Table of Contents
- Battles in Time — Twenty Years On
- In Memoriam — Brian Johnson & Anthony Stewart Head
- July Sneak Peeks
- June Recap
- Stargate Lives
- In Focus — Rebuilding the Bridge
- In Focus — The Battlestar Rycon
- Ships in Space — Nils Walter Khan
- Mark Walker on Arrakis (Dune Ornithopter)
- What's On — TV and Streaming
- At the Cinema
- Wider Sci-Fi News
- Continuing the Conversation
BATTLES IN TIME — THE FIRST DOCTOR, AND WHAT'S NEXT
Twenty years on, the trading card series that took over playgrounds is having its biggest month since 2009.
Last month we told you Doctor Who Battles in Time was back. This month, things have started to move very quickly indeed.
Obliterator Set feature in The 'Whoniverse' Show
In the last few weeks, we got together with BBC Studios to relaunch Battles in Time.
Battles in Time made an appearance on BBC's Whoniverse show, when they shared a preview of the brand-new Obliterator card set due in shops this July. The segment kicks in about 32 minutes into the episode.
That episode also starred the Seventh Doctor himself, Sylvester McCoy — who promptly took to social media to produce one of our Ace cards from up his sleeve. A genuinely lovely moment.
Now available — The First Doctor Limited Edition Set
On 16 June, we announced the Doctor Who Battles in Time: First Doctor Limited Edition Set — the first in a brand-new line of limited-edition collector's sets focused on individual Doctors, their companions and their greatest foes. The set is available now from masterreplicas.com.
Each set contains 15 cards in a special collector's pack, with every card guaranteed in every pack. For the first time ever in Battles in Time history, the set features classic companions Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright and Susan Foreman — and memorable monsters like Koquillion and the Monoids. The cards are printed in their original black and white on silver foil, in strictly limited numbers — just 1,000 sets worldwide.
The 15 cards in the First Doctor set
The First Doctor • TARDIS (at Totter's Yard) • Ian Chesterton (at Totter's Yard) • Barbara Wright • Susan Foreman • Skaro City Dalek • The Daleks (Invading Earth) • The Daleks Execution Squad • The Cybermen (Invading Snowcap Base) • Zarbi • Koquillion • The Monoids • War Machines (Outside The Post Office Tower) • Sensorite (Aboard Maitland's Ship) • The Toymaker
Taking your feedback on board
Off the back of a lot of customer feedback, two updates on the Obliterator collection.
First, we are making the Obliterator Limited Edition available in 5-pack starter format — five sealed packs bundled together — a more accessible way in for collectors who want to start building toward the set without committing to the full release in one go.
And second: many of you have asked whether the Obliterator Unlimited Edition will be available direct from Master Replicas. The short answer is yes — we will have some availability for our customers when it launches in July. Full details will follow shortly.
Thank you for the messages. We are listening.
Why we kept the classic Doctor cards in black and white
We wanted the classic Doctor cards to reflect the era when the stories were made. To me, Hartnell and Troughton exist in black and white — although that first Doctor Who Annual was in colour. We knew from experience that printing on foil could be very effective and that's really true for these cards. Koquillion, in particular, is so dramatic. Classic Daleks just look right in monochrome, and the original Cybermen are mostly white and silver.
That brings up another thing: we did a bit of research that showed the original Cyberman costumes were quite strange colours. If you colourised them, what would you choose? Do you them the colour they actually were on set — because that's not the colour their creators meant them to be?
What we didn't do the first time round
When we did the original Battles in Time cards, we didn't do any classic companions, so that was one of the first things on our agenda. In fact, we only did Doctors if they appeared on the modern show, so this was a real chance to dig into something we hadn't done before. We had done some classic monsters, but only when there was colour photography or in those rare instances where it didn't matter. Doing new cards in black and white opened up all sorts of options we hadn't had before — and I can never resist a Monoid.
— Ben Robinson, Creative Director of Master Replicas and one of the original developers of Battles in Time.
And the pipeline — a launch a month, for the rest of the year
The First Doctor set is the start. From now until the end of 2026, we will be releasing a new Battles in Time launch every single month — a mix of single-Doctor packs, larger sets, limited editions and one or two seasonal surprises. Some you may have guessed at; others you almost certainly won't.
Watch this space.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE EXCITING NEWS TO COME IN JULY!
BRIAN JOHNSON
1939–2026
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Brian Johnson, the visionary special effects director whose groundbreaking work helped define the look and feel of Space: 1999 and inspired generations of science fiction fans. He died on 16 June 2026, thirteen days short of what would have been his 87th birthday.
