- Mattel apologized for including an X-rated site link on “Wicked” doll packaging.
- The error directed users to an adult site instead of the intended “Wicked” movie page.
- Retailers removed the dolls while some collectors sought out the misprinted boxes as resale prices soared.
Toy maker Mattel has apologized for a printing error on the packaging of a line of “Wicked” dolls that listed an X-rated adult site.
As the highly anticipated “Wicked” musical premieres all over the world, companies have been cranking out merchandise for fans of the film. Fans waited in line for hours when Stanley released its pink and green tumblers at Target.
Meanwhile, Mattel’s own “Wicked” collaboration is being pulled from shelves after people noticed the web address on the back of the boxes led to an adult porn site.
The doll maker issued an apology for the misprint on Sunday.
“Mattel was made aware of a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, primarily sold in the U.S., which intended to direct consumers to the official WickedMovie.com landing page,” the company said in a statement to Business Insider.
Instead, the boxes for characters, including Elphaba and Glinda played by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, had a link to “wicked.com,” which requires site visitors to be 18 years or older. Retailers like Target, Walmart, and Amazon have since removed the dolls from their websites. The retailers didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
“We deeply regret this unfortunate error and are taking immediate action to remedy this,” Mattel said in its statement. “Parents are advised that the misprinted, incorrect website is not appropriate for children.”
Mattel advised consumers who already own the incorrect boxes to throw them away or physically mark out the link.
Some collectors jumped at the opportunity to scoop up one of the dolls — or to try to make money off of the mistake.
Listings on eBay have popped up for dolls with the “URL misprint.” The asking prices range from $70 to over $450 — a sizable increase over the $25 retail price. One sale listing for “$250 or best offer” is listed as completed on the resale site.
Although the “Wicked” dolls are still visible on the Mattel website, the purchase links didn’t yield available results on Monday morning.
“Wicked” releases in theaters on November 22, and there are signs it could make major waves at the box office. Fandango said in October that the movie had the second-best first-day ticket pre-sales of 2024 on the platform — and the best of the year for a PG-rated movie.
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