Hasbro Talks Upcoming Star Wars Toy Plans

It’s tradition in a Star Wars movie year to keep most of the new toy releases a closely guarded secret. “Force Friday,” which this year will be October 4, is when stores will debut a massive influx of new product previously unannounced. And this time it won’t just be movie-related, but also based on the The Mandalorian TV series and Jedi: Fallen Order video game. Hasbro will not discuss any of those toys, but design manager Sam Smith would talk to us about a handful of new original trilogy items coming this year.

The most notable new item revealed at Comic-Con, a “Hyperreal” Bespin Luke Skywalker figure, follows the Darth Vader announced earlier in the year. Both employ a “skin over frame” design, with completely internal articulation. Or, as Smith spells it out “it has two points of articulation on the skeleton itself for the neck. It has a separate point of articulation for the head within the helmet itself. It has ball joints at shoulders, it has swivel at the elbow, ball joints at elbows, has ball joints at wrists. We have both upper and lower torso articulation. We have butterfly joints for the shoulders, and then as we get down into the pelvis, we do have a ball cap on the pelvis…upper thigh, lower leg, and then ball joints at ankles. So, a lot of articulation.”

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Toy companies have attempted figures like this before, but have frequently run into trouble when the outer plastic attracts excess dust, and rips or rots easily. Hasbro are taking pains to ensure this doesn’t happen.

“We actually use a hybrid rubber material so that it actually does help to prevent a lot of that material breakdown and ozone wear that we see with the rubber leeching, or starting to rot or split over time,” said Smith. “It does come with a care manual that just sort of describes the best ways to handle and care, in terms of cleaning it, as well as not to over-expose it to certain positions for multiple days. It’s always best to be careful with that, in terms of hyper extending it, to help prevent any chance of that happening.”

Other items revealed include an electronic 1:1 Boba Fett helmet. Hasbro scanned it from the original Joe Johnston prop and added an electronic range finder. Plus, a new 5-inch Galaxy of Adventure figure line, stylized similarly to Disney’s Toy Box action figures. The six-inch fan’s choice figure, Dagobah Luke, adds new “butterfly-style” pec joints. But it curiously does not come with a backpack for Yoda. Neither does the recent reissue of Yoda. So what gives?

“Interesting,” responded Smith. “I don’t have anything further to say on that, but definitely there is a big program coming in October.”

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Fans who looked at Hasbro’s display noticed a six-inch scaled Rancor monster, but there are no plans for that yet. (“If the reaction is strong, and the audience is there, we’ll definitely look to make it happen.”) And with the current movie saga ending in December, the future of the line feels unknown.

“It’s a little bit unnerving to think what comes next,” said Smith. “But, again, there is so much entertainment in the pipeline.”

With The Mandalorian likely to get another season and a Cassian Andor series on the way, more animation, and Galaxy’s Edge at Disney, there’ll be no shortage of non-movie material.

Check out the slideshow below for all of Hasbro’s recent Star Wars reveals.