Beyond Moonbase Alpha, Brian's hands shaped some of the most influential science fiction ever filmed — from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien to The Empire Strikes Back, Aliens, and across the wider Gerry Anderson universe. His work won him two Academy Awards in two years: Best Visual Effects for Alien in 1979 (shared with H.R. Giger, Carlo Rambaldi, Nick Allder and Dennis Ayling), and a Special Achievement Award for The Empire Strikes Back in 1980. His artistry, innovation and imagination brought unforgettable worlds and vehicles to life on screen, leaving a legacy that continues to influence creators and collectors alike.
Our thoughts are with Brian's family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched.
Thank you, Brian, for showing us what the future could look like.
ANTHONY STEWART HEAD
1954–2026
We are also saddened to mark the passing of Anthony Stewart Head, who died on 1 June 2026 from complications of pneumonia, aged 72. His daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, announced the news on 5 June.
For a generation of fans, Anthony Head will always be Rupert Giles — the dryly funny, library-dwelling Watcher at the heart of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He brought the role a gravitas, a vulnerability and a wit that made Giles one of the most beloved supporting characters in modern television, and earned him a place in the hearts of Buffy fans for nearly thirty years. More recently, he was the perfectly oily Rupert Mannion in Ted Lasso — proof that there was no role he could not quietly steal.
Thank you, Anthony. You were the best of them.
JULY SNEAK PEEKS
A first look at what's coming next month.
Doctor Who
Battles in Time — Obliterator Unlimited Edition + Collector Binder
Following the limited release earlier this year, the Obliterator collection arrives in July as a wider Unlimited Edition — the same 142 cards covering characters and monsters from Ace to Zygons, in a format more collectors can get their hands on.
Launching alongside it, you can keep all your Obliterator cards together with a brand-new limited-edition Collector Binder, specially commissioned to go with the set. It features the artwork from the packets and comes with a special oversized card.
Space: 1999
Landing Pad with Deluxe 5" Eagle
Next month we launch the Space: 1999 Landing Pad with Deluxe 5" Eagle — a piece designed to sit at the heart of any Moonbase Alpha display. We had planned the launch months ago. It feels right now to dedicate it.
For every collector who has ever loved an Eagle, this one is for the man who designed it.
Stargate
Jaffa Staff Weapon (Ma'tok)
We're expanding our line of Stargate products with a desktop replica of one of Stargate SG-1's most iconic weapons: the Jaffa staff, more correctly known as the Ma'tok.
These long staffs were the Jaffa's weapon of choice — firing bolts of plasma, and you really did not want to be on the wrong end of one. Our brand-new replica is designed to sit perfectly alongside the Apophis Jaffa Helmet Desktop Replica, also launching in July (with Horus to follow in August).
The size has been chosen carefully. The on-screen Ma'tok runs around two metres in length — properly imposing in hand, but a touch unwieldy for a display shelf. We have landed at 260mm — large enough to show the details of the real thing, proportioned to live happily alongside the helmets, and finished on a base that matches the Apophis and Horus pieces. The intention is that this is the start of a coherent Stargate desktop display, not three unrelated props.
Hand-finished in resin. Designed to sit alongside the Jaffa helmets as part of the same coherent line.
Look out for more news shortly…
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
A small piece of news, shared with appropriate quiet
We have just signed a brand-new licence for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and our team has been quietly working on something we are very excited about. We are not yet able to share what it is — but we will share more soon.
Anthony Head's passing has made this work feel even more like a privilege. When we announce, we will do so with him in mind.
And while we are still in brainstorm mode for the wider Buffy development plan, we would love to hear from you. If there is a piece of Buffy product you would love to see in our range — a prop, a sculpt, a character moment, anything — drop us a line at info@masterreplicas.com and tell us. Your suggestions will help shape what we make next.
JUNE RECAP — IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Everything that landed this month, in one place.
It has been an unusually busy month. If you have been off the radar, here is what is now available on the Master Replicas website.
- Doctor Who: Battles in Time — First Doctor Limited Edition Set — 1,000 sets worldwide (covered above).
- Space: 1999 — Stun Gun and Comlock — the everyday equipment of Moonbase Alpha's crew.
- Star Trek™: The Original Series Light-Up MSD Panel — featuring Doug Drexler's artwork from Star Trek: Enterprise's Mirror Universe episodes.
- Battlestar Galactica — Battlestar Acropolis (Limited Edition) — the next ship in the Limited Edition Ships range; more Colonial fleet to follow later in 2026.
