intricate details or unique features, like fringe or special patterns, using soft goods may result in a loss of scale and accuracy. In these cases, it’s better to use harder plastic molds to capture all the fine details.

Miekina emphasizes that even though Mattel is known for its expertise in soft goods manufacturing, there are limitations to what fabric can achieve. Some details simply cannot be replicated accurately with fabric, no matter how skilled the manufacturer is.

So, when it comes to deciding between soft goods and harder plastic, it’s all about finding the best way to bring the figure to life while maintaining the highest level of detail and accuracy.

Now, let’s talk about the incredible level of detail that goes into our figures. Miekina reveals that there are often hidden details that many people may never even notice. For example, when designing the ring, he wanted to replicate the construction process of a real wrestling ring. Instead of taking a simpler approach, he insisted on including all the intricate elements, such as the girding, steel sides, supports, beams, and ring mats. This attention to detail not only adds authenticity but also creates a more immersive play experience.

Miekina recalls watching the ring being built backstage during wrestling shows and finding it fascinating. He wanted to capture that same feeling in the design of the figure. When they created the crowdfund ring, they were able to recreate the entire construction process, and it was a truly satisfying achievement.

In conclusion, our decision to use soft goods or harder plastic depends on the specific item and its level of detail. We strive to create figures that not only look great but also capture the essence of the real-life counterparts they represent. And when it comes to detail, we go above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of our figures is as accurate and authentic as possible.

I feel like you just gave yourself an audition to be a part of WWE’s ring crew by breaking down the exact way that the rings are built. Chris, I want to get to you for a second because Mattel is celebrating the 30th anniversary of a lot of properties, one of them being Jurassic Park. Talk to me about Steven Spielberg’s three-quarter-inch figure.

Chris Down: Yeah, totally. It’s 30th anniversary as he said. Really, there are a couple of interesting things about it. First of all, it’s a behind the scenes’ scene for Jurassic Park as if you are the filmmaker, except the filmmaker is included as well. So Steven Spielberg, for the first time ever as an action figure is included.

And you mentioned something earlier, you were asking about packaging and kind of complimenting WWE, which by the way, every team does incredible packaging. Packaging is part of the story, especially when you come to a place like Comic-Con because you get into it and sometimes you don’t even display the toy outside of the package. The package for this Jurassic Park 30th anniversary set is actually the clapper board that they use in film set.

Let’s set that scene to go and then flip it around and pull out. If you’re going to pull it out to play or pull it out to display, it works either way. It’s awesome. It’s a lot of rhyming, but it is a really cool set. And it is 30th anniversary. By the way, not just in active figures, but we’re also celebrating it on the Die-Cast side. Hot Wheels has a Die-Cast one 64th as well with Dr. Ian sitting there hanging out the back. We’re celebrating. You can hear the music. I mean, it’s the background music for this whole interview.

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Lily Winters

Lily, a film studies major at NYU, developed a fascination for avant-garde and experimental cinema during her time living in the vibrant art scene of Brooklyn. Her articles explore the intersection of art and film, celebrating boundary-pushing filmmakers and emerging visual styles.