Taylor Lautner out as Max Steel

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Old school Hasbro versus Mattel, and with respects to Grayskull, I’m Hasbro for life! Kidding aside, neither of these movies would ever appeal to me, buy Vulture – of NYMag – is reporting that Hasbro has won out as Taylor Lautner has bowed out of his previous agreement to star in Max Steel (a film by Paramount), so he can focus on Stretch Armstrong.

The report tell you all you need to know in a nutshell:

Max Steel (based on the doll by Mattel, the world’s biggest toy company) and Universal’s Stretch Armstrong (a classic character for Hasbro, the world’s second biggest toymaker)

and:

Which is also why when Lautner showed up at the American International Toy Fair industry convention in New York City on February 16, he was photographed extensively horsing around with Hasbro’s new Nerf Raider Blaster in Hasbro’s hospitality suite — even though, under the very same roof, Mattel was debuting its new Taylor Lautner doll, tied to his Twilight character, Jacob Black.

Note: BSCKids was at Toy fair–check out our coverage!

Stretch Armstrong is aiming at a 2012 release. Here is the synopsis for that movie:

“Stretch Armstrong” is based on the iconic action figure made popular around the world beginning in the 1970s and re-launched in the 1990s. Academy Award®-winning producer Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind,” “8 Mile,” “American Gangster”) will team with Hasbro to bring “Stretch Armstrong” to life. Steve Oedekerk (“Bruce Almighty”) has written the screenplay, and Hasbro’s Goldner and Schneir also produce.

In the end, it’s two major toy companies battling over someone you have to assume they both think is a viable force in theaters as an action star. As long as Hasbro doesn’t release some special G.I. Joe figure (like Roddy Roddy Piper gibberish) we’ll be cool.

For awesome Toy related news, visit out G.I. Joe file.