- Space: 1999 — Deluxe 5" Eagle Freighter (ALP4) — the latest addition to the Deluxe 5" Eagle line, landing 25 June and rounding out a strong month for Moonbase Alpha.
STARGATE LIVES
You can still put Stargate on your shelf.
Stargate is one of the quietly enduring franchises in science fiction. The universe you love isn't only found on screen — the ships, the gates, and the tech that made Stargate Stargate are all here for you to own, and that is how you keep it close.
Here is a quick tour of the range — what we have on the shelves right now, and what we have coming through the year.
The Gates
Every journey starts the same way: the symbols spin into place, a flash of light, and a step into the unknown.
Lead the line with the Stargate Atlantis Gate — the most-loved piece in our entire Stargate range and one of our top-selling models month after month. Or take the Stargate Universe route with the Destiny Gate, the older, more primitive design the Ancients launched into the far reaches of space.
And for the almost-no-one-has-it collector: the Convention Exclusive Miniature SG-1 Stargate — a strictly limited piece that won't come around again.
The Fleet
Crew up. Lead with the Prometheus, Earth's first interstellar battleship, reverse-engineered from Goa'uld tech. Bring the heavy hitters — Thor's Ship Bilskirnir, the Asgard mothership that could obliterate a Ha'tak in a single shot — and the Ha'tak Goa'uld Motherships (along with their Death Gliders) that terrorised the galaxy for so much of SG-1. Add the relentless Asuran Cruiser, the agile Puddle Jumper, 
and the F-302 Fighter Interceptor. The fleet is yours to command — all in stock, ready to ship.
And from the last Stargate TV show: the Starship Destiny is back on pre-order, shipping November. Built by the Ancients and launched over fifty million years ago to chase a message hidden in the fabric of the universe, this one sold out last time. Reserve yours and be first when it arrives.
The Artifacts
Go back to where it all began. The Ra's Pyramid Premium Model recreates the towering structure from the 1994 film in detailed polyresin — over 12 inches across and more than 8 inches tall. The single most cinematic display piece you can own from the entire range.
Coming this year
Plenty more on the way through the rest of 2026. July brings the Apophis Jaffa Helmet Desktop Replica and the Ma'Tok Staff. August sees the Horus Jaffa Helmet Desktop Replica join the line. August through October also sees more ships landing across the range. September brings the Light-Up ZPM Replica — the Atlantis showpiece in its proper illuminated form. And November sees the Starship Destiny shipping to the pre-order list.
On screen or on display, Stargate is yours to keep — and with more joining the range later this year, your collection is only getting started.
IN FOCUS
REBUILDING THE BRIDGE
Last month we shared art director Liz Kloczkowski's own story of how she came to write the book. This month — what the Star Trek family has been saying about it since it landed.
We've been sending out review copies of art director Liz Kloczkowski's book about rebuilding the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. The response has been fantastic, so we thought we'd share some of them with you — starting with this review from Doug Drexler.
Doug is well-known as one of the world's leading Star Trek experts, and has worked across more departments than anyone else. He did prosthetic makeup on The Next Generation, before moving into the scenic art department, then worked on the VFX at Foundation Imaging and made some major contributions as a concept artist — including designing the Enterprise NX-01. In fact, he's done too much for us to list here. (Eagle-eyed Issue 3 readers will also recognise his hand in the artwork on our recent TOS Light-Up MSD Panel.)
This is what he had to say about Liz's book:
"Liz is one of our kids, just like her boss Dave Blass. Same DNA. They don't just 'get' Star Trek; they were weaned on it. It's mother's milk. You can't fake that. Now this. Easily among the top ten Star Trek books since the beginning of time. Unprecedented. Astonishing. Granular. A case study in masterpiece Star Trek stagecraft. A textbook look at how to get it right by embracing your past, and what happens when the old guard and the new guard are lovingly aligned. Magic."
— Doug Drexler
IN FOCUS
THE BATTLESTAR RYCON
Of the four new Battlestar Variants we've been working through this year, Rycon is the one that earns its own feature.
Our super-limited set of Battlestars continues with the Battlestar Rycon, joining the lineup that has steadily grown across the year with Pacifica, Columbia and the Acropolis we shared last month. Three of the four new variants in development draw from the wider book canon — the Rycon is the one with screen-mentioned heritage, and the one we wanted to talk about properly.
The Rycon's place in the fleet
Although the Rycon was never seen on screen, it is mentioned in the original-series episode "Take the Celestra", where we learn that it was part of the Fourth Colonial Fleet and was captained by Commander Kronus — who defeated three Cylon basestars at the Battle of Cosmora Archipelago. A genuine war hero, with a quietly storied past.
