From Piper's Pit to Prince Adam's Mind: Mattel Unpacks Its SDCC 2026 Exclusives

Mattel is back at San Diego Comic-Con with eight new collectibles that span decades of pop culture, from an '80s wrestling crossover to Netflix’s breakout animated hit. The lineup leans hard into anniversaries this year, while also making room for two of 2026's newest fandoms, K-Pop Demon Hunters and the new Masters of the Universe movie. We spoke with Nick Karamanos, Senior Vice President of Entertainment Partnerships at Mattel Creations, to talk through how the company decides which moments earn a place in the SDCC lineup, and what went into turning them into collectibles.

Planning Years Ahead

"As we look out a couple years, we’re always thinking about moments and anniversaries, and other things that are going on culturally," Karamanos explained. "This year it's a mix of all of those."

That mix includes two K-Pop Demon Hunters exclusives, a set of small collectibles and a Hot Wheels casting wrapped in Derpy the tiger, alongside anniversary tributes like the 10th anniversary of Stranger Things season one, memorialized by Hot Wheels in diorama form, and the 25th anniversary of Jurassic Park III, marked with a comic-styled Hammond Collection velociraptor.

One release was personal for Karamanos. "Near and dear to my heart, because I grew up during this time period," he said of the WWE Comic-Con exclusive built around Cyndi Lauper, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and Captain Lou Albano. "It memorializes that moment when Cyndi first came into Piper's Pit, and it was the first kind of connection point of rock and wrestling. It crossed over and created new cultural boundaries."

Rounding out his highlights was the Masters of the Universe exclusive: a "Gym Bro" Skeletor inspired by this summer's movie. "Those who saw the movie remember that moment when Skeletor is sitting there mocking He-Man about lifting weights," Karamanos said. "He's memorialized in amazing glory."

When Rock Met Wrestling

The WWE Rock N Wrestling Connection 3-Pack commemorates the May 1984 Piper's Pit segment where Cyndi Lauper's appearance devolved into a brawl with Piper and Albano, a moment credited with kicking off the "Rock 'n' Wrestling" era that pushed WWE into the mainstream. Karamanos said the goal was authenticity rather than simply riding on WWE's existing fan base.

"We want to capture the moment authentically," he said. "All of us are fans as well, so we think about what resonates with us, and then how that translates to the larger fandom. We wanted to capture that moment when they're on the set of Piper's Pit — how we structured Cyndi's face, how we created the action figure itself, we wanted to get it super detailed."

Lauper's involvement went beyond a licensing sign-off, according to Karamanos. "She was amazing to work with — super supportive, very helpful, on board. She cut a promo video with us as well. She was a joy to work with."

Digging Back to Jurassic Park III

The Jurassic World Hammond Collection 25th Anniversary Velociraptor uses a comic-book-inspired deco that's new for the fan-focused Hammond Collection line, packaged in a window box with an illustrated comic-panel backdrop.

"The success of the movie last year got us thinking about making sure we're always bringing in fresh moments for Jurassic," Karamanos said, pointing back to Jurassic Park III as the film that introduced the Spinosaurus and shifted the franchise into new dinosaur territory. "We love the idea, and we jumped at it, to bring in the velociraptor in a comic book styling — a different look than what we typically do within the Hammond Collection."

Kenner’s original 1993 line of Jurassic Park toys included pterodactyls, a species that didn’t make an appearance in the franchise until Jurassic Park III, an exciting moment for kids like me who grew up with those toys. "It's funny to see that come full circle," he said. "The franchise has always been about creating this amazing environment, whether it's a T. rex on land, something flying in the air, or a mosasaur in the water."

K-Pop Demon Hunters Keeps Rolling In

Mattel's K-Pop Demon Hunters line, unveiled at Toy Fair, is now hitting shelves in waves. Two exclusives make the SDCC cut this year: the Hot Wheels Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), packaged riding on Derpy the tiger's outstretched tongue, and the Ramyeon Figure 3-Pack, which recreates the moment HUNTR/X members Rumi, Mira, and Zoey defeat a plane full of demon flight attendants without ever putting down their noodles.

"We've had a couple products hit in April, some of the smaller collectibles," Karamanos said. "Now the dolls are starting to hit the market, and they're selling out immediately. The action figures are going to be hitting retail in about a month. There's always more coming online as it rolls in."

Skeletor Hits the Gym

This summer's Masters of the Universe movie gave Mattel an unusual angle on its most famous villain. The Gym Bro Skeletor Action Figure recreates the "gym bro" form Skeletor takes on during a mind-meld attack on Prince Adam, complete with metal-accented barbells and a customized gym towel.

Karamanos said the costuming sold him on the piece the moment he saw it. "I love the way we got the cut right on the hoodie — the way he wears it in the movie, and the shorts, those classic '80s short workout shorts," he said. "I love how you can pull the package apart to reveal it. That purple hoodie in the movie, and our ability to bring it here as a collector item — when I saw it for the first time, I thought, 'this is such an amazing look for Skeletor.' It was perfect for what Travis Knight and the team wanted to do in the movie, and for us to bring it here as a collector item. I'm so stoked about that."

Rounding Out the Lineup

Three more exclusives fill out this year's collection, each tied to a milestone anniversary. The Hot Wheels Stranger Things 10th Anniversary '83 Chevy Van recreates the season one moment when Eleven flips the van, with a show-accurate Hawkins Power and Light deco and three bicycle pieces representing Mike, Eleven, Lucas, and Dustin tucked underneath.

The Hot Wheels Top Gun 40th Anniversary Set recreates the film's inverted-flight scene with die-cast F-14 Tomcat and "MiG-28" jets on a display stand, packaged with a replica of the photo Goose snaps mid-flight.

And the Monster High Skullector Lagoona Blue Doll brings a sixth doll to the Ghouls Rule line, dressed as this year's masquerade party planner in an iridescent, fin-sleeved gown with angler-fish and eel-inspired accents.

Where to Get Them

Mattel returns to San Diego Comic-Con at Booth #3029 for displays and programming and Booth #2945 for shopping through Sunday, July 26th. Badged attendees can apply for a shopping slot through the show's Exclusive Portal, with additional public shopping windows each afternoon.

All eight collectibles also go up for sale online at MattelCreations.com starting at 9 a.m. PT on July 23rd, letting fans outside the convention center take home a piece of this year's lineup.