Rachel Wakley, Warner Bros. general manager, tells Toy World why fans of Wizarding World should have their wands at the ready.

A franchise of seemingly unstoppable momentum, Wizarding World is pushing back its robe-sleeves for a spellbinding year packed with new content, magical experiences and products that will continue to bring this fantastical world to life for fans.

Rachel Wakley discussed how the Wizarding World franchise has performed over the past 18 months. “We really felt we saw the true power of the Wizarding World come through,” she revealed. “A property that in times of struggle offers fans a sense of escapism from the reality, an opportunity to relive their favourite moments and pass on those memories to new fans coming into the franchise for the first time. A lot of that success was within toys, including our amazing Lego Harry Potter ranges and the great breadth of products across games and puzzles, as families found new ways to entertain themselves and their families at home.”

Rachel went on to tell us about new developments coming through for 2022, with expansions from partners across all subcategories and tie ups with top brands on new and exciting Wizarding World lines and collections.

She revealed the new content that Warner Bros expects to generate renewed excitement amongst fans, including a new film release and a new console game.

With consumers hungry for experiences and events, Rachel also highlighted the importance of such activities to the franchise. “This is not a brand solely reliant on new films or TV shows, this franchise is about allowing fans to explore their favourite locations, their favourite scenes and their favourite moments that mean something to them,” she explained, going on to detail the latest attractions featuring Wizarding World, as well as the latest retail activations. “Our retail partners play such a vital role in connecting our fans with the franchise and we will continue to deliver best in class product and activations to grow that presence across all retailers,” she added.

Rachel believes that, ultimately, it’s the fans themselves that are the true drivers of the franchise’s success. “The Wizarding World fan community is exceptional, and its passion seems to grow year after year,” she explained. “It’s our job to find ways to help them harness that passion by creating products and experiences that will create new and lasting memories.”

To read the full article, which appeared in the November edition of Toy World, click here.