We don't know exactly what happened to the Rycon, but the most likely answer is that it was destroyed before the Battle of Cimtar, when the Cylons ambushed the Twelve Colonies. A ship that fought the Cylons in their pomp, and was almost certainly lost to them at the end.
Which is, frankly, the kind of backstory a Limited Edition ship should have.
SHIPS IN SPACE — NILS WALTER KHAN
A model. A nebula. A photograph done the old way.
Star Trek ship collectors have a long history of taking models and photoshopping them into dramatic backgrounds, almost as if they were visual effects shots from the show. We love seeing them, because they show off the quality of the models and how incredibly talented people are.
Nils Walter Khan was one of the fans who led the way with this kind of artwork. Now, he's taken our model of the U.S.S. Cerritos and put it in space.
In Nils' own words:
"This is our model, photographed nicely and photoshopped into a space background. People used to do this all the time."
They really did. And it works.
Find more of Nils' work on Facebook: facebook.com/nils.walter.507
COMMUNITY FEATURE
MARK WALKER RETURNS, AND THIS TIME HE'S ON ARRAKIS
After his neon-soaked Spinner shots in March, Mark Walker is back — this time with the Master Replicas Dune Ornithopter.
Photographer Mark Walker (@markwalkerphoto) was the community feature in March, when he turned his lens on the Blade Runner Spinner. This month he's back, and his subject is one of the most distinctive new shapes in modern science fiction: the Master Replicas Dune Ornithopter.
Mark's three new shots have all the desert-storm energy you would hope for — sand kicked into the air, blades caught mid-beat, the model framed as if it's just shouldered past the photographer on the way to a battle. Genuinely some of the best Ornithopter photography we have seen.
Master Replicas Dune Ornithopter at Master Repicas
And ahead of SDCC — what's next for Dune
Dune Part Three (Dune: Part Three) arrives in cinemas on 18 December 2026 — the same day as Avengers: Doomsday, which has the makings of the box office showdown of the year. Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Dune Messiah brings back Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, and adds Robert Pattinson as Scytale and Anya Taylor-Joy alongside Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson and Isaach De Bankolé. Villeneuve has called it the last Dune film he plans to direct.
With San Diego Comic-Con landing 22–26 July, we are watching for any new Dune Part Three material to drop alongside the Marvel Hall H panel (more on which in the cinema section below).
NOW STREAMING — WHAT'S ON, AND WHAT'S COMING
Sugar Season 2 — streaming now on Apple TV+ (since 19 June). Colin Farrell's neo-noir P.I. is back for eight weekly episodes through 7 August, with a new missing-persons case and an expanded cast including Jin Ha, Tony Dalton, Laura Donnelly and Shea Whigham.
Silo Season 3 — Apple TV+, 3 July. Ten episodes weekly through 4 September, opening with a split timeline that drops us into a centuries-earlier origin story alongside Juliette's present-day return. Trailer live.
Watch Silo Season 3 Trailer here
Star Trek™: Strange New Worlds Season 4 — Paramount+, 23 July. The new full trailer just dropped: Spock and Kirk teaming up, dinosaurs, space cowboys, the march toward the start of The Original Series. With Season 5 confirmed as the show's final outing, this is the start of the long goodbye.
Watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Official Trailer here
Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker — first chapter, "Calling the Doctor", launches 25 June on the in-universe UNIT website. Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor with Osgood and Martha Jones; narrative by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, spanning audio, comics, novels, mobile games and digital storytelling.
Doctor Who: Circuit Breaker Hub
Project Hail Mary — now streaming on MGM+ (from 18 June), after a theatrical run that crossed $680 million worldwide. Worth flagging: it's on MGM+ rather than Prime Video — a small but interesting move from Amazon MGM.
AT THE CINEMA
Here's how June played out at the box office — and what to watch for next.
June Recap
Masters of the Universe 5th June 2026
A tough commercial opening ($54m globally on a $170-200m budget) but a warm reception from the people who actually saw it: 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Opening-weekend demographics tell the story — the largest group were 45-54, with under-12s at only 5%. Collectors who grew up on the original toy line turned out; the kids it was nominally aimed at didn't.
Disclosure Day 12th June 2026
The win of the month. Spielberg's UFO film opened to $44m US / $92.9m globally — best ever opening for an original Spielberg film. Critics 81%, B CinemaScore.
