Star Wars Owns the Toy Industry!

[Tycho]

Star Wars movie toys are the biggest-selling of all-time and still topping the sales charts more than 30 years after the original film's release.
They are the best-selling movie toys for 2006, according to Toys R Us - even though it's been over a year since the last Star Wars film, Revenge Of The Sith, was released.

Not even this year's box office smashes, such as Cars, Pirates of the Caribbean and Batman, can compete. Toys R Us said: "It is incredible that a film which first hit cinemas in 1977 is still selling millions of toys."

TOP MOVIE TOYS OF 2006:

1 Star Wars

2 Cars

3 Pirates of the Caribbean

4 Batman

5 Spiderman

6 Scooby Doo

7 Toy Story

8 Ice Ages

9 Superman

10 Spongebob

11 Kong

12 Lord of the Rings

13 The Incredibles

14 Wallace and Gromit

15 Shrek

16 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

17 Narnia

18 Harry Potter

Oh wow! Obi-Wan Kenobi owns Harry Potter! Who's the Wizard now?!

Sadly, Optimus Prime didn't even place and the Autobots don't cross the finish line!

Where's the Mighty Sucking Power Rangers?

Batman Triumphs over Supes and just barely over Spidey. That's what you get for going against the Dark Knight. You have to be a Dark JEDI Knight to do any better ;)

Pirates is gaining ground though. Uh, anyone at Hasbro: How about a Sailbarge NOW? I'm sure the Black Pearl caught POTC a second wind when she unfurled her SALES.

Hehe. Bruce Wayne is a smarter detective than a dog, but Clark Kent is a worse reporter. ;)

What's up with Johnny Depp? His movies are up there twice!

LOTR is still marketable and obviously has staying power. Are they sure that Transformers doesn't even make this list? Soundwave: Dispatch Laserbeak and Ravage to investigate! (Sadly, from what I've seen of next year's toyline, it won't change things around for the Autobots and Decepticons - only the Alternators can do that! "Until all are one!")

Anyway, all this goes to prove that you should never "underestimate the power of the Force!"

[figrin bran]

the list is of movie toys, Tycho and so TF's don't qualify just yet. ;)

[Jargo]

why are all the hasbro employees so fat?

[Tycho]

why are all the hasbro employees so fat?


They're going for that Darth Tater look? :laugh:

[kool-aid killer]

And now the reality comes and slaps people in the face, kids (or at least their parents are for them) the biggest purchasers of Star Wars toys still.

Though looking at the last couple of entries, TRU has got some old stuff (LOTR?) still sitting around. I wonder how the numbers would be for things that dont have a movie and subsequently dont qualify for this list? Would Star Wars still be #1, or would it be in the top five or ten?

[Tycho]

I wonder how the numbers would be for things that dont have a movie and subsequently dont qualify for this list? Would Star Wars still be #1, or would it be in the top five or ten?

You know, Transformers had a movie (in 1986) and it was just re-released in a special anniversary edition DVD. Some kids were introduced to it by parents who were fans 20 years ago for sure - not to mention others starting to become hyped by the 2007 live-action movie.

Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-Turtles had a movie or two I guess.

I think Power Rangers actually did, too.

Masters of the Universe also had a movie.

Fantastic Four did and I don't see them on the list.

In some ways the list reflects that Toys R Us, like KB, carries some older product and "classic items," while Target and Wal-Mart outdo their volume, but just focus on the latest and "what's new." However, we CAN see that Star Wars, POTC, Cars, and Batman and Superman have been very strong performers for Target and Wal-Mart as well. Star Wars has never had 0 presense at these stores for any real length of time since 1995 - and at times with no movie support, they've commanded the isles with "the Force." I know we cringed to see all those Han Hoths, Luke Dagobahs, and Boba Fetts, but there once were miles of them in 1996, let alone what TPM did in 1999 or ROTS did last year.

I'm a fan and buy a heck of a lot of troops etc to make my SW dioramas and could (almost) care less if it's the No. 1 most popular (though that will help Owen and Beru finally get made) - but it doesn't surprise me that it is as popular as it is. With Star Wars, I never was on the bandwagon - I was as old as the wagon wheel itself around here - but I've seen it come back with such Force if you pardon the expression. It kind of does make you proud to be a fan, with SW being so mainstream. Remember when we used to be nerds?

[kool-aid killer]

We still are. ;) Maybe they didnt put in the Turtles and Transformers because they havent had a somewhat recent movie to support them, not yet at least. Both have 2007 movies to look forward to. Somebodys got to be buying all those damn Power Ranger toys, thankfully its nobody that i get gifts from.

[Tycho]

Both have 2007 movies to look forward to.

Oh, I knew there was something I was forgetting to do... ;)


Somebodys got to be buying all those damn Power Ranger toys, thankfully its nobody that i get gifts from. LOL - that should go on a bumper sticker!

BTW - and no I did not want them - but at Wal-Mart I noticed that the latest Power Rangers figures were really detailed and articulated. The quality has really gone up or I've not paid them any attention in a long while.

[kool-aid killer]

In todays toy market, a company has to start improving their figures. Five points of articulation isnt very good any more in light of line like Marvel Legends. Power Ranger figures are noticable because they get a decent amount of peg space for a toy line that doesnt seem to have much followers. Like you, i dont go into a store hoping to see them, but theyre always there. If i were to ever buy any, they would have to be of the original look Rangers, i liked the dinos. I didnt care for the show at all, but the dinos were cool looking, made me think of a poor mans Voltron with bad live action to support it.

[Tycho]

Is Hasbro doing Marvel Legends now? Spider-Man is part of that, right?

It's curious because I think we all wish that Lucas would loosen up a bit on his Star Wars profits requirements enough for a company like Hasbro to be reasonably able to invest more in things like (I know Tycho's going to say it....get ready.....he's going to say it.....he always says it.......here it comes.....) Jabba The Hutt's SAILBARGE vehicle for the 3 3/4" figures!

[JEDIpartner]

I love that Wallace and Gromit are on the list!!!!

[bobafrett]

I love that Wallace and Gromit are on the list!!!!


Respect! I have most of their stuff on both VHS and DVD! I want to get the movie that came out, I saw it at my friends house and it was halarious!