As I was reading one of the many industry magazines that exist in the toy hobby, I stopped at one of the pages listing the "licensing potential" of upcoming films. This was followed by a list of scheduled movies for 2008, along with those that do not have a scheduled release at this time.

This list seemed like a flashback to years past — Indiana Jones 4, The Incredible Hulk, The Mummy 3, Batman: The Dark Knight, Jurassic Park IV, Pink Panther 2, Rambo IV: The Serpent’s Eye, Terminator 4 and many others. (The list included Seriously Dude, Where’s My Car? Does the world need another film in this series?)

While I’m sure some of these will be entertaining, if we are going to keep going back to the well, why not add some truly classic properties to today’s movie lineup. There were some great sci-fi serials and TV shows that would truly benefit from today’s filming technology. Plus, many of these already have a collectible bent to them, so there’s a willing audience waiting in the wings.

Sure, there might be some licensing snafus, but doesn’t money take care of everything. Would it be fun to watch Buck Rogers again? Why not make a Land of the Giants movie? This would provide a needed link to the past, while introducing a younger generation to something besides a superhero or swash-buckling pirate.

All of this sci-fi talk has got me excited to put to bed the Sept. 2007 issue of Toy Shop, which just happens to focus on space, sci-fi and fantasy collectibles. It will hit newsstands in early July.