Watch Trailer Here
Supergirl
Opened in cinemas yesterday, Friday 26 June. Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, alongside Jason Momoa and David Corenswet's Superman. Full opening weekend box office numbers are not yet released at time of writing — pre-release tracking landed in the $45-55m range.
Watch Trailer Here
The Mandalorian and Grogu
Into its second month and still earning, audience scores holding.
Watch Trailer Here
Looking ahead
The Odyssey 17th July
The prestige film of the summer; first narrative feature ever shot entirely with IMAX cameras. Damon, Pattinson, Theron, Nyong'o.
Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Doomsday and Dune Part Three go head-to-head on 18th December. The box office quarterback the rest of the year revolves around.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day 31st July
The new trailer dropped on 17 June and has set the internet very firmly alight. Tom Holland returns alongside Zendaya, with Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner back (yes, Spider-Man fights the Hulk), and a mysterious masked figure played by Sadie Sink appearing for about a second. Marvel still hasn't confirmed who she's playing — but with both trailers leaning hard into genetic mutations as the film's central theme, the Jean Grey theory has dominated fan discussion. Is this the start of the Mutant Era of the MCU? Five weeks to find out.
Watch Trailer
What to watch for at San Diego Comic-Con 22nd - 26th July 2026
Marvel is back in Hall H on Saturday 25 July — first appearance since 2024 — with Avengers: Doomsday as the focus. We're watching for footage drops, cast reveals, and the inevitable Doom-related theatrics. Worth refreshing the news feeds on the weekend.
Beyond Marvel, the smart money is on Dune Part Three also surfacing in some form — see the Mark Walker community feature for more on that.
ACROSS THE WIDER SCI-FI WORLD
Ghostbusters: Night Shift — Netflix's animated series, confirmed
On 6 June at the annual Ghostbusters Day event outside New York's Hook & Ladder 8, Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation confirmed the title and creative team behind their upcoming animated Ghostbusters series: Ghostbusters: Night Shift, debuting in 2027.
Executive producers include Jason Reitman, Dan Aykroyd, Gil Kenan, Elliott Kalan, Ben Hibon and Amie Karp. Animation is being handled by Flying Bark Productions (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and early visuals suggest some of the Spider-Verse DNA in their stylisation. Jason Reitman has called the show "canon, scary, and pure Ghostbusters." First-look footage expected at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival later this month.
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
Where we are, what we're working on, and what's coming next. Earlier this year, we committed to being honest with you about how the business is running. This is a longer note than usual — there is a lot to share.
Reviews of our product itself have been overwhelmingly positive, and we are immensely grateful for that. We also know that our communication and delivery of those products has been less than perfect. We are still working on improving both, and the changes below are the start of that.
We have been auditing the business
The audit is now finished, and as a direct result we are about to sign off on a significant investment in back-end technology that will make our operations meaningfully more organised and accurate. Better visibility on what is in stock. Better visibility for you on where your order actually is. Fewer of the gaps that have caused frustration over the past year.
Shipping — and what you can do this month
Right now, we ship orders only when every item is available. We know that has caused some of you to wait longer than you should — and we are sorry for that.
This month, we will be sending out delivery updates. If you would prefer your order shipped in stages rather than waiting for everything to come together, please email our customer services team at info@masterreplicas.com and we will help you arrange it. Please note that splitting a shipment does introduce additional postage costs, but we will work with you to make the right call.
We are also working with an external agency on a programme of website improvements, and one of the first things we are tackling is giving customers the choice over how their orders ship by default — the way other e-commerce platforms do it. That work is underway now.
The Action Figures line
This has been a particular pain point for many of you this year, and we are preparing a dedicated communication on the range specifically. You will be hearing from us on Action Figures shortly.
What we haven't fixed yet
We are not pretending everything is solved. There are legacy items from last year that we are still working through, and the pace of progress has been uneven. We have taken on additional customer services support, and we are committed to responding to you faster and more clearly than we have done in recent months.
To those of you who have stuck with us through this stretch — thank you. The only thing worse than a delay is not knowing where it stands. Please do reach out to us if you have any concerns on an order's status and we haven't contacted you already.
THANK YOU
Thank you for joining us for this month's Community Update. From the Battles in Time relaunch to Brian Johnson's enduring legacy, it has been a month that has put a lot of what we love about this work into sharp relief.
More previews, more behind-the-scenes, and more community spotlights will be on the way next month. If you have ideas, feedback, or a piece of work you'd like us to consider featuring, we'd love to hear from you.
From the lighter stuff at the top to the harder stuff toward the end — thank you for reading all the way through.
The Master Replicas Team