Toy World caught up with Nigel Cook, VP Brand Commercialisation and Retail at Disney Consumer Products EMEA, to discuss recent launches for the Star Wars franchise.

“Star Wars has brought epic adventures and relatable human storytelling 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,” explains Nigel. “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 2024 Disney will also mark the 25th anniversary of Lego Star Wars.

“We’re very proud of what’s been achieved with Lego and the creativity and dedication fans continue to express through their builds,” adds Nigel. “It’s a true testament to the game-changing product that can be created when we combine such rich IP with our industry-leading licensees.”

Lego Star Wars featured heavily as Disney kicked off the ‘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.

To find out more about what’s to come from Star Wars in the Toy space, click here to access the full feature, which appeared in the May edition of Toy World.