Welcome to Hollywood Die-Cast.  Within this website you will find the most definitive gallery of die-cast toys based on cars and vehicles from TV and movies.  The focus of this website is 1:64 scale, though there are some exceptions.  My collection is NOT for sale.  The site is meant to be purely informational for collectors like myself.

2/4/11 - Holy Boneshaker, Batman!
This just in!  Keep an eye out for a new Hot Wheels Batman 5-pack.  What makes this particular set special is the unique Boneshaker casting, pictured above, right.  The skull grill has been replaced by the Joker's smiling mug.  That is pretty awesome!  I hit three different Toys R Us stores with no luck.  But since these are so new, I don't expect them in my area for another week or two.  If you find one, let me know where you found it.

2/4/11 - The 2012 Bandit Awards!
Voting for the 2012 Bandit Awards continues.  Okay, here's the final poll of the 2012 Bandit Awards.  I've chosen what I feel are the top ten best individual 1:64 scale die-cast cars released in 2011.  Mattel gave us some pretty iconic cars in its 2011 New Models line last year.  Johnny Lightning snuck in some pretty cool "unofficial" cars in its Forever 64 and 2.0 lines.  And although GreenLight gave us two great waves of Hollywood cars, the only one that really sticks out in my mind is the Bluesmobile from The Blues Brothers.  So, take a look at the list and help determine which of the following was the BEST of 2011.  The results of all the polls will be announced right here on Sunday, February 26th (coincidentally, on Oscar Night!) 

2/3/11 - The 2012 Bandit Awards!
Voting for the 2012 Bandit Awards continues.  For the first time since starting the Bandit Awards, Mattel's 1:50 scale Batman line will NOT win fan voting.  Why?  Because there wasn't ONE release in 2011.  That leaves the field wide open.  I've listed 8 die-cast car lines below.  Which one was the best of 2011?  YOU decide... 

2/2/11 - The 2012 Bandit Awards!
Voting for the 2012 Bandit Awards continues.  This just might be the toughest category to judge this year.  There were SO many monumental car chase scenes in 2011:  The goosebump-inducing slo-mo moment when Shia Lebeouf is airborne momentarily until Bumblebee pulls him back into the passenger seat; the thrilling destruction caused by a bank vault being dragged down the streets of Rio; the nail-biting sequence when our hero in Drive uses a police scanner to evade the helicopters; the James Bond-like moments found in Cars 2 and Captain America; and of course seeing the Black Beauty in all its glory.  Even Drive Angry 3D featured some kick-ass car chases.  I picked the top seven car chase moments of 2011.  You decide which one is the best.

Cast your vote for the Best Car (or motorcycle) Chase of 2011...    

2/1/11 - The 2012 Bandit Awards!
Voting for the 2012 Bandit Awards continues.  Now it's time to pick the best MOVIE car of 2011.  In years past, I've broken up movie cars into stock and custom categories, but this year I'm just going to lump them all in together.  My picks for the top ten cars of the year are listed below.  If you need a reminder of what the car looks like, visit www.imcdb.org.

Cast your vote for the Best Move Car of 2011...   

1/31/11 - The 2012 Bandit Awards!
Voting for the 2012 Bandit Awards continues.  You can't have a cool movie car without a cool guy sitting behind the wheel. 

Cast your vote for the Best Actor of 2011... 

1/31/11 - The 2012 Bandit Awards!
The Oscar nominees have been announced, so it's time to come up with nominees for the 2012 Bandit Awards, named after the Patron Saint of Car Chase movies: Burt Reynolds.  Every year, the visitors of this website determine Best Movie, Best Actor, Best Car Chase, Best Movie Car, Best TV Car, Best Die-Cast Line, and Best Individual Die-Cast Car.  I'm going to do things a little differently this year.  I'm going to post a new poll every day this week.  Let's start off with the nominees for Best Car Movie of 2011.  (Although Captain America was my favorite movie of the year, I just can't call it a "car movie" so I left it off the list.)  So, let's get the voting started.  What is your choice for Best Car Movie of 2011? 

1/25/11 - JL is at it again!
I saw a post on Facebook from Johnny Lightning announcing its JL 2.0 Release 13 wave (above, left.)  One particular casting caught my eye.  Look at the '69 Dodge Daytona pictured in the bottom, left corner of the image above.  Does it look familiar?  It sure looks like the Dodge Daytona from the 2001 movie Joe Dirt (above, right.)  This one is going to be VERY popular with collectors.  I've gotten plenty of e-mails in the past regarding this particular car and I know it was on a lot of wish lists.  This is great news for Hollywood car collectors!

