A large variety of Baby Yoda merchandise has finally been revealed, months after The Mandalorian’s release on Disney+. The Mandalorian was easily the streaming service’s biggest draw upon its initial launch, thanks in large part to the adorable force-wielder, the Child AKA Baby Yoda. As a result of series creator Jon Favreau - and his desire to keep the character’s reveal a secret - Disney hasn’t been able to meet immediate demands for Baby Yoda merchandise.
The Mandalorian premiered in November of 2019, meaning Disney did not have merchandise available for the holiday season. In response to the character’s overwhelming popularity, Disney assured fans a plethora of products would be coming in the new year. Ignoring a slew of unofficial Baby Yoda merchandise, dozens of products were then announced and became available for pre-order; a Funko bobblehead became a top-selling pre-order figure of all-time. Other notable products included a plush of the Child from Build-A-Bear, Black Series action figures equipped with things like a frog and soup bowl, and a handful of t-shirts.
During a Disney event Thursday in New York, a large set of Baby Yoda merchandise was revealed just in time for this weekend’s New York Toy Fair. In addition to the previously announced Funko figure and Build-A-Bear, Disney unveiled a large number of Mandalorian-themed merchandise. The highlight of the presentation is an animatronic version of the Child by Hasbro (equipped with a floating bassinet, cooing noises, and ear movements), which is already available for pre-order. The slew of other tie-in products also included The Mandalorian versions of classic games such as Operation and Trouble, and a LEGO construction set featuring the Razor Crest ship. Playing cards, a Baby Yoda Bluetooth speaker, and Baby Yoda backpacks, were also on display.
While complimenting Lucasfilm and Disney for creating The Mandalorian- themed products, Favreau said," Finding ways to engage and surprise audiences with this new Star Wars story has been a tremendous opportunity, and holding back on product development gave everyone the chance to discover the character, affectionately known to fans as ‘Baby Yoda,’ together." Disney reps at Thursday’s event said that members of their team didn’t even learn about the Child until the character was revealed on the show. The wide variety of Star Wars products featuring Baby Yoda are expected to become readily available starting next month. Figures and vehicles of characters like Ahsoka Tano, and the first life-size version of the Darksaber (in honor of the upcoming final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars) will also be featured at the New York Toy Fair which runs February 22-25.
Some may view this onset of The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda merchandise as “too little too late,” others will no doubt be excited to finally bring their favorite Star Wars character home, especially Hasbro’s animatronic Baby Yoda (which is, surprisingly, only $60). While Disney and Lucasfilm exes may not have foreseen Baby Yoda’s popularity, the decision to support Favreau’s creative vision is an admirable one. The new Baby Yoda merchandise, available online at shopDisney.com, is sure to be a massive hit with fans, whether it be via pre-order or when they hit retail later this year.
More: What Is Baby Yoda’s Species? Why The Mandalorian Shouldn’t Reveal It
Source: Disney, SmugMug
