Hot Properties - Star Wars

Star Wars: an iconic franchise

Nigel Cook, VP Brand Commercialisation and Retail at Disney Consumer Products EMEA, tells Toy World readers why retailers should be making space for more Star Wars products on their shelves this year, as major licensee anniversaries, franchise celebrations and new film and TV content continue to propel the property to ever greater heights.

Star Wars has brought epic adventures and relatable human storytelling to audiences to audiences for almost 50 years. Its timeless themes and compelling characters have enthralled fans across generations and leave us in no doubt about Star Wars’ continued strength as an evergreen property. What’s more, its rich landscape of storylines and character relationships allow for the creation of new adventures across the galaxy that have instant appeal from kids through to adult fans.

One of the greatest recent successes has been The Mandalorian, and the titular character’s relationship with his foundling companion, Grogu. In part thanks to the rise of the ‘cute’ aesthetic, Grogu has been embraced by a wide range of audiences outside of the existing Star Wars fan base and become established in a variety of categories including plush and animatronics from licensees including Mattel, Simba Dickie and Hasbro.

In 2024 we also mark the 25th anniversary of Lego Star Wars with a series of new building sets that will capture the imaginations of fans both young and old, inspired by iconic Star Wars ships and characters. We’re very proud of what’s been achieved with Lego and the creativity and dedication fans continue to express through their builds. It’s a true testament to the gamechanging product that can be created when we combine such rich IP with our industry-leading licensees.

Lego Star Wars featured heavily as we kicked off our ‘March to May the 4th’ campaign recently with a dynamic light show on the Empire State Building, honouring the iconic villains featured throughout the Star Wars saga. The launch event included museum quality life-sized Star Wars villains built from Lego bricks, and an immersive retail experience featuring the latest Hasbro Black Series helmets and FX Elite or Kyber Core Lightsaber adult and kid collectibles.

Looking ahead, we’re excited about what’s next for Star Wars in the Toy space; even more evergreen Classic Star Wars development is being combined with newness for fans such as The Acolyte series (coming to Disney+ in June 2024). The Mandalorian & Grogu feature film, scheduled for 2026, also presents ample opportunity to fuel the fandom, reach new audiences and continue bringing Star Wars to life through product for generations to come.