1/25/11 - Super, Man!
I haven't had much luck finding Mattel's line of DC Comics cars that are part of the Hot Wheels Nostalgia line.  While shopping at a Meijer store, I thought I found some, only to realize these are different.  The cardbacks are different, the castings are different, and there are only three of them (so far):  Superman, Joker and Green Lantern.  My favorite is the Joker car.  Check out that grill.  Have you ever seen a more appropriate grill to represent the Joker's sinister smile?  Although these are a cool find, the hunt continues for the Nostalgia DC Comics cars in my area.

1/22/11 - Barrett-Jackson 2012
Barrett-Jackson's 2012 auction in Scottsdale, AZ took place over the weekend (Jan.20-22).  For me, the highlight of the weekend was seeing the very first General Lee (named Lee1) go up for auction.  This is the car that can be seen jumping (82 feet) over Rosco's police cruiser in the opening credits of every episode of The Dukes of Hazzard.  As the story goes, when the car landed (above, right) it was totaled and never used again.  It sat in a junkyard for 23 years before it was rescued and restored (above, left.)  It even has its original windshield, which was cracked in the jump.  Shockingly, when the hammer fell, the car sold for only $120,000, which is a STEAL.   Apparently, golfer Bubba Watson came away with the car. 

The only other significant Hollywood car that went up on the auction block was this beautiful replica of The Monkeemobile.  It sold for a shockingly low price of $40,000.  It's a bargain considering one of the original Monkeemobiles sold for $360,000 in 2008.  That car currently resides in Southeastern Michigan.

1/9/11 - Holy Moly!
This has to be one of my all-time favorite offerings from Mattel's Cars line.  As part of the Deluxe Cars 2 line, Mattel has produced Pope Pinion IV, along with his Popemobile, which I think is awesome!  Maybe I'm partial to this one because I actually DID see Pope John Paul II as he drove past me in his Popemobile in 1987!  Check out the photo at right.

1/9/11 - Who ya gonna call?
Kevin Clark got his hands on the new 1:18 & 1:43 scale Hot Wheels Ecto-1 and sent me the pic at left comparing several different versions of the famous ride from Ghostbusters.  Starting at the bottom left and going clockwise we have the 1:50 scale Hallmark ornament, the 1:25 Polar Lights model, 1:18 scale Hot Wheels Ecto-1, 1:21 Joy Ride Ecto-1 and, finally, the 1:43 scale version from Hot Wheels.  Thanks for the pic, Kevin.

12/31/11 - 2011: The Year in Review
As 2011 comes to an end, it's time to take a look back at all the Hollywood car-happenings that took place throughout the year.  As we already discussed (below) it was a great year for car movies, with Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Fast Five and Drive enjoying varying levels of commercial and/or critical success.  In toy stores, Johnny Lightning continued releasing "unofficial" star cars, GreenLight gave us dioramas and TWO new Hollywood series, Mattel's Cars line disappeared from shelves to make room for Cars 2 product, and Mattel continued to give us entertainment-related cars in its Hot Wheels main line.  All this and much, much more as we take a stroll down memory lane and look back at the the year 2011.  CLICK HERE

12/29/11 - KITT Confirmed for 2012
Photos of KITT from Knight Rider have surfaced on a website called www.t-hunted.com, confirming that it will be included as part of Mattel's Hot Wheels main line in 2012.  It was rumored to have been included in 2011, but was replaced by the van from The A-Team.  Unfortunately, the wheels aren't very accurate.  For accurate wheels you'll have to pick up Johnny Lightning's 1984 Pontiac Firebird. 

2011 Hallmark Ornament - 1966 Batmobile

12/24/11 - Merry Christmas from Hollywood Die-Cast!
Before I head off to spend the holiday with family, I just want to wish everyone who visits this website Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!  May your stocking runneth over with toy cars and goodies!  As the new year approaches, we'll take a look back at all that's happened in the world of Hollywood cars and toys in 2011. 

12/22/11 - An Homage to Director John Lasseter
I know I've neglected my duties in reporting new Cars 2 news, but frankly, there hasn't been much to report.  Mattel really hasn't bombarded the toy aisles with new product since the release of the first few waves, unlike the FIRST movie, when it seemed like new releases hit stores almost every month.  Since the initial frenzy back in May, the only new characters to hit stores were found in gift sets and multi-packs, which was a little frustrating.  Not many parents want to buy a gift set that includes many characters they've already bought, only to get one new character.  However, stopping into a K-Mart store near work, I found something I just couldn't pass up.  Pictured above, left, is a two-pack I've never seen before.  The two-pack includes Jeff Gorvette and John Lassetire.  That's right.  Mattel has FINALLY paid tribute to the director of the Cars movies, John Lasseter, with his own character.  Very cool.  I also picked up the Francesco Bernoulli two-pack, which includes his crew chief decked out in Italy's red, green and white colors, since K-Mart was holding a Buy One, Get the Second Half Off sale.

