A staggering new report reveals just how valuableStar Warsmerchandise is for Disney. 14 years ago,Disney bought Star Wars from George Lucasfor $4.05 billion. Since then, the House of Mouse has released a constant stream of new content, ranging from movies to TV shows. The Disney era has been incredibly controversial, though, and as a resultthere’s intense discussion over whether it’s been a profit- and whether Disney could have handled things better.
The Hollywood Reporterhas published a new assessment of the franchise under Disney. While most of the account will be very familiar to readers, slipped in is a fascinating detail; according to sources, “Star Wars merch generated a billion for the company last year.” It’s rare to get figures estimating the merchandise value ofStar Wars, so this report is an exciting indicator of just how valuable the franchise is for Disney.
What The Value Of Star Wars Merch Means For The Franchise
Most attention is usually fixed onStar Wars' box officetakings, or on Nielsen TV ratings for the ever-growing Disney+ TV shows. But most big franchises really make their money through merchandise and distribution (although distribution is less of a factor for recent shows, given they primarily stream on Disney+). That’s especially true forStar Wars, where merch made George Lucas rich. Lucas negotiated control of licensing and merchandising rights before the first film’s release, and he never regretted it.
Disney’s decision to hold off onBaby Yoda merchandiseback in 2019 was a costly one; there were reports Disney lost $2.7 million worth of sales in Christmas 2019. That said, Disney has more than made up for lost time, and Grogu merchandise is now widely available. Almost every Disney+ TV show has a “cute” character created in a similar mode as a potential hit, ranging from young Leia’s delightful L0-LA59 droid inObi-Wan Kenobito the tracker Bazil inThe Acolyte. Disney is clearly determined not to miss any moreStar Warsopportunities.
Star Wars Merch Proves The Franchise Is Still Strong
Star Warshas always been controversial, and the fandom right now feels pretty broken and disillusionment in the wake ofThe Acolyte’s backlashand cancelation. But these merchandise figures are a reminder thatStar Warsis still a big deal, and always will be; it’s tremendously popular, there’s a wide range of merchandise out there, and Disney is always seeking new opportunities. It’s true thatsales in 2024 have likely been lower, but that’s related to less releases of new content than anything else.
It’s impossible to make any true assessment of DisneyStar Warswithout recognizing the value of merchandise. While this is only a report, and it’s far from an exact figure, it is nonetheless believable - and it offers hope forStar Wars' future. Grogu (formerly Baby Yoda) is key to this, now co-star of the nextStar Warsmovie. The opportunities forStar Warsare vast.
Source:THR
Grogu
Grogu is a former Jedi youngling who is now training as a Mandalorian apprentice under his adopted father, Din Djarin. A survivor of Order 66, Grogu was hunted by the Empire for his blood amidst their cloning experimentation. Rescued by Din after initially being his bounty, Grogu went on to be trained briefly by Luke Skywalker as a Jedi Padawan, but has ultimately chosen the path of the Mandalorians instead to remain with his father. Grogu is now traversing the galaxy with Din to fight the Imperial Remnant and learn the Mandalorian Way.
