GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This year, the Force is strong with fans who want to celebrate their love of all things Star Wars™ with new merchandise tied to beloved stories and characters revealed today just ahead of New York Toy Fair.
Leading with products inspired by the hit Disney+ series, The Mandalorian (created by Jon Favreau and Executive Produced by Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy and Colin Wilson), anticipation is at an all-time high for toys, collectibles, books, home goods, apparel, games, accessories and more inspired by the galaxy’s newest (and arguably cutest) character, the Child, affectionately referred to as “Baby Yoda.” In addition to dozens of products previously announced, a number of all-new items across multiple categories were revealed for the first time today. Highlights include THE CHILD ANIMATRONIC EDITION figure, which will be available for preorder at most major retailers starting at 1:00 PM ET today, Star Wars™ TROUBLE: The Mandalorian Edition and Star Wars™ OPERATION: The Mandalorian Edition games, all from Hasbro, a LEGO® construction set featuring the Mandalorian’s Razor Crest ship and LEGO® BrickHeadz™ Star Wars The Mandalorian & The Child 75317 building kit, and all-new offerings exclusive to shopDisney.com | Disney store and Disney Parks. These new items and more will hit retail later this year.
Sought-after items featuring the Child from Hasbro, Funko, Mattel, Build-A-Bear®, shopDisney.com | Disney store, and more, some of which went on pre-sale starting late last year, are expected to hit shelves and doorsteps starting next month.
“Finding ways to engage and surprise audiences with this new Star Wars story has been a tremendous opportunity,” said The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau. “And holding back on product development gave everyone the chance to discover the character affectionately known to fans as “Baby Yoda” together. This is something special in the age of spoilers. I am so appreciative of the partnership with the teams at Lucasfilm and Disney who are translating these characters into products for fans to enjoy.”
Last year, products based on The Mandalorian streaming series quickly became some of the most sought-after holiday gifts, with products inspired by the Child intentionally held back to uphold the big character reveal. As new viewers discovered the acclaimed show, demand for goods continued to grow, resulting in “Baby Yoda” being the #1 trending “baby” search on Google in the United States for 20191 and pre-orders of the Child product routinely hitting #1 across retail e-commerce sites like Amazon, Walmart.com, and Target.com. Recently, Funko announced their ‘The Child’ Pop! bobblehead was the top-selling pre-order figure of all-time.2
Also revealed today were new products inspired by the Emmy Award-winning animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which is also executive produced by Dave Filoni and is returning for a seventh and final season exclusively on Disney+. In celebration of the series, Hasbro revealed a Mandalorian DARKSABER LIGHTSABER, as well as additional products featuring Star Wars: The Clone Wars fan-favorite characters as part of their all-new Mission Fleet line of vehicles and figures, including ANAKIN SKYWALKER JEDI STARFIGHTER Vehicle and Figure, AHSOKA TANO AQUATIC ATTACK Micro Vehicle and Figure, and CAPTAIN REX CLONE COMBAT Vehicle and Figure. Disney Parks is also celebrating the return of the classic series with new items including Star Wars: The Clone Wars Clone Trooper pins, apparel and Ahsoka Tano Mickey Ears designed by Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano and founder of Her Universe.
The 12-episode final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars premieres February 21 on Disney+, with new episodes streaming every Friday. Fans can expect more reveals of products inspired by Star Wars: The Clone Wars throughout the year.
Additional products tied to other milestone moments, such as the home entertainment release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, just to name a few, will round out offerings across multiple categories hitting shelves throughout the year.
“From breakout characters like the Child to the beloved Skywalker Saga and everything in between, Star Wars has the ability to connect with fans generation after generation,” said Ken Potrock, president, consumer products commercialization, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “It’s an honor to be able to deliver products and experiences that allow our fans around the world to celebrate their favorite characters and stories 365 days a year.”
Select Star Wars™ products will be on display at New York Toy Fair, which runs February 22-25, at the Jacob K. Javits Center.
For press assets and additional information on all the new products, please visit this press site: https://www.image.net/StarWarsToyFair2020.
About Disney Parks, Experiences and Products
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products brings the magic of The Walt Disney Company’s powerful brands and franchises—including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, ESPN, 20th Century Studios, and National Geographic—into the daily lives of families and fans around the world to create magical memories that last a lifetime.
When Walt Disney opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, on July 17, 1955, he created a unique destination built around storytelling and immersive experiences, ushering in a new era of family entertainment. More than 60 years later, Disney has grown into one of the world’s leading providers of family travel and leisure experiences, with iconic businesses including six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 52 resorts in the United States, Europe, and Asia with approximately 160,000 cast members; a top-rated cruise line with four ships and plans for three more to be completed in 2021, 2022, and 2023; a luxurious family beach resort in Hawai‘i; a popular vacation ownership program; and an award-winning guided family adventure business.
Disney’s global consumer products operations include the world’s leading licensing business; one of the world’s largest children’s publishing brands; one of the world’s largest licensors of games across platforms; more than 300 Disney store locations around the world; and the shop Disney e-commerce platform. These experiences are created by Disney Imagineers, the creative force behind experiences found in Disney theme parks, resort hotels, cruise ships, and consumer products—including books, games, and merchandise.
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About Hasbro
Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World's Best Play and Entertainment Experiences. From toys, games and consumer products to television, movies, digital gaming, live action, music, and virtual reality experiences, Hasbro connects to global audiences by bringing to life great innovations, stories and brands across established and inventive platforms. Hasbro’s iconic brands include NERF, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, POWER RANGERS, PEPPA PIG and PJ MASKS as well as premier partner brands. Through its global entertainment studio eOne, Hasbro is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for children and their families through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 13 on the 2019 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine and has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute for the past eight years. Learn more at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro) and Instagram (@Hasbro).
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1 https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2019/US/
https://media.thinknum.com/articles/its-official-baby-yoda-is-1-toy-sold-at-amazon/; https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/baby-yoda-plush-toy-demand-amazon-ship-date-1203449700/
2 https://comicbook.com/gear/2020/02/06/baby-yoda-is-the-best-selling-funko-pop-of-all-time/