12/19/11 - A Very Hot Wheels Christmas
Waaaaay back in April Mattel solicited orders from Red Line Club Members for a retro version of Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters.  Well, today I got an early Christmas present in the mail.  Complete with "chrome-plated chassis, newly formulated Spectraflame color and Neo-Classics wheels" this thing is jaw-dropping.  It'll go nicely with the RLC retro Batmobile that shipped in October of 2008 (below.)

12/17/11 - Top Grossing Car Movies of 2011
Well, as 2011 winds down it's time to start looking back at the year that was.  2011 was a pretty great year for car movies.  Which ones came out on top at the box office and which ones sputtered?  Let's take a look at the domestic grosses for car movies that came out during the year:

2.	$352 million		Released in July, Transformers: Dark of the Moon was the second-highest grossing film of 2011, behind the final Harry Potter film.  In my opinion, (and most seem to agree) it was the best entry in the Transformers series.  Surprisingly, it ranks second in the series, behind Revenge of the Fallen, which topped $400 million in 2009.
6.	$209 million		Fast Five opened HUGE in April with an $86 million weekend, thanks, in part, to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson joining the cast.  And like the movie mentioned above, most agree it was the best in the franchise so far.  It went on to gross over $200 million to become the highest earner, passing 2009's Fast & Furious.
7.	$191 million		The long-awaited sequel to Pixar's Cars finally hit theaters in June and was greeted by fair to poor reviews.  Most called it Pixar's weakest effort and although it ranks #7 for 2011, it ranks #11 among Pixar's top-grossing films, surpassing only A Bug's Life.  Personally, I thought it was very entertaining.
10.	$176 million		Although some would argue Captain America isn't a "car" movie, it did feature some great action sequences, including a James Bond-like motorcycle chase.  It ranked #10 for the year, which surprises me, because it was, by far, my favorite movie of the year.  It was topped by Thor, but fared better than X-Men: First Class and Green Lantern.
30.	$98 million		On January 14, Seth Rogen's version of The Green Hornet arrived in theaters to generally poor reviews.  It was great to see The Black Beauty on the big screen, but let's face it, Seth Rogen is no Van Williams.
82.	$34 million		My SECOND favorite movie of the year didn't fare too well at the box office.  Drive only nabbed $34 million to rank #82 for the year, despite positive reviews.  Ryan Gosling was terrific as the mechanic by day, getaway driver by night.  Although a little too ultra-violent for some people's tastes, it was one of the most stylish movies of the year, and featured a hypnotic soundtrack.
89.	$29 million		What would a Top Car Movies list be without an appearance by Jason Statham?  Statham is one of my favorite action heroes, but unfortunately, his movies don't fare too well at the box office.  Released way back in January, The Mechanic only brought in $29 million to finish at #89.  Statham's top-grossing movie so far was 2003's The Italian Job ($106 million.)
130.	$10.7 million		And finally, Nicholas Cage's Drive Angry 3D just flat out tanked at the box office, netting just under $11 million following its release in February.  I have to admit, although not a great movie, it did have some campy appeal.  Give it a chance on DVD if you haven't seen it yet.

Again, 2011 was a pretty great year for car movies, featuring some very entertaining and high-grossing movies.  How is 2012 shaping up?  Well, the most anticipated film of 2012 appears to be the final Batman installment The Dark Knight Rises, which I'm sure will be the highest grossing film of the year.  Among those battling to come in second to Batman will be:  The Ghost Rider sequel (2/17); another Bourne movie, The Bourne Legacy (8/3) will surely feature some amazing car chases; Expendables 2 boasts a cast that makes this installment look even better than the first one; and finally, Liam Neeson returns for the sequel to 2008's surprise hit Taken which will arrive in theaters in October of 2012.  See you at the movies!  (Thanks to www.boxofficemojo.com for the information used above.)

