New Hot Wheels Pop Culture Mix for 2027 Looks Like a Glitch in the Matrix

I’m currently preparing for my first Mini GT-exclusive unboxing story. I just paid for five new cars, and already had two JDM machines at home. That means I’m missing three items for the complete line-up. I’m stuck in the same situation with two or three different Hot Wheels themes, too.

But that’s OK, as I still have two more weeks to prepare everything for September. That’s when I start taking them out of their blister cards for more detailed photos. One of my goals for 2026 is to do one more Pop Culture unboxing, as it’s easily one of my favorite series on the market. I have a few 10+ year old collectibles on my must-have list, and finding them seems to be more problematic than the actual cost.

I could always focus on the modern releases, but where’s the fun in that? In recent years, it just hasn’t been the same. And I had some hope it would change once I saw the Herb-focused set. Part of me is still somewhat suspicious of the whole thing, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it turns out to be a custom mix instead of something that’s genuinely on Mattel’s agenda.

And seeing the latest preview for the 2027 Pop Culture line-up has further fueled that fear. Instead of one common theme across five items, we’re once again faced with a diverse mix. Jun Imai’s ‘64 Lincoln Continental will be one of next year’s Super Treasure Hunt collectibles. And it has already had two Matrix iterations before (2022 and 2026).

The card art has never looked better though, and I’m shocked it took the team in El Segundo so long to use that shot from the movie. Nothing seems different on the actual car though, and I still can’t bear seeing those wheels. Manson Cheung’s F/A-18E Super Hornet is another repeat item here, and it stands a good chance of being a peg-warmer once it comes out.

Let’s focus on the good stuff, though. Jurassic Park means a lot more to me than Jurassic World does, and we’ve already had two variations of the ‘92 Jeep Wrangler Sahara that paid tribute to the original trilogy. I showed you more photos of the non-SDCC release last year in August, and I’m happy to see the new one isn’t the same thing.

We get new wheels, new colors, a bit of “mud” and what looks like the outcome of a close encounter with a dangerous predator on the door. The card art is equally impressive, and I sometimes understand why people never open these in the first place. I’m by no means a Knight Rider connoisseur, but isn’t the “brand” celebrating its 45th anniversary, not 40th, next year? What am I missing here?

Brendon Vetuskey’s K.I.T.T. has been around since 2012, with 13 variations until 2025. I don’t think we needed another one, but something as insignificant as that wasn’t going to stop the manufacturer from giving it to us anyway. The Custom GMC Panel Van isn’t something we haven’t seen before either.

It had three A-Team variations within the first three years of its “life”, but I admit it hasn’t been around since. It’s still a fairly exciting casting after all these years. Even though I sold my Michelin variation, I still have the Barbie one in a transport case in my living room. Dear people at Mattel, can you please focus on getting the Initial D and Wangan Midnight license for Pop Culture next?