12/4/11 - "California, Here We Come!"
My thanks goes out to Bruce who brought this to my attention.  Since I started collecting Hollywood die-cast cars, my Wish List has dwindled down to a handful of cars.  One of those near the top of my Wish List is the '55 Pontiac Star Chief featured in TV show I Love Lucy, driven across country by the Ricardos and Mertzes on their way to Los Angeles.  It seems my wish has come true, at least in 1:18 scale.  Sun Star has released a beautiful die-cast version of the car in Nautilus Blue/White Mist, complete with removable figures of the Ricardos and Mertzes.  It's a little pricey at around $100, but this is a MUST-HAVE for my collection.  The episodes where Lucy and the gang visit Los Angeles are my favorites, and are the reason I have such a love for Hollywood.

11/27/11 - Holy Multipack, Batman!
I haven't had much luck finding Mattel's DC die-cast cars in my area, and now I find out there's yet another thing I haven't found.  Arturo Garcia of San Antonio sent me images of a Batman 4-pack he found at his local WalMart.  It includes die-cast vehicles sporting artwork of Batman, Robin, Penguin & Catwoman.  This is DEFINITELY on my Christmas Wish List!

11/27/11 - Cars Director's Edition
If you're looking for that perfect gift for the Cars fan in your family, look no further than this incredible collection of DVDs that includes Cars, Cars 2 & Mater's Tall Tales.  As an added bonus, you'll also get a die-cast version of John Lassetire, named after director John Lasseter and member of Jeff Gorvette's pit crew.

11/8/11 - GreenLight Hollywood:  The Sequel
Stopping into a local Meijer store, I stumbled onto 5 of the 6 vehicles that make up the second release of GreenLight's Hollywood series.  Pictured above, from left, is Reggie's Pontiac GTO from the 1977 film Slap Shot, Kevin's Pontiac GTO Judge and Benny's Chevrolet Cheyenne from the 1993 movie Dazed & Confused, Rio Police Dodge Charger from Fast Five, and Gibb's Dodge Challenger from NCIS.  Missing from the pegs was Bandit's Trans-Am from Smokey & The Bandit II.  It's an interesting assortment of cars, with Bandit's Trans-Am probably proving the most popular of this assortment, even though the second installment of the Bandit series is mediocre at best.  Slap Shot ranks among the greatest sports comedies ever made, so I don't mind the inclusion of Reggie's (Paul Newman) Pontiac GTO, although I don't remember the car from the movie (it's been a while since I've seen it.)  The Dazed & Confused vehicles are well done and will be popular with collectors.  There are several others cars from Fast Five I would like to have seen before the Rio Police car, but hopefully they'll get around to them.  The Dodge Challenger from NCIS is a great-looking car, but c'mon.  This ranks down there with the Charger from CSI: Miami.  Is anybody really clamoring for cars from these procedural cop dramas?  I don't think so.

11/09/11 UPDATE:  I found the sixth and final member of the series when I stopped into my local Toys R Us.  The 1980 Pontiac Trans-Am from Smokey & The Bandit II was hanging on the pegs with the other cars.  It's a great-looking car, and although the FIRST movie is one of my all-time favorite movies, I'm just not a fan of the sequel.  I'm sure it will be popular with collectors, however.

11/3/11 - Cars That Never Were
A couple of years ago I wrote an article for this website on The Cars That Never Were, listing all the Hollywood die-cast car prototypes and concepts that never went into production.  Among those listed was a rumored 1:64 scale version of The Car.  Way back in 2003, Diamond Distributors had announced that The Car would be included in RC2's entertainment series.  But when cases shipped, The Car wasn't included.  Eventually, The Car would be released in 1:18 scale, but never in 1:64 scale.  I asked Johnny Lightning's Tom Zahorsky if he could provide any info on this, and he insisted that he had a 1:64 scale die-cast prototype somewhere in his collection, but just couldn't find it.  The story fell into the category of "Urban Legend" until NOW!  Tom Z. finally dug up the one-of-a-kind prototype and posted a photo of it on his blog at JohnnyLightning.com.  (He gave me permission to repost it above.)  When I saw it, my jaw fell open.  It is a thing of beauty!  If only we collectors could've added this to our collection!  Who knows, maybe someday...but for now, we'll just have to stare in awe at this amazing and incredibly rare prototype!

Archives: 
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1/06 2/06 3/06 4/06 5/06 6/06 7/06 8/06 9/06 10/06 11/06 12/06
1/07 2/07 3/07 4/07 5/07 6/07 7/07 8/07 9/07 10/07 11/07 12/07
1/08 2/08 3/08 4/08 5/08 6/08 7/08 8/08 9/08 10/08 11/08 12/08
1/09 2/09 3/09 4/09 5/09 6/09 7/09 8/09 9/09 10/09 11/09 12/09
1/10 2/10 3/10 4/10 5/10 6/10 7/10 8/10 9/10 10/10 11/10 12/10

2011